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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $776 in Vulcanesti.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,312 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,131 in Vulcanesti.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,276 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,485 in Vulcanesti.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 74% more expensive than in Vulcanesti, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 1% above, Vulcanesti is 42% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 59.7K

$6.75 MDL 120

-50.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.42 Rp 634.4K

$29.34 MDL 521

20.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.76 Rp 103.1K

$10.78 MDL 191

-46.57%

Cappuccino

$2.63 Rp 47.1K

$1.16 MDL 20.54

126.72%

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

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

$0.81 MDL 14.31

114.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.8K

$0.42 MDL 7.43

83.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 Rp 48.5K

$1.14 MDL 20.25

137.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.9K

$1.44 MDL 25.61

213.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 Rp 27.5K

$0.97 MDL 17.25

57.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$0.47 MDL 8.34

368.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 Rp 21.8K

$1.74 MDL 30.89

-29.89%

Eggs

$2.14 Rp 38.3K

$2.21 MDL 39.19

-3.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.73 Rp 317.6K

$6.92 MDL 123

156.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.86 Rp 69.1K

$4.77 MDL 84.7

-19.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.03 Rp 215.4K

$8.21 MDL 146

46.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.61 Rp 64.7K

$1.22 MDL 21.62

195.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 Rp 27.1K

$1.73 MDL 30.71

-12.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 Rp 41.5K

$1.83 MDL 32.46

26.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 Rp 35.9K

$1.80 MDL 31.95

11.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

$0.66 MDL 11.74

174.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 Rp 42.7K

$0.33 MDL 5.82

624.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 Rp 17.8K

$2.18 MDL 38.73

-54.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 Rp 9,392

$0.41 MDL 7.35

26.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.18 Rp 39.1K

$3.32 MDL 58.9

-34.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.98 Rp 411.5K

$2.49 MDL 44.16

822.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 Rp 42.9K

$0.88 MDL 15.59

172.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.7K

$1.21 MDL 21.50

147.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 Rp 4,263

$0.35 MDL 6.24

-31.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.99 Rp 125.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 Rp 7,892

$1.15 MDL 20.36

-61.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,598

$0.16 MDL 2.83

162.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 Rp 97.6K

$3.46 MDL 61.4

57.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 15.1K

$1.30 MDL 23.00

-35.38%

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

$24.3K Rp 435.7M

$23.7K MDL 420.2K

2.83%

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

$31.9K Rp 571.2M

$21.2K MDL 376.2K

50.55%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$108 MDL 1,911

-24.87%

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

$6.58 Rp 117.8K

$5.22 MDL 92.7

26.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.24 Rp 326.8K

$5.82 MDL 103

213.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.1 Rp 987.4K

$16.73 MDL 297

229.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.51 Rp 331.6K

Cinema Ticket

$4.24 Rp 76.0K

$7.83 MDL 139

-45.85%

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

$486 Rp 8.7M

$111 MDL 1,979

335.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,676 Rp 101.7M

$5,351 MDL 95.0K

6.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.18 Rp 809.3K

$30.55 MDL 543

47.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.57 Rp 619.2K

$25.25 MDL 449

36.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.2 Rp 1.4M

$83.3 MDL 1,480

-5.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.6 Rp 1.4M

$143 MDL 2,547

-45.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 Rp 20.2M

$281 MDL 4,992

300.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 12.1M

$225 MDL 3,988

200.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,618 Rp 64.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,735 Rp 31.1M

$279 MDL 4,960

521.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,829 Rp 50.7M

$859 MDL 15.3K

229.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,307 Rp 41.3M

$859 MDL 15.3K

168.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$166 Rp 3.0M

$718 MDL 12.8K

-76.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

7.5

83.73%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 5, 2026

Last update for Vulcanesti: October 3, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,127 in Ubud, Bali and $281 in Vulcanesti. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vulcanesti pays 334% 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 $29.00 in Vulcanesti for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $290 vs $160 per month, with Vulcanesti 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 Vulcanesti: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vulcanesti wins on cost – living expenses run 74% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Vulcanesti the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 334% lower in Vulcanesti. 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 $281 in Vulcanesti. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 81% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,348 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $776 in Vulcanesti – a 74% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $776 in Vulcanesti versus $1,348 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Vulcanesti but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Vulcanesti the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Vulcanesti delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $776 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Vulcanesti hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Vulcanesti 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 Vulcanesti gentler on the wallet – expenses run 74% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.