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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,231 in Chisinau, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,540 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,813 in Chisinau, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,660 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,394 in Chisinau, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 15% more than Chisinau, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 6% above the global median, while Chisinau is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 64.3K

$8.53 MDL 147

-58.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 590.3K

$37.11 MDL 637

-11.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 89.2K

$7.53 MDL 129

-34.26%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.9K

$1.87 MDL 32.20

44.92%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.2K

$0.99 MDL 17.02

35.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.70 MDL 12.00

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.7K

$1.74 MDL 29.87

67.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 71.4K

$2.29 MDL 39.39

72.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.6K

$1.29 MDL 22.15

40.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.4K

$0.52 MDL 8.97

384.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.9K

$1.46 MDL 25.01

-20.55%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.4K

$2.62 MDL 44.96

-6.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 265.3K

$10.22 MDL 176

43.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.9K

$5.35 MDL 91.9

-19.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 218.9K

$8.69 MDL 149

39.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 69.3K

$0.84 MDL 14.39

357.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

$1.82 MDL 31.27

-14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 51.1K

$1.78 MDL 30.51

58.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.9K

$2.17 MDL 37.25

7.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.5K

$0.81 MDL 13.92

135.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.7K

$0.54 MDL 9.31

307.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.3K

$1.30 MDL 22.38

-22.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 14.0K

$0.90 MDL 15.47

-13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.8K

$3.28 MDL 56.4

1.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 428.0K

$4.73 MDL 81.3

401.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$1.21 MDL 20.82

130.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.6K

$1.91 MDL 32.81

49.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,848

$0.33 MDL 5.75

-18.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 144.8K

$13.47 MDL 231

-40.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,230

$2.07 MDL 35.59

-77.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,116

$0.25 MDL 4.29

80.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.9K

$5.33 MDL 91.7

14.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

$1.44 MDL 24.75

-45.14%

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

$26.1K Rp 471.6M

$32.7K MDL 561.6K

-20.00%

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

$32.1K Rp 579.2M

$31.5K MDL 540.4K

2.11%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$174 MDL 2,989

-54.06%

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

$4.06 Rp 73.3K

$7.38 MDL 127

-44.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 424.1K

$10.98 MDL 189

114.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$43.14 MDL 741

128.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 119.6K

$22.18 MDL 381

-70.11%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.8K

$7.63 MDL 131

-45.61%

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

$304 Rp 5.5M

$388 MDL 6,659

-21.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 119.3M

$7,708 MDL 132.4K

-14.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 1.0M

$65.4 MDL 1,123

-15.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 690.9K

$54.3 MDL 933

-29.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$111 MDL 1,910

-20.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$120 MDL 2,070

-35.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.1M

$668 MDL 11.5K

50.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.2M

$468 MDL 8,044

44.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 62.1M

$1,243 MDL 21.4K

176.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.8M

$798 MDL 13.7K

155.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 51.2M

$2,649 MDL 45.5K

7.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.8M

$1,901 MDL 32.7K

19.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$864 MDL 14.8K

-80.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

9.24

43.72%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chisinau: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $668 in Chisinau. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 423% higher in Chisinau, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $37.00 in Chisinau. Groceries tell a different story – $302 in Ubud, Bali vs $190 in Chisinau – so Chisinau wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Chisinau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 15%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,129 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,846 in Chisinau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chisinau, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 59% more in Ubud, Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali and $37.00 in Chisinau. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Chisinau, where all-in costs run around $1,231, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,419. In Chisinau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chisinau – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chisinau. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.