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: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $859 in Mashhad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,281 in Mashhad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,703 in Mashhad.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 64% more expensive than in Mashhad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Mashhad is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.0K

$5.50 IQD 7,205

-37.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 580.1K

$35.68 IQD 46.7K

-9.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 86.9K

$7.48 IQD 9,799

-35.29%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

$2.98 IQD 3,900

-7.72%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

$0.39 IQD 512

253.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.22 IQD 284

240.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.7K

$3.38 IQD 4,423

-11.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.1K

$2.94 IQD 3,849

30.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

$1.32 IQD 1,735

31.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$0.83 IQD 1,081

196.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.60 IQD 2,101

-26.88%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.6K

$0.87 IQD 1,134

179.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.2K

$4.39 IQD 5,747

230.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.0K

$2.03 IQD 2,657

114.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 214.9K

$3.03 IQD 3,966

295.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.7K

$0.97 IQD 1,275

283.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.17 IQD 1,528

39.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

$1.01 IQD 1,324

171.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

$0.72 IQD 947

211.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.4K

$0.70 IQD 913

174.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.8K

$0.68 IQD 893

235.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.29 IQD 376

265.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.17 IQD 228

323.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

$0.77 IQD 1,013

327.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.1K

$13.54 IQD 17.7K

71.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.8K

$1.83 IQD 2,393

51.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.0K

$2.10 IQD 2,748

30.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,778

$0.37 IQD 484

-27.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.4K

$31.56 IQD 41.3K

-74.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,659

$3.91 IQD 5,114

-87.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,532

$1.54 IQD 2,018

-72.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.6K

$7.52 IQD 9,848

-17.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$0.57 IQD 747

42.11%

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

$26.6K Rp 477.4M

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

30.59%

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

$32.2K Rp 577.4M

$19.6K IQD 25.7M

64.12%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$177 IQD 232.4K

-55.85%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.0K

$26.31 IQD 34.5K

-84.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 436.4K

$39.77 IQD 52.1K

-38.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$36.85 IQD 48.3K

167.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.7K

$16.48 IQD 21.6K

-61.53%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.5K

$7.62 IQD 9,977

-47.64%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$166 IQD 216.8K

84.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.2M

$3,570 IQD 4.7M

86.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 971.2K

$28.86 IQD 37.8K

87.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 678.2K

$31.13 IQD 40.8K

21.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$65.2 IQD 85.4K

33.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$42.92 IQD 56.2K

77.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$247 IQD 322.8K

302.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$181 IQD 236.6K

272.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.5M

$584 IQD 764.5K

478.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$341 IQD 447.0K

500.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 39.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Mashhad: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $247 in Mashhad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $36.00 in Mashhad. Groceries flip the comparison at $297 vs $130, 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 64% in total monthly costs ($1,408 vs $859 including rent). Mashhad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,112 in Ubud, Bali and $1,289 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: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $247 in Mashhad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $305 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 128% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $859 in Mashhad versus $1,408 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 64% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.