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 $1,404 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $969 in Tulcea, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,549 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,499 in Tulcea, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,694 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,030 in Tulcea, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 45% more than Tulcea, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 4% above the global median, while Tulcea is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.7K

$9.86 RON 44.76

-63.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 589.5K

$42.30 RON 192

-23.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 88.2K

$7.89 RON 35.83

-38.40%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.8K

$2.70 RON 12.26

1.85%

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

$1.32 Rp 24.0K

$1.94 RON 8.80

-31.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.7K

$1.94 RON 8.82

-63.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.8K

$2.28 RON 10.34

27.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.8K

$3.54 RON 16.06

7.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 31.0K

$1.40 RON 6.34

22.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.9K

$1.09 RON 4.93

126.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.8K

$1.69 RON 7.65

-28.99%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 44.3K

$2.39 RON 10.83

2.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 260.9K

$8.87 RON 40.25

62.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 78.1K

$7.10 RON 32.23

-39.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 221.4K

$8.93 RON 40.55

36.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.8K

$1.18 RON 5.34

211.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 28.1K

$1.47 RON 6.67

5.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.5K

$1.29 RON 5.83

116.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 42.3K

$1.96 RON 8.88

18.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.7K

$0.74 RON 3.38

166.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.9K

$0.89 RON 4.05

159.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.3K

$0.70 RON 3.20

51.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.86 RON 3.89

-15.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 59.5K

$5.88 RON 26.68

-44.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 413.4K

$6.80 RON 30.89

235.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.9K

$0.98 RON 4.45

186.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 50.5K

$1.41 RON 6.40

97.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,281

$0.71 RON 3.23

-59.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 146.2K

$27.64 RON 125

-70.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,146

$0.68 RON 3.08

-33.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,193

$0.65 RON 2.95

-30.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 113.1K

$5.59 RON 25.38

11.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.4K

$1.60 RON 7.27

-46.88%

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

$26.0K Rp 471.2M

$25.2K RON 114.4K

3.08%

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

$31.7K Rp 574.1M

$26.9K RON 122.1K

17.73%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.5M

$92.2 RON 419

-12.44%

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

$4.06 Rp 73.6K

$8.10 RON 36.77

-49.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 442.9K

$9.71 RON 44.07

151.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.8M

$26.58 RON 121

267.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 116.9K

$19.11 RON 86.8

-66.25%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 73.3K

$6.71 RON 30.46

-39.79%

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

$304 Rp 5.5M

$430 RON 1,952

-29.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 120.1M

$6,893 RON 31.3K

-3.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 983.6K

$84.1 RON 382

-35.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 703.2K

$41.91 RON 190

-7.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.6M

$74.8 RON 339

15.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$96.4 RON 438

-20.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.9M

$389 RON 1,766

153.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.9M

$289 RON 1,314

127.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 61.1M

$577 RON 2,621

483.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.5M

$433 RON 1,966

377.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.7M

$1,329 RON 6,034

106.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 40.4M

$1,165 RON 5,287

91.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 3.0M

$644 RON 2,921

-74.61%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Tulcea: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $389 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $42.00 in Tulcea. Groceries tell a different story – $297 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: $1,404 in Ubud, Bali, $969 in Tulcea – roughly 45% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,106 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,454 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 $1,404 in Ubud, Bali and $969 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 $969, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,404. 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 $969 in Tulcea to $1,404 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.