Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and An Najaf Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and An Najaf

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $675 in An Najaf, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,012 in An Najaf, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,732 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,349 in An Najaf, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 113% more than An Najaf, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 7% above the global median, while An Najaf is 50% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$4.00 IQD 5,236

-10.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$22.73 IQD 29.8K

43.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$4.66 IQD 6,104

8.80%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$2.74 IQD 3,595

3.28%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$0.37 IQD 480

262.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.17 IQD 226

305.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$3.54 IQD 4,639

-15.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$2.82 IQD 3,695

36.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$1.38 IQD 1,806

26.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$0.84 IQD 1,102

202.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$1.66 IQD 2,174

-28.31%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$1.79 IQD 2,339

35.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$2.30 IQD 3,008

537.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$5.09 IQD 6,664

-17.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$10.77 IQD 14.1K

10.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$1.27 IQD 1,662

190.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$1.16 IQD 1,514

38.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$1.06 IQD 1,387

153.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$0.74 IQD 971

214.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$0.65 IQD 850

193.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$0.67 IQD 884

226.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$0.60 IQD 790

76.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.37 IQD 483

94.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$1.49 IQD 1,946

110.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$13.42 IQD 17.6K

75.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$1.76 IQD 2,307

55.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$2.16 IQD 2,834

33.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

$0.36 IQD 477

-19.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

$34.31 IQD 45.0K

-76.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$1.93 IQD 2,531

-76.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$1.53 IQD 2,002

-72.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$4.87 IQD 6,382

26.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$0.47 IQD 618

78.72%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$11.7K IQD 15.3M

124.18%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

61.60%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$59.6 IQD 78.1K

31.49%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$23.19 IQD 30.4K

-82.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$34.04 IQD 44.6K

-28.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$29.85 IQD 39.1K

223.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

$15.09 IQD 19.8K

-57.92%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$7.61 IQD 9,967

-46.91%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$166 IQD 217.4K

82.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$913 IQD 1.2M

614.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$16.29 IQD 21.3K

230.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$24.72 IQD 32.4K

53.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$65.4 IQD 85.6K

32.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$42.68 IQD 55.9K

84.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$239 IQD 312.5K

324.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$134 IQD 175.8K

402.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$380 IQD 498.3K

791.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$153 IQD 200.1K

1274.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

$1,266 IQD 1.7M

135.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

$481 IQD 630.0K

386.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

$746 IQD 976.8K

-76.78%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for An Najaf: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $239 in An Najaf. 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 331% higher in An Najaf, 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 $23.00 in An Najaf. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $172 – making An Najaf 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 An Najaf: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali costs about 113% more than An Najaf, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,158 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,013 in An Najaf. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,438 in Ubud, Bali and $675 in An Najaf. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 320% less in An Najaf. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in An Najaf, where all-in costs run around $675, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,438. In An Najaf it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. An Najaf costs $675 versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 An Najaf. 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.