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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,054 in Cricova.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,312 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,880 in Cricova.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,276 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,706 in Cricova.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 28% more expensive than in Cricova, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 1% above, Cricova is 21% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 59.7K

$8.51 MDL 151

-60.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.42 Rp 634.4K

$28.14 MDL 500

25.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.76 Rp 103.1K

$10.52 MDL 187

-45.25%

Cappuccino

$2.63 Rp 47.1K

$1.04 MDL 18.48

152.88%

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

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

$1.09 MDL 19.34

59.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.8K

$0.67 MDL 11.82

14.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 Rp 48.5K

$2.03 MDL 36.14

33.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.9K

$2.24 MDL 39.75

101.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 Rp 27.5K

$2.34 MDL 41.59

-34.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$0.50 MDL 8.84

340.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 Rp 21.8K

$1.10 MDL 19.55

10.91%

Eggs

$2.14 Rp 38.3K

$1.25 MDL 22.27

71.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.73 Rp 317.6K

$6.62 MDL 118

167.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.86 Rp 69.1K

$4.66 MDL 82.7

-17.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.03 Rp 215.4K

$12.19 MDL 216

-1.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.61 Rp 64.7K

$1.08 MDL 19.26

234.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 Rp 27.1K

$0.81 MDL 14.43

86.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 Rp 41.5K

$1.05 MDL 18.59

120.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 Rp 35.9K

$1.10 MDL 19.46

81.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

$0.73 MDL 12.93

147.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 Rp 42.7K

$1.05 MDL 18.62

127.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 Rp 17.8K

$1.05 MDL 18.61

-5.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 Rp 9,392

$1.08 MDL 19.27

-51.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.18 Rp 39.1K

$3.40 MDL 60.4

-35.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.98 Rp 411.5K

$4.46 MDL 79.2

415.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 Rp 42.9K

$2.55 MDL 45.26

-5.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.7K

$4.30 MDL 76.5

-30.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 Rp 4,263

$0.56 MDL 9.92

-57.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.99 Rp 125.2K

$22.18 MDL 394

-68.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 Rp 7,892

$1.10 MDL 19.49

-60.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,598

$0.24 MDL 4.22

75.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 Rp 97.6K

$6.94 MDL 123

-21.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 15.1K

$1.37 MDL 24.41

-38.69%

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

$24.3K Rp 435.7M

$29.8K MDL 528.9K

-18.32%

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

$31.9K Rp 571.2M

$24.0K MDL 426.5K

32.79%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$239 MDL 4,239

-66.14%

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

$6.58 Rp 117.8K

$7.95 MDL 141

-17.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.24 Rp 326.8K

$11.17 MDL 198

63.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.1 Rp 987.4K

$56.7 MDL 1,007

-2.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.51 Rp 331.6K

$11.26 MDL 200

64.39%

Cinema Ticket

$4.24 Rp 76.0K

$7.79 MDL 138

-45.57%

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

$486 Rp 8.7M

$112 MDL 1,997

332.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,676 Rp 101.7M

$5,258 MDL 93.4K

7.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.18 Rp 809.3K

$56.6 MDL 1,006

-20.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.57 Rp 619.2K

$28.69 MDL 510

20.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.2 Rp 1.4M

$83.2 MDL 1,477

-4.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.6 Rp 1.4M

$113 MDL 2,014

-31.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 Rp 20.2M

$918 MDL 16.3K

22.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 12.1M

$223 MDL 3,957

202.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,618 Rp 64.8M

$1,407 MDL 25.0K

157.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,735 Rp 31.1M

$1,117 MDL 19.8K

55.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,829 Rp 50.7M

$2,798 MDL 49.7K

1.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,307 Rp 41.3M

$1,976 MDL 35.1K

16.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$166 Rp 3.0M

$581 MDL 10.3K

-71.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

96.86%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 5, 2026

Last update for Cricova: October 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,127 in Ubud, Bali and $918 in Cricova. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cricova pays 251% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $28.00 in Cricova for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $290 vs $189 per month, with Cricova 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 Cricova: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Cricova differ by about 28% in total monthly costs ($1,348 vs $1,054 including rent). Cricova is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 251% lower in Cricova. 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: $1,127 in Ubud, Bali versus $918 in Cricova. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cricova runs roughly 217% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $486 in Ubud, Bali versus $112 in Cricova. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,054 in Cricova versus $1,348 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cricova but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Cricova 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 Cricova 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 Cricova gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.