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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $640 in Mashhad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $931 in Mashhad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,223 in Mashhad.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 114% more expensive than in Mashhad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Mashhad is 53% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.8K

$4.67 IQD 6,120

-26.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 642.1K

$34.11 IQD 44.7K

6.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 100.9K

$7.65 IQD 10.0K

-25.36%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.2K

$3.08 IQD 4,035

-13.31%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.9K

$0.40 IQD 519

337.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$0.24 IQD 312

262.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.2K

$3.88 IQD 5,082

-23.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 79.9K

$3.89 IQD 5,088

16.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.6K

$1.05 IQD 1,371

54.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.2K

$0.82 IQD 1,076

184.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$1.58 IQD 2,067

-29.75%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 38.9K

$0.81 IQD 1,063

171.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 312.8K

$3.80 IQD 4,981

365.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.4K

$2.04 IQD 2,676

100.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.3K

$2.92 IQD 3,820

317.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.5K

$1.01 IQD 1,325

267.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$1.12 IQD 1,467

41.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$0.98 IQD 1,281

132.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.5K

$0.68 IQD 889

186.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$0.67 IQD 873

185.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.2K

$0.64 IQD 837

264.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$0.31 IQD 407

225.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,759

$0.21 IQD 274

161.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$0.76 IQD 996

193.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.0K

$13.55 IQD 17.7K

70.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

$2.14 IQD 2,799

13.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.0K

$2.26 IQD 2,954

32.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,807

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 158.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,554

$2.25 IQD 2,947

-78.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,668

$1.51 IQD 1,979

-71.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.8K

$7.52 IQD 9,851

-25.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$0.65 IQD 857

23.08%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.1M

$18.9K IQD 24.8M

31.78%

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

$31.7K Rp 560.7M

$18.9K IQD 24.8M

67.65%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$215 IQD 281.7K

-62.14%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.8K

$21.21 IQD 27.8K

-69.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 331.9K

$42.34 IQD 55.4K

-55.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.2K

$10.60 IQD 13.9K

-57.17%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$165 IQD 216.6K

190.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.0M

$3,514 IQD 4.6M

62.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 804.9K

$29.67 IQD 38.8K

53.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 634.5K

$38.11 IQD 49.9K

-5.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$74.5 IQD 97.6K

7.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$46.47 IQD 60.9K

69.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

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: September 14, 2026

Last update for Mashhad: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $34.00 in Mashhad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $127 per month, with Mashhad 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 Mashhad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Mashhad differ by about 114% in total monthly costs ($1,368 vs $640 including rent). Mashhad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,052 in Ubud, Bali and $960 in Mashhad to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $481 in Ubud, Bali versus $165 in Mashhad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mashhad – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $640 in Mashhad versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mashhad but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Mashhad 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 Mashhad 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 Mashhad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 114% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.