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 $1,378 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,040 in Tulcea, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,327 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,669 in Tulcea, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,275 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,297 in Tulcea, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 32% more than Tulcea, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 0% above the global median, while Tulcea is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$12.39 RON 55.9

-73.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 631.0K

$48.71 RON 220

-26.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.2K

$8.13 RON 36.70

-30.75%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$2.27 RON 10.25

24.23%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$2.19 RON 9.90

-20.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$1.13 RON 5.11

-29.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$2.27 RON 10.26

33.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$2.25 RON 10.18

91.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$1.71 RON 7.71

-5.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 40.0K

$1.09 RON 4.94

108.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$1.57 RON 7.08

-25.48%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$3.27 RON 14.78

-33.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.6K

$8.32 RON 37.57

111.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$6.96 RON 31.43

-41.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.6K

$9.72 RON 43.90

25.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$1.36 RON 6.14

166.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$1.76 RON 7.94

-6.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$1.50 RON 6.78

54.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$2.03 RON 9.18

-3.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$0.80 RON 3.63

130.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.8K

$0.76 RON 3.42

211.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$0.71 RON 3.21

47.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,564

$0.80 RON 3.62

-32.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$6.71 RON 30.30

-65.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.5K

$6.78 RON 30.60

240.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$1.04 RON 4.70

125.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$1.53 RON 6.90

100.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,366

$1.14 RON 5.14

-78.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

$19.21 RON 86.8

-50.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,635

$0.64 RON 2.87

-23.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,352

$0.67 RON 3.03

-29.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.7K

$6.45 RON 29.13

-13.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$1.78 RON 8.04

-54.49%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.5M

$29.1K RON 131.3K

-13.98%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.2M

$26.1K RON 118.0K

18.88%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$139 RON 626

-40.36%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.3K

$8.66 RON 39.11

-25.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 331.0K

$8.86 RON 40.00

112.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 973.0K

$32.59 RON 147

69.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.8K

$17.46 RON 78.9

4.30%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$8.83 RON 39.86

-51.30%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$329 RON 1,488

49.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$3,336 RON 15.1K

77.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 815.2K

$54.9 RON 248

-15.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.9K

$32.70 RON 148

11.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$98.0 RON 443

-17.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$100.0 RON 452

-21.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$370 RON 1,672

200.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$296 RON 1,338

134.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$636 RON 2,874

471.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.2M

$534 RON 2,410

220.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

$1,053 RON 4,755

162.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

$938 RON 4,237

144.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

$669 RON 3,023

-75.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

6.85

101.17%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Tulcea: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $370 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 301% 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 $36.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $49.00 in Tulcea. Groceries tell a different story – $294 in Ubud, Bali vs $208 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: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali, $1,040 in Tulcea – roughly 32% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,067 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,561 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 $36.00 in Ubud, Bali and $49.00 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 $1,378 in Ubud, Bali and $1,040 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 $1,040, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,378. 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 $1,040 in Tulcea to $1,378 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.