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 $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,217 in Chisinau, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,808 in Chisinau, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,763 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,399 in Chisinau, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 16% more than Chisinau, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Chisinau is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$8.89 MDL 155

-61.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$36.83 MDL 641

-12.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$7.38 MDL 129

-34.42%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$1.89 MDL 32.92

45.50%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$0.92 MDL 16.09

50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.70 MDL 12.14

7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$1.79 MDL 31.13

67.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

$2.33 MDL 40.49

65.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$1.28 MDL 22.21

35.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$0.56 MDL 9.80

339.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.49 MDL 26.01

-21.48%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$2.61 MDL 45.52

-6.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$10.51 MDL 183

37.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$5.36 MDL 93.3

-18.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$8.89 MDL 155

34.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$0.85 MDL 14.79

337.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.81 MDL 31.58

-9.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$1.77 MDL 30.81

54.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$2.15 MDL 37.43

4.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$0.78 MDL 13.56

146.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$0.59 MDL 10.31

286.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.34 MDL 23.35

-20.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.90 MDL 15.63

-20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$3.28 MDL 57.0

0.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

$4.59 MDL 80.0

405.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$1.21 MDL 21.12

129.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$1.99 MDL 34.57

37.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$0.36 MDL 6.29

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

$13.82 MDL 241

-41.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$2.10 MDL 36.50

-77.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$0.27 MDL 4.70

55.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$5.17 MDL 90.0

20.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.38 MDL 24.06

-41.30%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$31.9K MDL 555.8K

-16.63%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$31.5K MDL 548.8K

2.12%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$170 MDL 2,954

-53.82%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$7.34 MDL 128

-44.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$10.78 MDL 188

125.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$43.85 MDL 764

124.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

$21.97 MDL 383

-71.14%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$7.45 MDL 130

-46.44%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$391 MDL 6,802

-21.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$7,516 MDL 130.9K

-11.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$67.0 MDL 1,166

-19.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$54.2 MDL 943

-30.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$110 MDL 1,923

-21.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$122 MDL 2,133

-37.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$673 MDL 11.7K

47.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$468 MDL 8,148

43.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

$1,243 MDL 21.7K

171.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$822 MDL 14.3K

149.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

$2,599 MDL 45.3K

7.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

$1,879 MDL 32.7K

18.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$867 MDL 15.1K

-80.74%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Chisinau: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $673 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 419% 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $37.00 in Chisinau. Groceries tell a different story – $297 in Ubud, Bali vs $192 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 16%, 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 $2,112 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,826 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 55% 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 $32.00 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 $1,217, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,408. 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.