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 $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $980 in Tulcea, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,582 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,496 in Tulcea, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,757 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,012 in Tulcea, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 44% more than Tulcea, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Tulcea is 27% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.42 Rp 58.7K

$9.98 RON 43.30

-65.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 Rp 566.5K

$42.04 RON 182

-21.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.08 Rp 87.3K

$8.04 RON 34.91

-36.82%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 48.5K

$2.67 RON 11.58

5.62%

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

$1.37 Rp 23.5K

$1.99 RON 8.66

-31.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Rp 12.2K

$1.92 RON 8.35

-63.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 Rp 51.0K

$2.33 RON 10.10

27.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 Rp 67.2K

$3.42 RON 14.82

14.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 Rp 30.0K

$1.34 RON 5.82

30.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 43.2K

$1.05 RON 4.56

140.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 Rp 20.8K

$1.76 RON 7.64

-31.25%

Eggs

$2.33 Rp 40.1K

$2.29 RON 9.94

1.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 249.2K

$8.65 RON 37.54

67.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.36 Rp 74.9K

$7.21 RON 31.30

-39.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.05 Rp 207.0K

$9.14 RON 39.67

31.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.82 Rp 65.6K

$1.22 RON 5.31

213.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.7K

$1.42 RON 6.14

13.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 Rp 46.5K

$1.29 RON 5.60

109.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 Rp 38.3K

$1.99 RON 8.62

12.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 32.6K

$0.80 RON 3.46

137.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 Rp 37.5K

$0.94 RON 4.08

131.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 17.7K

$0.70 RON 3.02

47.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.3K

$0.87 RON 3.77

-11.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 Rp 54.7K

$5.65 RON 24.52

-43.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.23 Rp 399.2K

$6.96 RON 30.19

233.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 Rp 48.9K

$0.92 RON 3.99

209.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 Rp 46.7K

$1.41 RON 6.13

92.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,022

$0.71 RON 3.07

-59.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.43 Rp 144.8K

$26.81 RON 116

-68.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,344

$0.72 RON 3.12

-31.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,812

$0.64 RON 2.80

-29.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.28 Rp 107.8K

$5.60 RON 24.31

12.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 14.6K

$1.61 RON 6.98

-47.20%

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

$26.1K Rp 447.8M

$25.1K RON 108.9K

3.87%

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

$31.5K Rp 541.8M

$27.5K RON 119.5K

14.48%

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

$79.8 Rp 1.4M

$92.4 RON 401

-13.71%

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

$4.09 Rp 70.3K

$7.88 RON 34.20

-48.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.06 Rp 413.6K

$9.92 RON 43.05

142.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.2 Rp 1.7M

$26.81 RON 116

258.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.53 Rp 112.2K

$19.04 RON 82.6

-65.70%

Cinema Ticket

$4.13 Rp 71.1K

$7.03 RON 30.49

-41.25%

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

$297 Rp 5.1M

$434 RON 1,882

-31.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,661 Rp 114.5M

$7,053 RON 30.6K

-5.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 Rp 944.5K

$81.5 RON 354

-32.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.75 Rp 666.0K

$43.18 RON 187

-10.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.6 Rp 1.5M

$73.3 RON 318

22.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$97.6 RON 424

-19.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 Rp 17.5M

$387 RON 1,681

162.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 Rp 11.3M

$290 RON 1,256

127.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,435 Rp 59.0M

$594 RON 2,576

478.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,053 Rp 35.3M

$437 RON 1,896

369.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,981 Rp 51.2M

$1,409 RON 6,113

111.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,368 Rp 40.7M

$1,188 RON 5,157

99.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$172 Rp 3.0M

$678 RON 2,944

-74.63%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Tulcea: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,018 in Ubud, Bali versus $387 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 294% 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 $33 in Ubud, Bali versus $42 in Tulcea. Groceries tell a different story – $299 in Ubud, Bali vs $198 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: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, $980 in Tulcea – roughly 44% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,112 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,471 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali and $42.00 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 $1,408 in Ubud, Bali and $980 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 $980, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,408. 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 $980 in Tulcea to $1,408 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.