Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Zărnești and Ubud, Bali

For one person, living is cheaper in Zărnești: $889 a month against $1,353 in Ubud, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $5,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Zărnești
🇷🇴 Romania
$889
/mo nomad
Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,353
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Zărnești and in Ubud, Bali

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Zărnești and in Ubud, Bali actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $889 in Zărnești versus $1,353 in Ubud, Bali.

  • Zărnești $889
  • Ubud, Bali $1,353

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,383 in Zărnești versus $2,297 in Ubud, Bali.

  • Zărnești $1,383
  • Ubud, Bali $2,297

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,877 in Zărnești versus $3,241 in Ubud, Bali.

  • Zărnești $1,877
  • Ubud, Bali $3,241

Living in Zărnești costs roughly 34% less than in Ubud, Bali, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Zărnești is 34% below, Ubud, Bali is 0% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Zărnești
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.00 RON 42.60
$3.23 Rp 58.1K
178.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.40 RON 201
$34.88 Rp 627.8K
21.56%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.36 RON 39.57
$5.70 Rp 102.5K
46.67%
Cappuccino
$2.18 RON 10.34
$2.62 Rp 47.1K
-16.79%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46 RON 6.90
$1.72 Rp 31.0K
-15.12%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.20 RON 5.66
$0.81 Rp 14.6K
48.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.90 RON 9.00
$2.65 Rp 47.7K
-28.30%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 RON 10.79
$4.37 Rp 78.6K
-47.83%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Zărnești
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.27 RON 6.02
$1.57 Rp 28.3K
-19.11%
White Bread (500g)
$1.07 RON 5.06
$2.19 Rp 39.5K
-51.14%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.44 RON 6.81
$1.18 Rp 21.2K
22.03%
Eggs
$2.79 RON 13.20
$2.16 Rp 38.8K
29.17%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.89 RON 37.33
$17.65 Rp 317.7K
-55.30%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.74 RON 22.42
$3.78 Rp 68.0K
25.40%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.40 RON 49.21
$11.95 Rp 215.1K
-12.97%
Apples (1kg)
$0.93 RON 4.41
$3.60 Rp 64.8K
-74.17%
Banana (1kg)
$1.33 RON 6.30
$1.59 Rp 28.6K
-16.35%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.27 RON 6.02
$2.31 Rp 41.6K
-45.02%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.28 RON 6.06
$1.91 Rp 34.3K
-32.98%
Potato (1kg)
$0.78 RON 3.67
$1.78 Rp 32.1K
-56.18%
Onion (1kg)
$0.52 RON 2.45
$2.33 Rp 41.9K
-77.68%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.80 RON 3.80
$1.00 Rp 18.0K
-20.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 RON 3.63
$0.53 Rp 9,509
45.28%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.15 RON 24.37
$2.29 Rp 41.1K
124.89%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.42 RON 35.09
$22.07 Rp 397.3K
-66.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 RON 5.08
$2.35 Rp 42.2K
-54.47%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.29 RON 6.12
$2.98 Rp 53.6K
-56.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Zărnești
Ubud, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.70 RON 3.32
$0.23 Rp 4,112
204.35%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$21.32 RON 101
$8.90 Rp 160.2K
139.55%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.88 RON 4.15
$0.47 Rp 8,466
87.23%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.86 RON 4.05
$0.43 Rp 7,737
100.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.45 RON 35.26
$5.47 Rp 98.4K
36.20%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.51 RON 7.16
$0.83 Rp 14.9K
81.93%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.5K RON 134.9K
$23.9K Rp 429.8M
19.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.0K RON 122.9K
$32.8K Rp 590.1M
-20.77%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zărnești
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$99.0 RON 468
$80.0 Rp 1.4M
23.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.28 RON 43.89
$6.56 Rp 118.1K
41.46%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$8.00 RON 37.86
$18.60 Rp 334.8K
-56.99%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Zărnești
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.82 RON 179
$54.1 Rp 974.1K
-30.12%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.41 RON 91.9
$18.28 Rp 329.0K
6.18%
Cinema Ticket
$6.24 RON 29.55
$4.25 Rp 76.5K
46.82%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Zărnești
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$429 RON 2,031
$493 Rp 8.9M
-12.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,733 RON 36.6K
$5,597 Rp 100.7M
38.17%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Zărnești
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.43 RON 210
$45.58 Rp 820.4K
-2.52%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.26 RON 129
$34.96 Rp 629.4K
-22.03%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$68.9 RON 326
$77.7 Rp 1.4M
-11.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$76.8 RON 363
$78.5 Rp 1.4M
-2.24%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Zărnești
Ubud, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$434 RON 2,054
$1,131 Rp 20.4M
-61.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$266 RON 1,258
$673 Rp 12.1M
-60.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$576 RON 2,727
$3,613 Rp 65.0M
-84.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$424 RON 2,008
$1,702 Rp 30.6M
-75.06%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,751 RON 8,283
$2,717 Rp 48.9M
-35.57%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,329 RON 6,288
$2,241 Rp 40.3M
-40.70%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Zărnești
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$510 RON 2,415
$166 Rp 3.0M
206.84%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.47
13.78
-45.79%

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

Last update for Zărnești: October 18, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Zărnești
$266
Ubud, Bali
$673 153% $407
Groceries & Markets
Zărnești
$182
Ubud, Bali
$287 58.1% $106
Eating Out
Zărnești
$148
Ubud, Bali
$106 28.1% $42
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zărnești
$116
Ubud, Bali
$105 9.5% $11
Clothing & Footwear
Zărnești
$98
Ubud, Bali
$107 9% $8.8
Sport & Entertainment
Zărnești
$50
Ubud, Bali
$63 24.5% $12
Getting Around
Zărnești
$29
Ubud, Bali
$12 57.5% $17

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $434 in Zărnești and $1,131 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zărnești pays 207% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $42.00 in Zărnești vs $35.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $182 vs $287, with Zărnești cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇷🇴 Zărnești
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🕒 Local time
02:25 2:25 AM
07:25 7:25 AM
5 h ahead of Zărnești
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
24,926
74,800
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to RON – Romanian Leu Converter

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 USD = 4.73 RON (1 RON = 0.211 USD). 1 EUR = 5.32 RON (1 RON = 0.188 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Zărnești Ubud, Bali 10,680 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Zărnești
  • Ubud, Bali

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Zărnești vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Zărnești or Ubud, Bali?
Zărnești wins on cost – living expenses run 52% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Zărnești the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Zărnești or in Ubud, Bali?
Average pay runs 207% higher in Zărnești, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Zărnești compared to Ubud, Bali?
Rent for a central apartment: $434 in Zărnești versus $1,131 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Zărnești and in Ubud, Bali?
Childcare runs $429 in Zărnești versus $493 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Zărnești or in Ubud, Bali?
Supermarket bills run roughly 58% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Zărnești or in Ubud, Bali?
At $889 in Zărnești versus $1,353 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Zărnești but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Zărnești the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Zărnești or Ubud, Bali?
Both work as nomad bases, but Zărnești delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $889 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Zărnești hard to pass up.
How safe is Zărnești compared to Ubud, Bali?
Safety-wise, Zărnești and Ubud, Bali are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Zărnești gentler on the wallet – expenses run 52% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Zărnești vs other spots: cost of living compared

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