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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $567 in Herat, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,540 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $732 in Herat, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,660 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $898 in Herat, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 150% more than Herat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 6% above the global median, while Herat is 58% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

$2.10 ؋133

69.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

$8.41 ؋534

289.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

$3.88 ؋247

27.58%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ؋136

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 ؋467

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$0.73 ؋46.64

271.23%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

$0.52 ؋33.01

157.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.12 ؋7.62

483.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$0.48 ؋30.44

277.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$0.30 ؋19.18

740.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$2.86 ؋181

-59.44%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$2.01 ؋128

22.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

$2.80 ؋178

425.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

$2.63 ؋167

64.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

$5.58 ؋355

117.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

$0.73 ؋46.55

426.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

$0.69 ؋43.60

126.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$0.55 ؋34.91

414.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$0.60 ؋37.88

288.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

$0.60 ؋37.99

218.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$0.35 ؋22.21

528.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$0.28 ؋17.72

178.57%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 ؋56.6

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

$1.82 ؋116

82.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,800

$0.28 ؋17.73

-3.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,150

$2.12 ؋135

-78.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,037

$1.37 ؋87.1

-67.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

$4.41 ؋280

38.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.04 ؋66.1

-24.04%

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

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

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

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$183 ؋11.6K

-56.36%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

$145 ؋9,184

-83.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$14.34 ؋911

588.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$14.54 ؋923

1990.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

$21.37 ؋1,357

159.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

$21.81 ؋1,385

75.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$28.50 ؋1,810

210.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$36.23 ؋2,301

114.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$70.7 ؋4,492

1322.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$42.90 ؋2,725

1474.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

$114 ؋7,259

2911.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

$70.7 ؋4,487

2786.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

-33.60%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Herat: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $70.7 in Herat. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $8.00 in Herat. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $302 vs $84.0 – making Herat the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Herat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 150%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,129 per month in Ubud, Bali and $850 in Herat. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Herat, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,419 in Ubud, Bali and $567 in Herat. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $304 per month in Ubud, Bali and $14.54 in Herat. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Herat, where all-in costs run around $567, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,419. In Herat it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Herat – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Herat. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.