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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,379 in Ubud, Bali versus $633 in Kirkuk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,363 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,003 in Kirkuk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,347 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,372 in Kirkuk.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 118% more expensive than in Kirkuk, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 1% above, Kirkuk is 54% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.31 Rp 58.9K

$4.24 IQD 5,549

-21.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.08 Rp 694.5K

$26.63 IQD 34.9K

46.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.62 Rp 99.8K

$6.13 IQD 8,030

-8.32%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.9K

$2.36 IQD 3,090

11.86%

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

$1.58 Rp 28.2K

$0.39 IQD 514

305.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Rp 12.6K

$0.23 IQD 299

208.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 Rp 48.5K

$3.71 IQD 4,864

-26.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 Rp 76.8K

$3.76 IQD 4,924

14.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 Rp 27.4K

$1.06 IQD 1,387

45.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 Rp 40.8K

$0.69 IQD 899

233.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

$1.52 IQD 1,994

-32.24%

Eggs

$2.12 Rp 37.7K

$1.46 IQD 1,914

45.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.30 Rp 307.5K

$3.79 IQD 4,963

356.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.03 Rp 71.6K

$3.58 IQD 4,682

12.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.42 Rp 220.8K

$13.17 IQD 17.2K

-5.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 Rp 65.7K

$0.87 IQD 1,136

325.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$0.99 IQD 1,301

63.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 Rp 40.3K

$0.88 IQD 1,153

157.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 Rp 35.4K

$0.65 IQD 846

206.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 Rp 32.5K

$0.54 IQD 711

238.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 Rp 40.1K

$0.54 IQD 712

316.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 Rp 18.6K

$0.62 IQD 806

67.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 Rp 10.0K

$0.32 IQD 415

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.22 Rp 39.5K

$1.95 IQD 2,559

13.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.22 Rp 412.7K

$13.70 IQD 17.9K

69.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 Rp 42.5K

$1.57 IQD 2,052

52.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 Rp 51.1K

$1.92 IQD 2,514

49.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,416

$0.39 IQD 516

-35.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.17 Rp 127.4K

$22.90 IQD 30.0K

-68.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,163

$2.34 IQD 3,069

-80.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,235

$1.54 IQD 2,018

-70.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 Rp 101.2K

$7.73 IQD 10.1K

-26.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

$0.54 IQD 705

40.74%

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

$24.6K Rp 436.7M

$19.4K IQD 25.3M

26.95%

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

$31.0K Rp 551.5M

$19.5K IQD 25.5M

59.38%

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

$82.2 Rp 1.5M

$55.5 IQD 72.6K

48.16%

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

$6.33 Rp 112.5K

$20.76 IQD 27.2K

-69.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.54 Rp 329.6K

$42.77 IQD 56.0K

-56.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.1 Rp 996.2K

$11.52 IQD 15.1K

386.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.41 Rp 327.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 Rp 75.8K

$10.53 IQD 13.8K

-59.54%

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

$489 Rp 8.7M

$169 IQD 221.0K

189.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,793 Rp 103.0M

$3,527 IQD 4.6M

64.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.98 Rp 817.3K

$32.47 IQD 42.5K

41.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.86 Rp 637.4K

$18.75 IQD 24.6K

91.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 Rp 1.4M

$76.1 IQD 99.6K

4.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.9 Rp 1.4M

$34.20 IQD 44.8K

136.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,144 Rp 20.3M

$192 IQD 251.8K

495.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 Rp 12.3M

$90.7 IQD 118.7K

663.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,532 Rp 62.8M

$230 IQD 301.1K

1435.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,709 Rp 30.4M

$232 IQD 304.2K

635.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,785 Rp 49.5M

$570 IQD 745.9K

388.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,261 Rp 40.2M

$301 IQD 394.5K

650.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

$432 IQD 565.7K

-60.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

4.12

234.47%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 15, 2026

Last update for Kirkuk: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,144 in Ubud, Bali and $192 in Kirkuk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kirkuk pays 155% 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 $27.00 in Kirkuk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $163 per month, with Kirkuk 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 Kirkuk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kirkuk is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 118% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 155% lower in Kirkuk. 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: $1,144 in Ubud, Bali versus $192 in Kirkuk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $489 in Ubud, Bali versus $169 in Kirkuk. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 79% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $633 in Kirkuk versus $1,379 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kirkuk but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Kirkuk the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kirkuk is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Kirkuk 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 Kirkuk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 118% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.