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: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $842 in Mashhad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,280 in Mashhad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,718 in Mashhad.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 68% more expensive than Mashhad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Mashhad is 37% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

$5.22 IQD 6,839

-31.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

$35.92 IQD 47.0K

-8.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

$7.60 IQD 9,956

-34.87%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$3.08 IQD 4,038

-12.01%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

$0.36 IQD 474

272.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.17 IQD 225

311.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

$3.48 IQD 4,554

-16.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

$2.83 IQD 3,704

39.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$1.36 IQD 1,777

33.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$0.79 IQD 1,035

218.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$1.67 IQD 2,180

-30.54%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$0.87 IQD 1,143

182.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

$4.39 IQD 5,750

235.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

$2.01 IQD 2,636

114.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

$2.94 IQD 3,848

312.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

$0.98 IQD 1,284

291.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

$1.16 IQD 1,519

34.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$0.97 IQD 1,274

191.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$0.67 IQD 882

247.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

$0.65 IQD 854

193.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$0.63 IQD 830

249.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$0.31 IQD 411

225.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$0.23 IQD 296

239.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

$0.78 IQD 1,028

325.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

$13.70 IQD 17.9K

73.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

$1.80 IQD 2,355

55.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

$2.16 IQD 2,834

32.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,800

$0.36 IQD 477

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

$31.16 IQD 40.8K

-74.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,150

$3.85 IQD 5,045

-88.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,037

$1.47 IQD 1,928

-69.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

$7.77 IQD 10.2K

-21.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.53 IQD 699

49.06%

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

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

32.15%

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

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

$20.2K IQD 26.4M

59.29%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$176 IQD 230.6K

-54.61%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

$25.50 IQD 33.4K

-84.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

$40.29 IQD 52.8K

-41.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$36.45 IQD 47.7K

170.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

$16.58 IQD 21.7K

-60.01%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

-46.17%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$166 IQD 216.9K

83.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

$3,528 IQD 4.6M

87.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

$28.65 IQD 37.5K

93.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

$30.05 IQD 39.3K

27.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$64.2 IQD 84.0K

38.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$43.33 IQD 56.7K

79.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$241 IQD 315.7K

317.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$180 IQD 236.0K

274.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

$589 IQD 770.9K

484.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

$341 IQD 446.7K

497.81%

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

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 Mashhad: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $241 in Mashhad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $36.00 in Mashhad. Groceries flip the comparison at $302 vs $131, with Mashhad cheaper for home cooking.

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 68% in total monthly costs ($1,419 vs $842 including rent). Mashhad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,129 in Ubud, Bali and $1,263 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $241 in Mashhad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $304 in Ubud, Bali versus $166 in Mashhad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 131% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $842 in Mashhad versus $1,419 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 68% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.