Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Al-mawsil Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Al-mawsil

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $617 in Al-mawsil.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $827 in Al-mawsil.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,038 in Al-mawsil.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 122% more expensive than in Al-mawsil, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Al-mawsil is 55% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Al-mawsil
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.44 Rp 60.9K
$7.55 IQD 9,891
-54.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$36.31 Rp 643.0K
$12.36 IQD 16.2K
193.77%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.71 Rp 101.0K
$5.61 IQD 7,344
1.78%
Cappuccino
$2.67 Rp 47.3K
$0.75 IQD 981
256.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 Rp 31.0K
$0.37 IQD 484
372.97%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 Rp 15.4K
$0.19 IQD 252
357.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.95 Rp 52.3K
$0.97 IQD 1,265
204.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.52 Rp 80.0K
$1.51 IQD 1,982
199.34%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Al-mawsil
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.62 Rp 28.7K
$0.78 IQD 1,015
107.69%
White Bread (500g)
$2.33 Rp 41.3K
$0.73 IQD 959
219.18%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.11 Rp 19.6K
$0.62 IQD 815
79.03%
Eggs
$2.20 Rp 39.0K
$1.13 IQD 1,482
94.69%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.69 Rp 313.3K
$7.97 IQD 10.4K
121.96%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.10 Rp 72.5K
$3.48 IQD 4,551
17.82%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.18 Rp 215.6K
$9.22 IQD 12.1K
32.10%
Apples (1kg)
$3.71 Rp 65.6K
$0.73 IQD 956
408.22%
Banana (1kg)
$1.59 Rp 28.1K
$0.74 IQD 965
114.86%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.28 Rp 40.4K
$0.60 IQD 781
280.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.95 Rp 34.6K
$0.28 IQD 368
596.43%
Potato (1kg)
$1.91 Rp 33.7K
$0.32 IQD 425
496.87%
Onion (1kg)
$2.33 Rp 41.3K
$0.37 IQD 482
529.73%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.01 Rp 17.8K
$0.78 IQD 1,028
29.49%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 Rp 9,773
$0.59 IQD 772
-6.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.23 Rp 39.5K
$1.87 IQD 2,444
19.25%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.07 Rp 408.6K
$12.38 IQD 16.2K
86.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.42 Rp 42.8K
$1.69 IQD 2,210
43.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00 Rp 53.1K
$2.08 IQD 2,720
44.23%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Al-mawsil
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.27 Rp 4,814
$0.39 IQD 514
-30.77%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.98 Rp 159.1K
$30.48 IQD 39.9K
-70.54%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.48 Rp 8,566
$1.85 IQD 2,426
-74.05%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.43 Rp 7,679
$1.82 IQD 2,382
-76.37%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.64 Rp 99.9K
$4.54 IQD 5,945
24.23%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.80 Rp 14.2K
$0.33 IQD 430
142.42%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.9K Rp 441.7M
$15.3K IQD 20.0M
63.54%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.7K Rp 561.5M
$17.8K IQD 23.3M
78.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Al-mawsil
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$81.5 Rp 1.4M
$109 IQD 142.3K
-25.05%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.49 Rp 115.0K
$13.97 IQD 18.3K
-53.54%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.77 Rp 332.4K
$26.34 IQD 34.5K
-28.74%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Al-mawsil
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.9 Rp 1.0M
$23.02 IQD 30.1K
147.05%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.73 Rp 331.7K
$7.44 IQD 9,736
151.75%
Cinema Ticket
$4.54 Rp 80.4K
$7.81 IQD 10.2K
-41.87%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Al-mawsil
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$481 Rp 8.5M
$306 IQD 401.0K
56.96%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,711 Rp 101.1M
$688 IQD 900.4K
730.66%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Al-mawsil
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.52 Rp 806.0K
$19.01 IQD 24.9K
139.45%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.88 Rp 635.4K
$15.44 IQD 20.2K
132.38%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.4 Rp 1.4M
$70.5 IQD 92.3K
14.00%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.7 Rp 1.4M
$18.06 IQD 23.6K
335.60%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Al-mawsil
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,115 Rp 19.7M
$113 IQD 148.3K
883.96%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$698 Rp 12.4M
$76.3 IQD 100.0K
813.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,637 Rp 64.4M
$301 IQD 393.7K
1109.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,737 Rp 30.8M
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,784 Rp 49.3M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,290 Rp 40.5M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Al-mawsil
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$168 Rp 3.0M
$608 IQD 795.7K
-72.35%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.78
2.53
444.66%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Al-mawsil: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $113 in Al-mawsil. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al-mawsil pays 262% 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 $12.00 in Al-mawsil for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $152 per month, with Al-mawsil 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-mawsil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Al-mawsil cheaper than Ubud, Bali?
Al-mawsil is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 122% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Ubud, Bali or Al-mawsil?
On paper, salaries run 262% lower in Al-mawsil. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Ubud, Bali and Al-mawsil?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $113 in Al-mawsil. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $481 in Ubud, Bali versus $306 in Al-mawsil. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Ubud, Bali and in Al-mawsil?
Supermarket bills run roughly 94% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Ubud, Bali or in Al-mawsil?
At $617 in Al-mawsil versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al-mawsil but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Al-mawsil the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Ubud, Bali or Al-mawsil more family-friendly?
For families, Al-mawsil 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.
Which city is safer, Ubud, Bali or Al-mawsil?
Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Al-mawsil are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Al-mawsil gentler on the wallet – expenses run 122% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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