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: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $742 in Basra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,351 in Basra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,960 in Basra.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 91% more expensive than Basra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Basra is 45% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

$3.81 IQD 4,990

-6.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

$24.77 IQD 32.4K

32.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

$7.02 IQD 9,193

-29.49%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$2.06 IQD 2,695

31.55%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

$0.44 IQD 572

204.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.35 IQD 452

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

$3.86 IQD 5,061

-24.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

$2.70 IQD 3,532

46.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$1.23 IQD 1,607

47.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$0.70 IQD 919

260.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$1.41 IQD 1,850

-17.73%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$1.92 IQD 2,512

28.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

$8.05 IQD 10.5K

82.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

$7.22 IQD 9,457

-40.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

$13.20 IQD 17.3K

-8.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

$1.01 IQD 1,321

280.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

$1.42 IQD 1,858

9.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$1.02 IQD 1,331

177.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$0.63 IQD 820

269.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

$0.71 IQD 932

169.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$0.57 IQD 744

285.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$0.83 IQD 1,085

21.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$0.41 IQD 541

90.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

$1.88 IQD 2,458

76.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

$12.76 IQD 16.7K

86.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

$2.97 IQD 3,892

-6.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

$3.78 IQD 4,947

-24.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,800

$0.39 IQD 516

-30.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

$23.21 IQD 30.4K

-65.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,150

$2.31 IQD 3,028

-80.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,037

$2.21 IQD 2,891

-79.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

$6.76 IQD 8,847

-9.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.58 IQD 762

36.21%

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

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

$13.3K IQD 17.4M

97.12%

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

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

$23.2K IQD 30.4M

38.35%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$56.6 IQD 74.1K

41.29%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

$25.19 IQD 33.0K

-83.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

$38.41 IQD 50.3K

-38.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$37.07 IQD 48.5K

166.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

$15.48 IQD 20.3K

-57.17%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

$7.75 IQD 10.2K

-46.45%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$97.0 IQD 127.0K

213.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

$3,772 IQD 4.9M

75.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

$41.85 IQD 54.8K

32.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

$20.30 IQD 26.6K

88.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$72.9 IQD 95.4K

21.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$40.68 IQD 53.3K

91.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$455 IQD 595.7K

121.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$133 IQD 174.1K

407.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

$918 IQD 1.2M

275.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

$671 IQD 878.0K

204.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

$1,581 IQD 2.1M

79.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

$800 IQD 1.0M

182.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$763 IQD 998.7K

-78.33%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Basra: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $455 in Basra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basra pays 362% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $25.00 in Basra for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $213 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 91% in total monthly costs ($1,419 vs $742 including rent). Basra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Basra earns 362% 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 $455 in Basra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 42% 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $742 in Basra versus $1,419 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 91% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.