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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,047 in Buzau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,538 in Buzau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,029 in Buzau.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 32% more expensive than in Buzau, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Buzau is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$10.86 RON 49.17

-69.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$26.83 RON 122

33.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$6.59 RON 29.82

-14.57%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$2.07 RON 9.39

36.23%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$2.04 RON 9.23

-14.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$1.59 RON 7.21

-49.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$1.79 RON 8.11

69.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$1.79 RON 8.11

140.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$1.86 RON 8.40

-13.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$1.39 RON 6.30

63.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$1.48 RON 6.68

-20.95%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$3.22 RON 14.57

-32.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$7.86 RON 35.62

124.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$7.06 RON 31.99

-42.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$11.56 RON 52.4

5.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$1.05 RON 4.75

244.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$1.74 RON 7.87

-5.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$1.17 RON 5.32

97.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$1.24 RON 5.64

58.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$0.69 RON 3.11

166.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$0.88 RON 3.99

169.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$0.49 RON 2.21

114.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$0.74 RON 3.37

-27.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$6.71 RON 30.40

-65.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

$6.73 RON 30.50

242.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$0.80 RON 3.63

192.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$1.52 RON 6.89

101.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

$0.69 RON 3.12

-63.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

$22.95 RON 104

-58.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$0.56 RON 2.53

-12.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$0.53 RON 2.39

-11.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$6.66 RON 30.16

-15.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$1.62 RON 7.34

-50.00%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$20.3K RON 92.0K

23.14%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

$22.1K RON 100.3K

40.28%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$128 RON 581

-35.57%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$8.45 RON 38.28

-23.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$8.53 RON 38.63

120.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

$33.75 RON 153

63.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

$19.19 RON 86.9

-5.11%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$7.24 RON 32.77

-40.61%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$305 RON 1,382

61.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$7,015 RON 31.8K

-15.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$59.3 RON 269

-22.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$61.5 RON 279

-40.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$103 RON 468

-21.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$89.0 RON 403

-11.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$374 RON 1,696

197.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$311 RON 1,409

122.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$643 RON 2,912

465.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

$442 RON 2,003

287.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

$1,514 RON 6,857

82.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

$1,253 RON 5,672

83.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

$910 RON 4,121

-81.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

6.97

97.70%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Buzau: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali and $374 in Buzau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buzau pays 445% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $27.00 in Buzau for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $207 per month, with Buzau cheaper across the board.

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 Buzau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Buzau differ by about 32% in total monthly costs ($1,378 vs $1,047 including rent). Buzau is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 445% lower in Buzau. 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: $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $374 in Buzau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 42% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Buzau – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,047 in Buzau versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Buzau but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Buzau 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 Buzau 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 Buzau gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.