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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $750 in Sulaymaniyah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,166 in Sulaymaniyah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,581 in Sulaymaniyah.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 92% more expensive than Sulaymaniyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 7% above, Sulaymaniyah is 44% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.6K

$5.26 IQD 6,893

-32.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 562.6K

$26.81 IQD 35.1K

21.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.5K

$7.01 IQD 9,180

-27.67%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 48.8K

$2.64 IQD 3,461

7.20%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.1K

$0.39 IQD 514

243.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.21 IQD 269

228.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.6K

$2.07 IQD 2,713

44.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.4K

$2.71 IQD 3,549

42.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.1K

$1.41 IQD 1,851

23.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 43.8K

$1.02 IQD 1,332

149.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$1.61 IQD 2,108

-26.09%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 41.9K

$1.78 IQD 2,328

36.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 253.2K

$6.10 IQD 7,996

140.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.1K

$3.56 IQD 4,666

17.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.1K

$14.01 IQD 18.4K

-14.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.6K

$1.17 IQD 1,531

215.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.7K

$1.29 IQD 1,693

24.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.4K

$1.27 IQD 1,662

111.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.2K

$0.73 IQD 957

219.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 32.9K

$0.61 IQD 798

213.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.7K

$0.67 IQD 879

226.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$0.59 IQD 777

79.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.45 IQD 590

60.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.1K

$1.94 IQD 2,535

61.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 405.6K

$11.61 IQD 15.2K

102.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.3K

$1.51 IQD 1,974

81.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.7K

$1.81 IQD 2,367

59.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,010

$0.55 IQD 715

-47.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.0K

$23.16 IQD 30.3K

-64.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,834

$2.36 IQD 3,096

-80.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,278

$2.33 IQD 3,053

-81.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.3K

$5.46 IQD 7,149

12.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.5K

$0.77 IQD 1,005

9.09%

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

$26.2K Rp 453.1M

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

29.20%

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

$32.5K Rp 560.8M

$20.6K IQD 26.9M

57.94%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$76.6 IQD 100.3K

2.38%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.2K

$16.90 IQD 22.1K

-76.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 421.4K

$26.27 IQD 34.4K

-7.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$39.65 IQD 51.9K

143.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 109.6K

$16.92 IQD 22.2K

-62.47%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 69.7K

$7.47 IQD 9,786

-45.92%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$151 IQD 198.3K

99.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 112.6M

$3,491 IQD 4.6M

86.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 929.5K

$23.36 IQD 30.6K

130.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 655.8K

$24.92 IQD 32.6K

52.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$43.74 IQD 57.3K

98.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$36.40 IQD 47.7K

116.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$240 IQD 315.0K

320.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.6M

$175 IQD 229.3K

285.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.5M

$572 IQD 749.5K

492.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.2M

$341 IQD 446.3K

515.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.5M

$810 IQD 1.1M

268.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.4M

$579 IQD 758.4K

304.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

$580 IQD 759.5K

-70.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

47.56%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali and $240 in Sulaymaniyah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sulaymaniyah pays 235% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $184 per month, with Sulaymaniyah 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 Sulaymaniyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sulaymaniyah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 92% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Sulaymaniyah earns 235% less. 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: $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $240 in Sulaymaniyah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Sulaymaniyah – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $750 in Sulaymaniyah – a 92% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $750 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sulaymaniyah but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Sulaymaniyah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Sulaymaniyah 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 Sulaymaniyah 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 Sulaymaniyah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 92% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.