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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,396 in Ubud, Bali versus $962 in Basra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,458 in Basra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,273 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,955 in Basra.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 45% more expensive than in Basra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 2% above, Basra is 30% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 Rp 59.9K

$4.60 IQD 6,028

-26.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 685.5K

$30.03 IQD 39.3K

28.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 Rp 98.1K

$7.50 IQD 9,827

-26.40%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 47.0K

$2.56 IQD 3,351

3.13%

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

$1.67 Rp 29.7K

$0.46 IQD 604

263.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

$0.35 IQD 454

120.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.8K

$3.85 IQD 5,048

-31.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 76.1K

$4.31 IQD 5,640

-0.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 Rp 27.5K

$1.11 IQD 1,460

39.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.5K

$0.64 IQD 844

246.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 20.0K

$1.40 IQD 1,836

-19.29%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 37.1K

$1.87 IQD 2,452

11.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 309.0K

$7.57 IQD 9,914

129.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.7K

$6.38 IQD 8,353

-39.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 222.9K

$14.01 IQD 18.3K

-10.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 64.2K

$1.03 IQD 1,343

251.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.7K

$1.38 IQD 1,802

13.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.8K

$0.99 IQD 1,292

137.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.5K

$0.69 IQD 904

198.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

$0.79 IQD 1,033

140.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.5K

$0.63 IQD 824

271.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

$0.87 IQD 1,146

18.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,854

$0.41 IQD 539

34.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 40.0K

$2.12 IQD 2,779

6.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 422.9K

$6.75 IQD 8,839

252.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 41.1K

$3.10 IQD 4,058

-25.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.8K

$3.83 IQD 5,020

-26.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,839

$0.55 IQD 716

-50.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 153.9K

$19.45 IQD 25.5K

-55.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,554

$2.22 IQD 2,910

-78.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,924

$2.34 IQD 3,059

-80.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 101.6K

$7.44 IQD 9,746

-23.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.5K

$0.55 IQD 722

38.18%

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

$24.5K Rp 434.9M

$13.2K IQD 17.3M

85.69%

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

$32.1K Rp 570.6M

$23.0K IQD 30.2M

39.40%

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$49.68 IQD 65.1K

68.18%

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

$6.46 Rp 114.7K

$25.37 IQD 33.2K

-74.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 337.4K

$39.02 IQD 51.1K

-51.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 994.4K

$36.29 IQD 47.5K

54.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 330.7K

$13.74 IQD 18.0K

35.52%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 76.1K

$7.70 IQD 10.1K

-44.42%

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

$127 IQD 165.9K

284.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 104.0M

$3,845 IQD 5.0M

52.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 Rp 809.3K

$49.73 IQD 65.1K

-8.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 Rp 646.3K

$20.19 IQD 26.4K

80.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 Rp 1.5M

$79.4 IQD 104.0K

3.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$41.95 IQD 54.9K

91.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 Rp 19.8M

$469 IQD 614.4K

138.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Rp 12.5M

$339 IQD 443.5K

107.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.8M

$860 IQD 1.1M

311.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 Rp 31.3M

$628 IQD 822.0K

180.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 50.2M

$1,564 IQD 2.0M

80.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.7M

$800 IQD 1.0M

186.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

$769 IQD 1.0M

-77.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

5.67

143.03%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for Basra: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,117 in Ubud, Bali and $469 in Basra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basra pays 353% 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 $30.00 in Basra for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $197 per month, with Basra 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 Basra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Basra differ by about 45% in total monthly costs ($1,396 vs $962 including rent). Basra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 353% lower in Basra. 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 $469 in Basra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 49% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Basra – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $39.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $962 in Basra versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Basra but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Basra 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 Basra 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 Basra gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.