Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Al Kufah Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Al Kufah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $656 in Al Kufah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,043 in Al Kufah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,429 in Al Kufah.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 116% more expensive than Al Kufah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Al Kufah is 51% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.9K

$5.45 IQD 7,142

-34.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 586.8K

$36.32 IQD 47.6K

-9.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.7K

$7.50 IQD 9,815

-34.00%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

$3.05 IQD 3,990

-11.15%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

$0.39 IQD 517

243.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.20 IQD 266

250.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.3K

$3.34 IQD 4,376

-12.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.9K

$2.83 IQD 3,711

39.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

$1.11 IQD 1,454

63.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.1K

$0.66 IQD 861

281.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

$1.63 IQD 2,135

-28.83%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$1.74 IQD 2,284

41.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 263.7K

$2.24 IQD 2,934

556.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.4K

$3.08 IQD 4,038

40.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 217.5K

$10.18 IQD 13.3K

19.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.8K

$0.52 IQD 683

638.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

$0.92 IQD 1,209

69.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

$0.71 IQD 933

298.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.7K

$0.49 IQD 646

375.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

$0.40 IQD 527

377.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

$0.31 IQD 401

609.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.2K

$0.68 IQD 884

48.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$0.42 IQD 545

85.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

$1.96 IQD 2,566

69.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 425.5K

$13.80 IQD 18.1K

72.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.0K

$1.82 IQD 2,388

53.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.3K

$2.12 IQD 2,771

34.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,819

$0.37 IQD 488

-27.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.9K

$31.06 IQD 40.7K

-74.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,181

$2.34 IQD 3,068

-80.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,068

$1.53 IQD 2,004

-70.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.3K

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

-20.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.54 IQD 704

46.30%

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

$26.1K Rp 468.8M

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

30.49%

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

$32.1K Rp 575.8M

$19.6K IQD 25.7M

63.50%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$40.32 IQD 52.8K

98.26%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.9K

$26.29 IQD 34.4K

-84.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 421.6K

$22.61 IQD 29.6K

4.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$25.46 IQD 33.3K

287.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.8K

$16.55 IQD 21.7K

-59.94%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.3K

$7.43 IQD 9,725

-44.15%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$87.4 IQD 114.4K

247.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.5M

$2,386 IQD 3.1M

177.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 995.6K

$21.39 IQD 28.0K

159.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 686.7K

$30.55 IQD 40.0K

25.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$19.88 IQD 26.0K

345.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$27.88 IQD 36.5K

179.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$210 IQD 275.6K

378.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$181 IQD 237.0K

273.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.7M

$424 IQD 555.4K

711.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.6M

$290 IQD 379.6K

603.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.9M

$3,193 IQD 4.2M

-11.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.6M

$1,688 IQD 2.2M

34.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$776 IQD 1.0M

-78.70%

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 1, 2026

Last update for Al Kufah: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $210 in Al Kufah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Kufah pays 369% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $36.00 in Al Kufah. Groceries flip the comparison at $302 vs $148, with Al Kufah cheaper for home cooking.

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 Kufah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Kufah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 116% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Al Kufah earns 369% less. 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: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $210 in Al Kufah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Al Kufah – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $656 in Al Kufah – a 116% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $656 in Al Kufah versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al Kufah but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Al Kufah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Al Kufah 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 Al Kufah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 116% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.