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: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,178 in Ashgabat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $4,791 in Ashgabat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $6,405 in Ashgabat.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 55% less than in Ashgabat, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 6% above, Ashgabat 137% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

$34.57 TMT 116

-89.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

$84.5 TMT 284

-61.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

$14.03 TMT 47.15

-64.72%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$6.85 TMT 23.02

-60.44%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

$3.28 TMT 11.03

-59.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.94 TMT 3.17

-25.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

$5.17 TMT 17.38

-43.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

$14.45 TMT 48.56

-72.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$4.78 TMT 16.05

-62.13%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$2.45 TMT 8.25

2.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$7.14 TMT 23.99

-83.75%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$6.07 TMT 20.39

-59.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

$40.72 TMT 137

-63.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

$18.21 TMT 61.2

-76.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

$18.32 TMT 61.6

-33.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

$5.58 TMT 18.75

-31.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

$8.68 TMT 29.17

-82.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$7.52 TMT 25.26

-62.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$3.56 TMT 11.98

-34.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

$2.24 TMT 7.52

-14.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$1.82 TMT 6.10

20.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$1.97 TMT 6.63

-48.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$1.08 TMT 3.63

-27.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

$25.93 TMT 87.1

-87.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

$41.52 TMT 140

-42.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

$4.62 TMT 15.51

-39.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

$2.85 TMT 9.56

0.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,800

$0.14 TMT 0.48

92.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

$8.58 TMT 28.84

-6.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,150

$2.93 TMT 9.85

-84.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,037

$0.88 TMT 2.95

-48.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

$8.80 TMT 29.57

-30.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.42 TMT 1.40

88.10%

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

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

$44.7K TMT 150.3K

-41.54%

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

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

$57.6K TMT 193.5K

-44.23%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$565 TMT 1,898

-85.85%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

$56.7 TMT 191

-92.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

$103 TMT 347

-77.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$192 TMT 645

-48.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

$44.56 TMT 150

-85.12%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

$14.24 TMT 47.86

-70.86%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$23.29 TMT 78.3

1205.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

$26.2K TMT 87.9K

-74.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

$64.8 TMT 218

-14.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

$122 TMT 411

-68.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$305 TMT 1,025

-70.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$187 TMT 629

-58.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$1,132 TMT 3,804

-11.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$736 TMT 2,474

-8.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

$1,786 TMT 6,000

92.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

$1,588 TMT 5,336

28.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

$3,519 TMT 11.8K

-19.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

$2,912 TMT 9,783

-22.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$742 TMT 2,494

-77.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

9.5

39.79%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Ashgabat: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $1,132 in Ashgabat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ashgabat pays 349% 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: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $84.0 in Ashgabat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $664 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

Ubud, Bali and Ashgabat differ by about 124% in total monthly costs ($1,419 vs $3,178 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Ashgabat earns 349% less. 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: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,132 in Ashgabat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $304 in Ubud, Bali versus $23.29 in Ashgabat. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 120% higher in Ashgabat. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,178 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.

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.

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.

Expats usually find Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 124% less than in Ashgabat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.