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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,396 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,148 in Baghdad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,708 in Baghdad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,273 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,269 in Baghdad.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 22% more expensive than in Baghdad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 2% above, Baghdad is 16% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 Rp 59.8K

$4.81 IQD 6,302

-29.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 683.8K

$33.76 IQD 44.2K

14.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 Rp 97.8K

$7.68 IQD 10.1K

-28.13%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.9K

$3.07 IQD 4,018

-14.01%

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

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

$0.40 IQD 520

317.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.26 IQD 342

196.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.7K

$3.89 IQD 5,091

-32.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 75.9K

$3.75 IQD 4,906

14.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 Rp 27.4K

$1.09 IQD 1,424

42.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.4K

$0.83 IQD 1,091

167.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 19.9K

$1.53 IQD 2,005

-26.14%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 37.0K

$1.89 IQD 2,473

10.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 308.2K

$3.80 IQD 4,971

357.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.5K

$4.58 IQD 5,992

-15.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 222.4K

$14.59 IQD 19.1K

-13.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 64.1K

$1.14 IQD 1,492

217.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.6K

$1.07 IQD 1,399

45.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.7K

$1.06 IQD 1,391

121.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.4K

$0.74 IQD 971

178.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

$0.66 IQD 860

187.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.4K

$0.64 IQD 843

265.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

$0.63 IQD 827

63.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,830

$0.70 IQD 920

-21.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 39.9K

$1.83 IQD 2,400

22.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 421.9K

$13.65 IQD 17.9K

74.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 41.0K

$2.21 IQD 2,890

4.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.6K

$2.18 IQD 2,861

28.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,827

$0.65 IQD 854

-58.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 153.5K

$22.62 IQD 29.6K

-61.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,533

$2.32 IQD 3,037

-79.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,904

$1.55 IQD 2,025

-70.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 101.4K

$7.79 IQD 10.2K

-26.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$0.61 IQD 801

24.59%

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

$24.5K Rp 433.9M

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

28.56%

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

$32.1K Rp 569.3M

$19.2K IQD 25.1M

67.69%

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$213 IQD 278.8K

-60.76%

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

$6.46 Rp 114.4K

$20.99 IQD 27.5K

-69.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 336.6K

$42.26 IQD 55.3K

-55.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 992.0K

$46.87 IQD 61.4K

19.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 329.9K

$22.00 IQD 28.8K

-15.36%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 75.9K

$10.57 IQD 13.8K

-59.51%

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

$165 IQD 216.6K

194.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 103.8M

$3,462 IQD 4.5M

69.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 Rp 807.4K

$30.18 IQD 39.5K

50.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 Rp 644.7K

$38.06 IQD 49.8K

-4.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 Rp 1.5M

$72.9 IQD 95.5K

12.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$47.63 IQD 62.4K

68.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 Rp 19.8M

$575 IQD 753.1K

94.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Rp 12.4M

$350 IQD 457.9K

100.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.7M

$959 IQD 1.3M

268.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 Rp 31.2M

$687 IQD 899.8K

156.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 50.1M

$4,743 IQD 6.2M

-40.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.6M

$1,576 IQD 2.1M

45.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

$604 IQD 791.2K

-71.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

4.12

234.47%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for Baghdad: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,117 in Ubud, Bali and $575 in Baghdad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baghdad pays 256% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $39.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $34.00 in Baghdad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $188 per month, with Baghdad 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 Baghdad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baghdad wins on cost – living expenses run 22% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Baghdad the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 256% lower in Baghdad. 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: $1,117 in Ubud, Bali versus $575 in Baghdad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Baghdad runs roughly 161% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $487 in Ubud, Bali versus $165 in Baghdad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,148 in Baghdad versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Baghdad but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Baghdad the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Baghdad delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,148 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Baghdad hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Baghdad 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 Baghdad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.