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 $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $579 in Herat, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $738 in Herat, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,763 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $898 in Herat, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 143% more than Herat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Herat is 57% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$2.12 ؋140

62.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$8.82 ؋580

266.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$3.93 ؋259

23.16%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 ؋139

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.29 ؋480

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$0.69 ؋45.45

298.55%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$0.52 ؋34.35

165.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.14 ؋9.53

435.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$0.48 ؋31.76

262.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$0.30 ؋19.90

720.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$2.93 ؋193

-60.07%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$2.05 ؋135

18.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$2.88 ؋190

403.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$2.64 ؋174

64.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$5.79 ؋381

106.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$0.70 ؋45.91

431.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$0.69 ؋45.47

136.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$0.59 ؋38.67

364.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$0.54 ؋35.81

314.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$0.59 ؋38.53

225.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$0.34 ؋22.58

570.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.30 ؋19.97

140.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ؋59.8

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$1.84 ؋121

78.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$0.28 ؋18.27

-3.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$2.11 ؋139

-77.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$1.32 ؋86.8

-68.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$4.36 ؋287

42.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.00 ؋65.7

-19.00%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$187 ؋12.3K

-58.01%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$146 ؋9,592

-83.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$14.48 ؋953

581.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$14.14 ؋931

2057.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$21.30 ؋1,402

154.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$21.58 ؋1,420

75.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$29.22 ؋1,923

197.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$35.49 ؋2,336

115.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$72.1 ؋4,742

1276.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$42.44 ؋2,793

1485.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

$117 ؋7,684

2791.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$72.2 ؋4,751

2740.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Herat: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $72.1 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $9.00 in Herat. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $86.0 – 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 143%, 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 $2,112 per month in Ubud, Bali and $869 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 $1,408 in Ubud, Bali and $579 in Herat. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Ubud, Bali and $14.14 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 $579, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,408. 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.