Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Bucharest Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Bucharest

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,397 in Bucharest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,105 in Bucharest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,814 in Bucharest.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 2% less than in Bucharest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 0% above, Bucharest 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$15.50 RON 71.1

-77.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$59.9 RON 275

-39.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$7.54 RON 34.58

-24.27%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$3.72 RON 17.07

-28.23%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$2.36 RON 10.82

-25.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$2.30 RON 10.55

-62.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$3.98 RON 18.26

-25.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$4.51 RON 20.70

0.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.82 RON 8.33

-10.99%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.44 RON 6.62

61.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$1.82 RON 8.36

-39.01%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$3.94 RON 18.08

-44.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

$9.47 RON 43.44

86.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

$7.05 RON 32.36

-41.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

$12.16 RON 55.8

0.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$1.33 RON 6.11

178.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$1.67 RON 7.68

-4.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$1.64 RON 7.51

39.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$2.80 RON 12.83

-30.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$0.84 RON 3.86

127.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$0.79 RON 3.62

194.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$0.91 RON 4.16

10.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$1.00 RON 4.59

-45.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$7.00 RON 32.12

-68.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

$6.44 RON 29.54

258.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

$1.24 RON 5.70

95.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

$1.74 RON 7.99

72.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

$0.86 RON 3.93

-68.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

$21.97 RON 101

-59.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$0.63 RON 2.91

-23.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

$0.69 RON 3.17

-37.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

$6.68 RON 30.66

-15.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.97 RON 9.05

-59.39%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

$29.3K RON 134.6K

-14.96%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

$28.4K RON 130.4K

11.57%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$192 RON 879

-57.48%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$8.51 RON 39.03

-23.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$10.09 RON 46.28

86.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$53.1 RON 244

7.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

$25.78 RON 118

-27.35%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$8.57 RON 39.30

-47.02%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$481 Rp 8.5M

$664 RON 3,048

-27.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

$15.1K RON 69.3K

-62.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

$94.5 RON 434

-51.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

$40.90 RON 188

-12.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$82.4 RON 378

-2.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$99.2 RON 455

-20.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$716 RON 3,283

55.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$470 RON 2,158

48.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

$1,149 RON 5,273

216.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$739 RON 3,389

135.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

$3,881 RON 17.8K

-28.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

$2,277 RON 10.4K

0.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$1,484 RON 6,809

-88.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

6.76

103.85%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $716 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 783% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $60.0 in Bucharest. Groceries flip the comparison at $295 vs $235, with Bucharest cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Ubud, Bali vs Bucharest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Bucharest differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($1,368 vs $1,397 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 783% lower in Bucharest. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $716 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,397 in Bucharest – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 145% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,397 in Bucharest, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Bucharest are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.