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: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $630 in Al Kufah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,038 in Al Kufah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,446 in Al Kufah.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 119% more expensive than in Al Kufah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Al Kufah is 54% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$4.83 IQD 6,320

-31.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$34.07 IQD 44.6K

5.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$7.48 IQD 9,795

-24.73%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$3.20 IQD 4,191

-11.88%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$0.36 IQD 474

386.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.24 IQD 312

233.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$3.86 IQD 5,055

-21.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$3.89 IQD 5,100

10.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$1.03 IQD 1,347

56.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$0.79 IQD 1,035

187.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$1.52 IQD 1,993

-23.03%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$1.82 IQD 2,390

19.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$2.33 IQD 3,046

656.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$4.57 IQD 5,980

-11.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$9.29 IQD 12.2K

31.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$0.75 IQD 976

382.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$1.05 IQD 1,370

56.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$0.61 IQD 801

278.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$0.56 IQD 739

250.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$0.51 IQD 668

260.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$0.33 IQD 431

618.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$0.20 IQD 267

425.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$0.55 IQD 716

-1.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$1.59 IQD 2,077

44.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

$13.80 IQD 18.1K

67.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$2.22 IQD 2,908

5.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$2.21 IQD 2,893

38.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

$0.37 IQD 482

-32.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$2.22 IQD 2,909

-77.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$1.55 IQD 2,027

-69.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$7.69 IQD 10.1K

-27.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$0.58 IQD 762

39.66%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$19.4K IQD 25.4M

28.87%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

$19.6K IQD 25.6M

58.76%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$218 IQD 285.9K

-62.11%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$21.02 IQD 27.5K

-69.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$22.69 IQD 29.7K

-17.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

$15.54 IQD 20.3K

255.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$9.96 IQD 13.0K

-56.83%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$72.7 IQD 95.2K

579.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$2,401 IQD 3.1M

146.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$9.86 IQD 12.9K

369.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$29.84 IQD 39.1K

22.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$20.17 IQD 26.4K

300.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$34.50 IQD 45.2K

128.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$189 IQD 247.3K

489.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$250 IQD 327.9K

1353.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

$204 IQD 266.8K

740.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

$1,333 IQD 1.7M

107.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

$382 IQD 499.8K

500.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

$1,017 IQD 1.3M

-83.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

4.12

234.47%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Al Kufah: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali and $189 in Al Kufah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Kufah pays 509% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $34.00 in Al Kufah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $157 per month, with Al Kufah 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

Ubud, Bali vs Al Kufah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Kufah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 119% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 509% 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: $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $189 in Al Kufah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 87% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,378 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $630 in Al Kufah – a 119% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $630 in Al Kufah versus $1,378 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 119% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.