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: $2,344 in Iowa City, IA versus $1,395 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,313 in Iowa City, IA versus $2,559 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,282 in Iowa City, IA versus $3,724 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Iowa City, IA is roughly 68% more expensive than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Iowa City, IA 74% above, Ubud, Bali 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.72 $14.72

$3.48 Rp 59.7K

322.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.6 $75.6

$32.88 Rp 564.0K

130.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.85 $8.85

$5.09 Rp 87.3K

73.87%

Cappuccino

$5.06 $5.06

$2.75 Rp 47.1K

84.00%

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

$2.39 $2.39

$1.38 Rp 23.7K

73.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$0.71 Rp 12.2K

152.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.07 $5.07

$2.88 Rp 49.4K

76.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.13 $7.13

$3.87 Rp 66.4K

84.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.79 Rp 30.7K

-51.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.45 Rp 42.0K

8.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.80 $4.80

$1.21 Rp 20.7K

296.69%

Eggs

$4.01 $4.01

$2.39 Rp 40.9K

67.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.07 $9.07

$14.70 Rp 252.1K

-38.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.55 $10.55

$4.24 Rp 72.7K

148.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.60 $16.60

$12.08 Rp 207.1K

37.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 $3.42

$3.66 Rp 62.9K

-6.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.61 Rp 27.6K

-27.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$2.72 Rp 46.6K

-0.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.76 $4.76

$2.27 Rp 39.0K

109.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.90 Rp 32.6K

6.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.30 Rp 39.4K

26.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.02 Rp 17.4K

95.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.78 Rp 13.4K

155.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.17 $9.17

$3.24 Rp 55.7K

183.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.47 $15.47

$24.06 Rp 412.7K

-35.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$2.84 Rp 48.7K

-40.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 $4.85

$2.79 Rp 47.8K

73.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.27 Rp 4,610

659.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.17 $16.17

$8.24 Rp 141.4K

96.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.41 $4.41

$0.45 Rp 7,708

880.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 $2.11

$0.43 Rp 7,305

390.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.23 $42.23

$6.02 Rp 103.3K

601.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$0.86 Rp 14.7K

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$26.1K Rp 447.1M

-3.01%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$31.7K Rp 543.7M

-20.91%

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

$214 $214

$78.3 Rp 1.3M

173.16%

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

$50.4 $50.4

$4.00 Rp 68.5K

1159.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.8 $75.8

$24.35 Rp 417.7K

211.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.1 $50.1

$95.8 Rp 1.6M

-47.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.21 $20.21

$6.46 Rp 110.7K

212.85%

Cinema Ticket

$12.22 $12.22

$4.01 Rp 68.7K

204.74%

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

$1,243 $1,243

$302 Rp 5.2M

312.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.1K $25.1K

$6,545 Rp 112.3M

283.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.9 $66.9

$53.4 Rp 916.3K

25.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.76 $47.76

$38.55 Rp 661.2K

23.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.3 $99.3

$89.1 Rp 1.5M

11.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 $117

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

48.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,210 $1,210

$1,016 Rp 17.4M

19.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,093 $1,093

$672 Rp 11.5M

62.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,426 $2,426

$3,368 Rp 57.8M

-27.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,538 $1,538

$2,108 Rp 36.2M

-27.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,818 $3,818

$3,001 Rp 51.5M

27.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,907 $1,907

$2,337 Rp 40.1M

-18.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,581 $3,581

$178 Rp 3.0M

1917.30%

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: April 12, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,210 in Iowa City, IA and $1,016 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iowa City, IA pays 1917% 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 in Iowa City, IA vs $33 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $352 vs $300 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 68% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Iowa City, IA pays 1917% 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: $1,210 in Iowa City, IA versus $1,016 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 96% less than in Iowa City, IA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,243 in Iowa City, IA versus $302 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,395 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,344 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 68% less than in Iowa City, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.