Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Al-'amarah Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Al-'amarah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,404 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $671 in Al-'amarah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,549 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,086 in Al-'amarah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,694 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,501 in Al-'amarah, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 109% more than Al-'amarah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 4% above the global median, while Al-'amarah is 50% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$4.02 IQD 5,267

-11.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$24.90 IQD 32.6K

30.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$7.02 IQD 9,193

-30.77%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$2.60 IQD 3,401

5.77%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$0.40 IQD 521

230.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.19 IQD 255

268.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$2.85 IQD 3,736

2.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$2.89 IQD 3,779

31.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$1.81 IQD 2,364

-5.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$0.79 IQD 1,030

212.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$1.12 IQD 1,462

7.14%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$1.55 IQD 2,027

57.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$4.54 IQD 5,951

216.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$4.64 IQD 6,074

-7.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$12.96 IQD 17.0K

-5.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$0.91 IQD 1,197

304.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$1.08 IQD 1,416

43.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$0.87 IQD 1,136

220.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$0.39 IQD 514

497.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$0.76 IQD 989

159.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$0.35 IQD 452

560.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.63 IQD 827

68.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$0.47 IQD 617

55.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$1.97 IQD 2,573

66.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$1.79 IQD 2,341

56.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$2.11 IQD 2,769

31.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

$0.37 IQD 484

-21.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

$31.73 IQD 41.5K

-74.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$1.67 IQD 2,188

-73.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$1.48 IQD 1,936

-69.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$6.10 IQD 7,988

2.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$0.31 IQD 404

174.19%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$19.4K IQD 25.4M

33.92%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

56.03%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$76.1 IQD 99.6K

6.14%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$17.95 IQD 23.5K

-77.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$34.06 IQD 44.6K

-28.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

$22.68 IQD 29.7K

330.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

$16.99 IQD 22.2K

-62.04%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$7.72 IQD 10.1K

-47.67%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$154 IQD 201.2K

97.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$3,248 IQD 4.3M

103.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$27.51 IQD 36.0K

97.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$24.93 IQD 32.6K

55.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$61.8 IQD 80.9K

39.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$41.10 IQD 53.8K

86.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$331 IQD 434.1K

197.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

$132 IQD 173.3K

397.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

$441 IQD 578.0K

663.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

$346 IQD 452.8K

497.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

$581 IQD 760.9K

371.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

$506 IQD 663.1K

-67.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

5.67

134.22%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Last update for Al-'amarah: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $331 in Al-'amarah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 210% higher in Al-'amarah, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $25.00 in Al-'amarah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $153 – making Al-'amarah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Al-'amarah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 109%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,106 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,006 in Al-'amarah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Al-'amarah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 94% more in Ubud, Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali and $25.00 in Al-'amarah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Al-'amarah, where all-in costs run around $671, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,404. In Al-'amarah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Al-'amarah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Al-'amarah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.