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: $1,379 in Ubud, Bali versus $813 in Vulcanesti.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,363 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,194 in Vulcanesti.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,347 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,575 in Vulcanesti.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 70% more expensive than in Vulcanesti, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 1% above, Vulcanesti is 41% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.31 Rp 58.9K

$7.12 MDL 121

-53.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.08 Rp 694.5K

$29.99 MDL 509

30.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.62 Rp 99.8K

$10.94 MDL 186

-48.63%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.9K

$1.19 MDL 20.22

121.85%

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

$1.58 Rp 28.2K

$0.79 MDL 13.37

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Rp 12.6K

$0.43 MDL 7.30

65.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 Rp 48.5K

$1.18 MDL 20.11

131.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 Rp 76.8K

$1.42 MDL 24.13

204.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 Rp 27.4K

$0.95 MDL 16.19

62.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 Rp 40.8K

$0.51 MDL 8.73

350.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

$1.77 MDL 30.08

-41.81%

Eggs

$2.12 Rp 37.7K

$2.25 MDL 38.23

-5.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.30 Rp 307.5K

$7.15 MDL 121

141.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.03 Rp 71.6K

$4.72 MDL 80.1

-14.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.42 Rp 220.8K

$8.92 MDL 151

39.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 Rp 65.7K

$1.29 MDL 21.91

186.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.76 MDL 29.92

-7.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 Rp 40.3K

$1.90 MDL 32.34

19.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 Rp 35.4K

$1.91 MDL 32.43

4.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 Rp 32.5K

$0.67 MDL 11.31

173.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 Rp 40.1K

$0.37 MDL 6.24

508.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 Rp 18.6K

$2.22 MDL 37.74

-53.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 Rp 10.0K

$0.40 MDL 6.73

40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.22 Rp 39.5K

$3.43 MDL 58.2

-35.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.22 Rp 412.7K

$2.56 MDL 43.45

807.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 Rp 42.5K

$0.90 MDL 15.22

165.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 Rp 51.1K

$1.30 MDL 22.13

120.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,416

$0.34 MDL 5.75

-26.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.17 Rp 127.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,163

$1.18 MDL 20.03

-61.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,235

$0.16 MDL 2.75

187.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 Rp 101.2K

$3.51 MDL 59.6

62.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

$1.32 MDL 22.47

-42.42%

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

$24.6K Rp 436.7M

$24.2K MDL 410.5K

1.64%

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

$31.0K Rp 551.5M

$21.3K MDL 361.4K

45.80%

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

$82.2 Rp 1.5M

$107 MDL 1,815

-23.11%

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

$6.33 Rp 112.5K

$5.32 MDL 90.4

18.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.54 Rp 329.6K

$5.93 MDL 101

212.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.1 Rp 996.2K

$17.13 MDL 291

227.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.41 Rp 327.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 Rp 75.8K

$7.72 MDL 131

-44.82%

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

$489 Rp 8.7M

$117 MDL 1,980

319.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,793 Rp 103.0M

$5,431 MDL 92.2K

6.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.98 Rp 817.3K

$31.41 MDL 533

46.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.86 Rp 637.4K

$26.33 MDL 447

36.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 Rp 1.4M

$85.7 MDL 1,455

-7.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.9 Rp 1.4M

$144 MDL 2,445

-43.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,144 Rp 20.3M

$288 MDL 4,883

297.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 Rp 12.3M

$238 MDL 4,035

191.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,532 Rp 62.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,709 Rp 30.4M

$292 MDL 4,952

486.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,785 Rp 49.5M

$907 MDL 15.4K

206.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,261 Rp 40.2M

$880 MDL 14.9K

156.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

$733 MDL 12.4K

-76.89%

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: August 15, 2026

Last update for Vulcanesti: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,144 in Ubud, Bali and $288 in Vulcanesti. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vulcanesti pays 333% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $39.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $30.00 in Vulcanesti for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $165 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 70% 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 333% 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: $1,144 in Ubud, Bali versus $288 in Vulcanesti. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 77% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,379 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $813 in Vulcanesti – a 70% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $813 in Vulcanesti versus $1,379 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 $813 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 70% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.