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: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $739 in Basra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,368 in Basra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,996 in Basra.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 90% more expensive than in Basra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Basra is 45% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.0K

$3.79 IQD 4,959

-8.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 580.1K

$25.30 IQD 33.1K

27.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 86.9K

$6.74 IQD 8,831

-28.19%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

$2.03 IQD 2,656

35.47%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

$0.47 IQD 612

193.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.35 IQD 452

114.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.7K

$3.72 IQD 4,866

-19.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.1K

$2.59 IQD 3,391

48.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

$1.23 IQD 1,608

41.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$0.70 IQD 922

251.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.46 IQD 1,906

-19.86%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.6K

$1.88 IQD 2,467

29.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.2K

$8.26 IQD 10.8K

75.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.0K

$6.93 IQD 9,071

-37.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 214.9K

$13.13 IQD 17.2K

-8.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.7K

$1.05 IQD 1,370

254.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.34 IQD 1,756

21.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

$1.00 IQD 1,316

174.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

$0.59 IQD 774

279.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.4K

$0.68 IQD 894

182.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.8K

$0.60 IQD 789

280.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.78 IQD 1,022

35.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.41 IQD 542

75.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

$1.95 IQD 2,559

68.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.1K

$13.18 IQD 17.3K

75.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.8K

$3.02 IQD 3,957

-7.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.0K

$3.92 IQD 5,139

-30.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,778

$0.37 IQD 479

-27.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.4K

$23.11 IQD 30.3K

-64.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,659

$2.28 IQD 2,992

-78.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,532

$2.26 IQD 2,957

-81.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.6K

$6.93 IQD 9,071

-10.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$0.56 IQD 732

44.64%

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

$26.6K Rp 477.4M

$13.1K IQD 17.2M

102.57%

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

$32.2K Rp 577.4M

$22.6K IQD 29.6M

42.32%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$56.7 IQD 74.2K

38.23%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.0K

$25.66 IQD 33.6K

-84.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 436.4K

$38.60 IQD 50.5K

-36.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$36.33 IQD 47.6K

171.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.7K

$15.54 IQD 20.4K

-59.20%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.5K

$7.82 IQD 10.2K

-48.98%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$98.0 IQD 128.3K

211.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.2M

$3,807 IQD 5.0M

74.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 971.2K

$42.66 IQD 55.9K

26.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 678.2K

$20.58 IQD 27.0K

83.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$70.1 IQD 91.9K

23.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$41.08 IQD 53.8K

85.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$445 IQD 582.7K

122.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$136 IQD 178.0K

394.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.5M

$908 IQD 1.2M

271.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$650 IQD 851.8K

215.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.3M

$1,605 IQD 2.1M

74.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 39.9M

$783 IQD 1.0M

184.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$752 IQD 985.3K

-77.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

5.67

134.22%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Basra: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $445 in Basra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basra pays 351% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $25.00 in Basra for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $212 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 90% in total monthly costs ($1,408 vs $739 including rent). Basra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 351% 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: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $445 in Basra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 40% 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 $25.00 versus $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $739 in Basra versus $1,408 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 90% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.