Cost of Living Comparison Between Iowa City, IA and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Iowa City, IA and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,352 in Iowa City, IA versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,249 in Iowa City, IA versus $2,540 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,146 in Iowa City, IA versus $3,660 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Iowa City, IA is roughly 66% more expensive than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Iowa City, IA 76% above, Ubud, Bali 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.95 $14.95

$3.56 Rp 64.3K

319.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.5 $76.5

$32.73 Rp 590.3K

133.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.16 $9.16

$4.95 Rp 89.2K

85.05%

Cappuccino

$5.13 $5.13

$2.71 Rp 48.9K

89.30%

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

$2.46 $2.46

$1.34 Rp 24.2K

83.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

162.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.95 $4.95

$2.92 Rp 52.7K

69.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.86 $6.86

$3.96 Rp 71.4K

73.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.81 Rp 32.6K

-53.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 $2.74

$2.52 Rp 45.4K

8.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$1.16 Rp 20.9K

327.59%

Eggs

$3.93 $3.93

$2.46 Rp 44.4K

59.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.29 $9.29

$14.71 Rp 265.3K

-36.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.50 $10.50

$4.32 Rp 77.9K

143.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.28 $16.28

$12.14 Rp 218.9K

34.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 $3.27

$3.84 Rp 69.3K

-14.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

-22.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.83 Rp 51.1K

-1.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.66 $4.66

$2.33 Rp 41.9K

100.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.91 Rp 34.5K

8.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.20 Rp 39.7K

27.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.01 Rp 18.3K

97.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$0.78 Rp 14.0K

160.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.18 $9.18

$3.32 Rp 59.8K

176.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.80 $15.80

$23.74 Rp 428.0K

-33.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

-36.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 $4.81

$2.86 Rp 51.6K

68.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.27 Rp 4,848

633.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.14 $16.14

$8.03 Rp 144.8K

101.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.54 $4.54

$0.46 Rp 8,230

886.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.15 $2.15

$0.45 Rp 8,116

377.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.24 $41.24

$6.10 Rp 109.9K

576.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

8.86%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$26.1K Rp 471.6M

-2.57%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$32.1K Rp 579.2M

-19.29%

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

$221 $221

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

176.92%

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

$49.98 $49.98

$4.06 Rp 73.3K

1131.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.0 $74.0

$23.52 Rp 424.1K

214.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.34 $49.34

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

-50.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.02 $20.02

$6.63 Rp 119.6K

201.96%

Cinema Ticket

$12.11 $12.11

$4.15 Rp 74.8K

191.81%

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

$1,262 $1,262

$304 Rp 5.5M

315.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.5K $24.5K

$6,613 Rp 119.3M

270.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.5 $67.5

$55.5 Rp 1.0M

21.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.90 $47.90

$38.31 Rp 690.9K

25.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

14.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

47.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 $1,236

$1,006 Rp 18.1M

22.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,087 $1,087

$675 Rp 12.2M

60.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,380 $2,380

$3,442 Rp 62.1M

-30.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,530 $1,530

$2,039 Rp 36.8M

-24.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,800 $3,800

$2,841 Rp 51.2M

33.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,920 $1,920

$2,264 Rp 40.8M

-15.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,641 $3,641

$165 Rp 3.0M

2103.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

13.28

-51.58%

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

Last update for Iowa City, IA: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,236 in Iowa City, IA and $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iowa City, IA pays 2104% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $76.0 in Iowa City, IA vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $353 vs $302 per month, with Ubud, Bali 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

Iowa City, IA vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 66% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Iowa City, IA pays 2104% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,236 in Iowa City, IA versus $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 101% less than in Iowa City, IA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,262 in Iowa City, IA versus $304 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,352 in Iowa City, IA, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Iowa City, IA. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ubud, Bali is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Iowa City, IA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Iowa City, IA 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.

Expats usually find Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in Iowa City, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.