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: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $677 in Al Kufah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,056 in Al Kufah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,434 in Al Kufah.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 108% more expensive than in Al Kufah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Al Kufah is 49% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.0K

$5.24 IQD 6,865

-34.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 580.1K

$36.37 IQD 47.6K

-11.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 86.9K

$7.74 IQD 10.1K

-37.47%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

$2.99 IQD 3,919

-8.03%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

$0.39 IQD 515

253.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.21 IQD 276

257.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.7K

$3.47 IQD 4,539

-13.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.1K

$2.95 IQD 3,858

30.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

$1.08 IQD 1,416

61.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$0.61 IQD 801

303.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.57 IQD 2,058

-25.48%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.6K

$1.73 IQD 2,262

40.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.2K

$2.24 IQD 2,932

547.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.0K

$2.93 IQD 3,836

48.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 214.9K

$9.66 IQD 12.6K

24.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.7K

$0.52 IQD 674

615.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$0.97 IQD 1,267

68.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

$0.73 IQD 952

275.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

$0.49 IQD 645

357.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.4K

$0.38 IQD 495

405.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.8K

$0.31 IQD 402

635.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.68 IQD 890

55.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.45 IQD 587

60.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

$1.95 IQD 2,555

68.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.1K

$13.76 IQD 18.0K

68.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.8K

$1.80 IQD 2,355

54.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.0K

$2.09 IQD 2,733

30.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,778

$0.35 IQD 454

-22.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.4K

$30.86 IQD 40.4K

-73.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,659

$2.32 IQD 3,036

-79.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,532

$1.53 IQD 2,005

-72.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.6K

$7.75 IQD 10.1K

-19.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$0.54 IQD 704

50.00%

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

$26.6K Rp 477.4M

$20.0K IQD 26.1M

33.35%

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

$32.2K Rp 577.4M

$20.2K IQD 26.4M

59.46%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$39.68 IQD 52.0K

97.45%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.0K

$25.46 IQD 33.3K

-84.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 436.4K

$22.60 IQD 29.6K

7.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$25.81 IQD 33.8K

282.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.7K

$16.52 IQD 21.6K

-61.62%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.5K

$7.46 IQD 9,765

-46.51%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$86.1 IQD 112.8K

254.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.2M

$2,377 IQD 3.1M

179.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 971.2K

$20.91 IQD 27.4K

158.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 678.2K

$29.43 IQD 38.5K

28.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$19.98 IQD 26.2K

334.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$27.57 IQD 36.1K

176.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$213 IQD 279.0K

365.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$181 IQD 237.0K

271.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.5M

$427 IQD 558.5K

691.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$296 IQD 387.1K

593.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.3M

$1,335 IQD 1.7M

110.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 39.9M

$380 IQD 497.8K

485.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$1,014 IQD 1.3M

-83.54%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Al Kufah: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $213 in Al Kufah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Kufah pays 507% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $36.00 in Al Kufah. Groceries flip the comparison at $297 vs $145, 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 108% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 507% lower in Al Kufah. 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: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $213 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $677 in Al Kufah – a 108% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $677 in Al Kufah versus $1,408 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 108% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.