Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Mashhad: $756 a month against $1,331 in Ubud, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $6,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Mashhad, Iraq
Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,331
/mo nomad
Mashhad
🇮🇶 Iraq
$756
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ubud, Bali and in Mashhad

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ubud, Bali and in Mashhad actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,331 in Ubud, Bali versus $756 in Mashhad.

  • Ubud, Bali $1,331
  • Mashhad $756

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,119 in Mashhad.

  • Ubud, Bali $2,255
  • Mashhad $1,119

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,180 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,481 in Mashhad.

  • Ubud, Bali $3,180
  • Mashhad $1,481

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 76% more expensive than in Mashhad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ubud, Bali 2% lower, Mashhad 44% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Mashhad
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.38 Rp 61.3K
$4.49 IQD 6,781
-24.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.65 Rp 628.8K
$26.73 IQD 40.4K
29.63%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.57 Rp 101.2K
$6.73 IQD 10.2K
-17.24%
Cappuccino
$2.62 Rp 47.5K
$2.71 IQD 4,100
-3.32%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54 Rp 27.9K
$0.36 IQD 542
327.78%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 Rp 11.6K
$0.20 IQD 302
220.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.67 Rp 48.4K
$3.37 IQD 5,090
-20.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.26 Rp 77.4K
$3.39 IQD 5,126
25.66%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Mashhad
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.46 Rp 26.5K
$0.91 IQD 1,368
60.44%
White Bread (500g)
$2.29 Rp 41.6K
$0.73 IQD 1,106
213.70%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.11 Rp 20.1K
$1.32 IQD 1,997
-15.91%
Eggs
$2.10 Rp 38.1K
$0.82 IQD 1,242
156.10%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.94 Rp 289.3K
$3.41 IQD 5,157
367.45%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.88 Rp 70.5K
$1.98 IQD 2,985
95.96%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.40 Rp 206.9K
$2.95 IQD 4,463
286.44%
Apples (1kg)
$3.55 Rp 64.5K
$1.03 IQD 1,556
244.66%
Banana (1kg)
$1.54 Rp 27.9K
$0.91 IQD 1,377
69.23%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.23 Rp 40.5K
$0.87 IQD 1,321
156.32%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.97 Rp 35.8K
$0.64 IQD 971
207.81%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 Rp 33.7K
$0.59 IQD 898
215.25%
Onion (1kg)
$2.42 Rp 43.9K
$0.56 IQD 840
332.14%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.02 Rp 18.6K
$0.31 IQD 474
229.03%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 Rp 9,479
$0.21 IQD 321
147.62%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.20 Rp 39.9K
$0.77 IQD 1,168
185.71%
Wine (Bottle)
$21.79 Rp 395.4K
$11.82 IQD 17.9K
84.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.33 Rp 42.2K
$1.92 IQD 2,898
21.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97 Rp 53.9K
$1.87 IQD 2,832
58.82%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Mashhad
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.25 Rp 4,544
$0.34 IQD 520
-26.47%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.17 Rp 148.4K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.44 Rp 7,944
$1.96 IQD 2,965
-77.55%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.47 Rp 8,493
$1.31 IQD 1,972
-64.12%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.60 Rp 101.6K
$6.42 IQD 9,699
-12.77%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.83 Rp 15.0K
$0.54 IQD 810
53.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.4K Rp 443.7M
$16.8K IQD 25.4M
45.58%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.7K Rp 575.2M
$16.5K IQD 25.0M
91.81%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Mashhad
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$77.5 Rp 1.4M
$191 IQD 288.5K
-59.42%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.14 Rp 111.5K
$19.44 IQD 29.4K
-68.42%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.92 Rp 343.3K
$38.59 IQD 58.3K
-50.97%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Mashhad
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.0 Rp 925.4K
$36.79 IQD 55.6K
38.60%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.25 Rp 331.2K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.38 Rp 79.5K
$9.69 IQD 14.6K
-54.80%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Mashhad
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$492 Rp 8.9M
$143 IQD 215.6K
245.05%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.2K Rp 221.8M
$3,191 IQD 4.8M
283.00%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Mashhad
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.16 Rp 819.6K
$25.57 IQD 38.6K
76.61%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.89 Rp 633.2K
$34.03 IQD 51.4K
2.53%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.3 Rp 1.4M
$58.7 IQD 88.8K
33.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$77.9 Rp 1.4M
$42.44 IQD 64.1K
83.48%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Mashhad
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,078 Rp 19.6M
$212 IQD 319.9K
409.02%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$665 Rp 12.1M
$139 IQD 210.6K
377.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,510 Rp 63.7M
$378 IQD 571.7K
827.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,671 Rp 30.3M
$319 IQD 482.6K
423.13%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,340 Rp 42.5M
$862 IQD 1.3M
171.47%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,236 Rp 40.6M
$491 IQD 742.5K
355.08%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Mashhad
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$166 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: November 1, 2026

Last update for Mashhad: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
$665
Mashhad
$139 79% $526
Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
$279
Mashhad
$115 58.9% $165
Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
$106
Mashhad
$72 31.9% $34
Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
$106
Mashhad
$115 8.3% $8.8
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
$103
Mashhad
$249 143% $146
Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
$60
Mashhad
$56 6% $3.6
Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
$12
Mashhad
$9.9 * 17.4% $2.1

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,078 in Ubud, Bali and $212 in Mashhad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $35 in Ubud, Bali vs $27 in Mashhad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $279 vs $115 per month, with Mashhad cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🇮🇶 Mashhad
🕒 Local time
08:01 8:01 AM
03:01 3:01 AM
5 h behind Ubud, Bali
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
74,800
13,000
💱 Currency
Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د
Exchange rates and currency converter

IQD, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 18,148 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD). 1 EUR = 20,295 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.93 EUR).

Iraqi Dinar exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 1,511 IQD (10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD). 1 EUR = 1,690 IQD (10,000 IQD = 5.92 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ubud, Bali Mashhad 9,050 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ubud, Bali
  • Mashhad

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
What is the total cost difference between living in Ubud, Bali and in Mashhad?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,331 in Ubud, Bali and $756 in Mashhad, so Mashhad is about 43% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Ubud, Bali compared to Mashhad?
You’d need roughly $1,996 in Ubud, Bali and $1,134 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Ubud, Bali and in Mashhad?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,078 in Ubud, Bali versus $212 in Mashhad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Ubud, Bali and Mashhad?
Childcare runs $492 in Ubud, Bali versus $143 in Mashhad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Mashhad – a meal for two runs $27 versus $35 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
At $756 in Mashhad versus $1,331 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,200 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.
How does quality of life compare between Ubud, Bali and Mashhad?
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.
Is Ubud, Bali or Mashhad safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Mashhad are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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