Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Ashgabat Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Ashgabat

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,396 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,334 in Ashgabat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Ubud, Bali versus $5,091 in Ashgabat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,273 in Ubud, Bali versus $6,848 in Ashgabat.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 58% less than in Ashgabat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 2% above, Ashgabat 143% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Ashgabat
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.37 Rp 59.5K
$31.57 TMT 106
-89.33%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$38.59 Rp 680.3K
$85.0 TMT 285
-54.61%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.52 Rp 97.3K
$12.85 TMT 43.06
-57.04%
Cappuccino
$2.64 Rp 46.6K
$6.88 TMT 23.05
-61.63%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.67 Rp 29.5K
$1.59 TMT 5.34
5.03%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.77 Rp 13.6K
$0.82 TMT 2.75
-6.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.63 Rp 46.4K
$5.80 TMT 19.44
-54.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.28 Rp 75.5K
$13.72 TMT 45.96
-68.80%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Ashgabat
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.55 Rp 27.3K
$4.41 TMT 14.77
-64.85%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 Rp 39.2K
$2.09 TMT 6.99
6.22%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.13 Rp 19.8K
$6.01 TMT 20.14
-81.20%
Eggs
$2.09 Rp 36.8K
$6.10 TMT 20.44
-65.74%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.39 Rp 306.6K
$37.39 TMT 125
-53.49%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.87 Rp 68.2K
$19.96 TMT 66.9
-80.61%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.55 Rp 221.2K
$23.41 TMT 78.4
-46.39%
Apples (1kg)
$3.62 Rp 63.8K
$4.96 TMT 16.61
-27.02%
Banana (1kg)
$1.56 Rp 27.5K
$8.53 TMT 28.59
-81.71%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.35 Rp 41.5K
$7.59 TMT 25.42
-69.04%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.06 Rp 36.2K
$3.60 TMT 12.05
-42.78%
Potato (1kg)
$1.90 Rp 33.5K
$2.32 TMT 7.78
-18.10%
Onion (1kg)
$2.34 Rp 41.2K
$1.40 TMT 4.69
67.14%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.03 Rp 18.2K
$2.59 TMT 8.67
-60.23%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 Rp 9,779
$1.09 TMT 3.64
-49.54%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.25 Rp 39.7K
$25.76 TMT 86.3
-91.27%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.81 Rp 419.7K
$40.58 TMT 136
-41.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.31 Rp 40.8K
$5.11 TMT 17.11
-54.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.80 Rp 49.4K
$2.88 TMT 9.65
-2.78%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Ashgabat
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.27 Rp 4,802
$0.14 TMT 0.48
92.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.66 Rp 152.7K
$10.09 TMT 33.80
-14.17%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.48 Rp 8,489
$2.76 TMT 9.26
-82.61%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.45 Rp 7,863
$0.82 TMT 2.75
-45.12%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.72 Rp 100.8K
$8.75 TMT 29.31
-34.63%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.76 Rp 13.4K
$0.44 TMT 1.49
72.73%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.5K Rp 431.6M
$43.6K TMT 146.1K
-43.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.1K Rp 566.3M
$58.1K TMT 194.6K
-44.70%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Ashgabat
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.6 Rp 1.5M
$577 TMT 1,934
-85.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.46 Rp 113.8K
$56.5 TMT 189
-88.57%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.99 Rp 334.8K
$103 TMT 344
-81.49%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Ashgabat
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.0 Rp 986.8K
$196 TMT 657
-71.46%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.62 Rp 328.2K
$44.21 TMT 148
-57.88%
Cinema Ticket
$4.28 Rp 75.5K
$8.70 TMT 29.14
-50.80%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Ashgabat
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$487 Rp 8.6M
$23.24 TMT 77.8
1993.46%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,856 Rp 103.2M
$24.7K TMT 82.8K
-76.30%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Ashgabat
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.56 Rp 803.2K
$55.0 TMT 184
-17.18%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.38 Rp 641.4K
$113 TMT 378
-67.76%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$82.0 Rp 1.4M
$362 TMT 1,212
-77.35%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$80.4 Rp 1.4M
$193 TMT 645
-58.26%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Ashgabat
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,117 Rp 19.7M
$1,132 TMT 3,793
-1.39%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$701 Rp 12.4M
$996 TMT 3,337
-29.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,537 Rp 62.4M
$2,279 TMT 7,636
55.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,762 Rp 31.1M
$1,950 TMT 6,532
-9.61%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,826 Rp 49.8M
$3,565 TMT 11.9K
-20.72%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,292 Rp 40.4M
$2,854 TMT 9,559
-19.69%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Ashgabat
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$170 Rp 3.0M
$737 TMT 2,470
-76.97%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.78
9.5
45.05%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for Ashgabat: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,117 in Ubud, Bali and $1,132 in Ashgabat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ashgabat pays 334% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $39.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $85.0 in Ashgabat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $666 per month, with Ubud, Bali 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 Ashgabat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Ubud, Bali and in Ashgabat?
Ubud, Bali and Ashgabat differ by about 139% in total monthly costs ($1,396 vs $3,334 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 334% lower in Ashgabat. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Ubud, Bali and in Ashgabat?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,117 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,132 in Ashgabat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Ubud, Bali and Ashgabat?
Childcare runs $487 in Ubud, Bali versus $23.24 in Ashgabat. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 127% higher in Ashgabat. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
At $1,396 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,334 in Ashgabat, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Ashgabat. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Ubud, Bali and Ashgabat?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Ubud, Bali or Ashgabat safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Ashgabat are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Ubud, Bali or Ashgabat?
Expats usually find Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 139% less than in Ashgabat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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