Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Ba'qubah Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Ba'qubah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,374 in Ubud, Bali versus $575 in Ba'qubah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,313 in Ubud, Bali versus $740 in Ba'qubah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,252 in Ubud, Bali versus $905 in Ba'qubah.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 139% more expensive than in Ba'qubah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 2% above, Ba'qubah is 57% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.32 Rp 59.8K

$5.04 IQD 6,600

-34.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.33 Rp 635.6K

$15.31 IQD 20.0K

130.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.33 Rp 95.9K

$6.37 IQD 8,337

-16.33%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.5K

$1.13 IQD 1,484

143.36%

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

$1.73 Rp 31.1K

$0.60 IQD 783

188.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.4K

$0.22 IQD 283

263.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 53.0K

$1.95 IQD 2,551

51.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 Rp 79.9K

$4.68 IQD 6,126

-5.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 Rp 27.0K

$1.12 IQD 1,465

33.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 Rp 41.3K

$0.58 IQD 764

296.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 Rp 19.8K

$1.13 IQD 1,480

-2.65%

Eggs

$2.16 Rp 38.9K

$1.47 IQD 1,922

46.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.09 Rp 307.4K

$2.34 IQD 3,066

630.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.88 Rp 69.8K

$2.46 IQD 3,218

57.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.92 Rp 214.4K

$10.61 IQD 13.9K

12.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 Rp 64.1K

$0.93 IQD 1,212

283.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 Rp 28.5K

$1.16 IQD 1,515

36.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 Rp 42.5K

$0.92 IQD 1,201

156.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.4K

$0.54 IQD 713

264.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 Rp 32.5K

$0.56 IQD 729

223.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 Rp 43.0K

$0.68 IQD 892

251.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 Rp 18.3K

$0.46 IQD 597

121.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 Rp 8,841

$0.19 IQD 244

157.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 40.4K

$2.50 IQD 3,273

-10.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.30 Rp 401.2K

$12.55 IQD 16.4K

77.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 Rp 42.6K

$1.69 IQD 2,215

40.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.1K

$2.05 IQD 2,688

41.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,482

$0.79 IQD 1,032

-68.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.55 Rp 153.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 Rp 7,950

$1.89 IQD 2,481

-76.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,598

$1.82 IQD 2,383

-76.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.66 Rp 101.9K

$5.20 IQD 6,808

8.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.7K

$0.35 IQD 462

131.43%

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

$23.7K Rp 427.1M

$17.7K IQD 23.2M

34.08%

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

$31.0K Rp 557.4M

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

52.69%

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

$82.3 Rp 1.5M

$58.9 IQD 77.1K

39.83%

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

$6.30 Rp 113.3K

$14.11 IQD 18.5K

-55.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.63 Rp 335.3K

$27.23 IQD 35.7K

-31.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 Rp 984.7K

$18.78 IQD 24.6K

191.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 Rp 331.9K

Cinema Ticket

$4.24 Rp 76.3K

$3.91 IQD 5,122

8.44%

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

$484 Rp 8.7M

$27.03 IQD 35.4K

1690.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,590 Rp 100.6M

$629 IQD 823.4K

789.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.77 Rp 823.5K

$19.04 IQD 24.9K

140.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.69 Rp 642.2K

$19.03 IQD 24.9K

87.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 Rp 1.4M

$68.1 IQD 89.1K

15.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.1 Rp 1.4M

$26.77 IQD 35.0K

199.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 Rp 20.6M

$267 IQD 349.4K

329.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$678 Rp 12.2M

$134 IQD 175.7K

405.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,504 Rp 63.0M

$501 IQD 655.4K

600.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,688 Rp 30.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,788 Rp 50.2M

$765 IQD 1.0M

264.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,257 Rp 40.6M

$192 IQD 251.0K

1077.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$729 IQD 955.1K

-77.37%

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 28, 2026

Last update for Ba'qubah: September 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,147 in Ubud, Bali and $267 in Ba'qubah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ba'qubah pays 342% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $15.00 in Ba'qubah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $141 per month, with Ba'qubah 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 Ba'qubah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ba'qubah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 139% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 342% lower in Ba'qubah. 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: $1,147 in Ubud, Bali versus $267 in Ba'qubah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $484 in Ubud, Bali versus $27.03 in Ba'qubah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ba'qubah – a meal for two runs $15.00 versus $35.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $575 in Ba'qubah versus $1,374 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ba'qubah but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Ba'qubah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ba'qubah 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 Ba'qubah 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 Ba'qubah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 139% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.