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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,397 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $989 in Tulcea, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,588 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,510 in Tulcea, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,778 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,032 in Tulcea, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 41% more than Tulcea, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Tulcea is 26% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.43 Rp 61.6K

$9.82 RON 45.04

-65.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.97 Rp 574.4K

$43.08 RON 198

-25.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.05 Rp 90.8K

$7.66 RON 35.14

-34.07%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.8K

$2.71 RON 12.41

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

$1.39 Rp 25.0K

$1.90 RON 8.73

-26.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 Rp 13.3K

$1.93 RON 8.85

-61.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 Rp 52.0K

$2.26 RON 10.36

27.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.1K

$3.54 RON 16.24

7.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 Rp 32.2K

$1.35 RON 6.20

32.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.51 Rp 45.0K

$1.04 RON 4.79

141.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 Rp 21.8K

$1.75 RON 8.03

-30.86%

Eggs

$2.37 Rp 42.5K

$2.37 RON 10.87

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.43 Rp 259.3K

$8.51 RON 39.03

69.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.15 Rp 74.6K

$7.10 RON 32.54

-41.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.11 Rp 217.7K

$8.92 RON 40.91

35.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.77 Rp 67.7K

$1.21 RON 5.53

211.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.42 RON 6.50

14.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

$1.29 RON 5.93

110.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 Rp 40.5K

$1.92 RON 8.79

17.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 Rp 34.6K

$0.76 RON 3.50

153.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 39.4K

$0.93 RON 4.27

135.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 Rp 18.3K

$0.75 RON 3.42

36.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.86 RON 3.96

-16.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 Rp 57.2K

$5.73 RON 26.29

-44.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.84 Rp 428.3K

$6.91 RON 31.66

245.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 Rp 49.8K

$0.90 RON 4.14

207.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$1.37 RON 6.28

100.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,802

$0.70 RON 3.22

-61.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.20 Rp 147.3K

$27.46 RON 126

-70.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,684

$0.72 RON 3.32

-33.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,571

$0.61 RON 2.79

-31.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.03 Rp 108.3K

$5.64 RON 25.88

6.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

$1.55 RON 7.12

-47.10%

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

$26.6K Rp 477.3M

$25.4K RON 116.3K

4.70%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.6M

$27.5K RON 126.1K

17.05%

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

$78.3 Rp 1.4M

$93.4 RON 428

-16.23%

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

$3.91 Rp 70.3K

$7.81 RON 35.80

-49.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.91 Rp 429.7K

$10.17 RON 46.63

135.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.2 Rp 1.7M

$26.06 RON 119

269.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.53 Rp 117.3K

$19.54 RON 89.6

-66.58%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.1K

$6.84 RON 31.38

-41.37%

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

$303 Rp 5.4M

$434 RON 1,991

-30.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,551 Rp 117.7M

$6,793 RON 31.1K

-3.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.3 Rp 993.9K

$83.3 RON 382

-33.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.32 Rp 688.6K

$42.93 RON 197

-10.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.5 Rp 1.6M

$73.4 RON 336

20.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$98.2 RON 450

-21.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$384 RON 1,762

156.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$682 Rp 12.3M

$295 RON 1,353

131.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,420 Rp 61.5M

$577 RON 2,645

493.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,075 Rp 37.3M

$436 RON 1,998

376.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,762 Rp 49.6M

$1,299 RON 5,955

112.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,243 Rp 40.3M

$1,130 RON 5,180

98.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

$641 RON 2,937

-73.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

6.5

104.31%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 22, 2026

Last update for Tulcea: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $384 in Tulcea. 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 280% higher in Tulcea, 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 $43.00 in Tulcea. Groceries tell a different story – $298 in Ubud, Bali vs $196 in Tulcea – so Tulcea 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 Tulcea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,397 in Ubud, Bali, $989 in Tulcea – roughly 41% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,096 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,483 in Tulcea. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali and $43.00 in Tulcea. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,397 in Ubud, Bali and $989 in Tulcea. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tulcea, where all-in costs run around $989, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,397. In Tulcea it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Ubud, Bali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $989 in Tulcea to $1,397 in Ubud, Bali. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Tulcea. 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.