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: $1,394 in Ubud, Bali versus $749 in Sulaymaniyah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,551 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,184 in Sulaymaniyah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,708 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,619 in Sulaymaniyah.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 86% more expensive than Sulaymaniyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Sulaymaniyah is 44% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.40 Rp 60.2K

$5.41 IQD 7,088

-37.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.38 Rp 573.6K

$26.49 IQD 34.7K

22.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.00 Rp 88.6K

$7.04 IQD 9,215

-28.98%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 50.0K

$2.58 IQD 3,381

9.30%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

$0.37 IQD 483

272.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

$0.18 IQD 231

305.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 Rp 52.8K

$2.07 IQD 2,715

43.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 Rp 70.3K

$2.68 IQD 3,506

48.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 Rp 31.8K

$1.48 IQD 1,939

20.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 43.7K

$1.01 IQD 1,329

143.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.2K

$1.61 IQD 2,108

-25.47%

Eggs

$2.39 Rp 42.3K

$1.71 IQD 2,243

39.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 Rp 255.1K

$6.09 IQD 7,980

136.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.28 Rp 75.9K

$3.42 IQD 4,483

25.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 Rp 209.4K

$13.95 IQD 18.3K

-15.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.78 Rp 67.0K

$1.23 IQD 1,605

207.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 28.9K

$1.29 IQD 1,685

26.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 Rp 49.6K

$1.32 IQD 1,734

112.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 Rp 40.0K

$0.70 IQD 913

222.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 Rp 35.3K

$0.63 IQD 824

217.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 Rp 39.2K

$0.64 IQD 835

245.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 Rp 18.9K

$0.56 IQD 728

91.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 Rp 13.5K

$0.48 IQD 629

58.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 55.4K

$1.87 IQD 2,443

67.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 421.9K

$11.28 IQD 14.8K

111.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 Rp 50.3K

$1.56 IQD 2,049

82.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.2K

$1.83 IQD 2,400

51.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,726

$0.55 IQD 721

-50.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 148.2K

$22.58 IQD 29.6K

-62.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,034

$2.33 IQD 3,052

-80.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,578

$2.24 IQD 2,934

-80.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 Rp 105.9K

$5.43 IQD 7,109

10.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$0.73 IQD 955

9.59%

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

$25.8K Rp 457.2M

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

26.74%

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

$31.8K Rp 563.4M

$21.2K IQD 27.7M

50.13%

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

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$76.1 IQD 99.7K

6.04%

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

$4.14 Rp 73.3K

$16.53 IQD 21.7K

-74.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.12 Rp 427.2K

$26.77 IQD 35.0K

-9.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.8 Rp 1.7M

$39.77 IQD 52.1K

145.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.64 Rp 117.7K

$17.13 IQD 22.4K

-61.24%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 71.5K

$7.84 IQD 10.3K

-48.47%

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

$297 Rp 5.3M

$149 IQD 195.7K

98.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,590 Rp 116.7M

$3,533 IQD 4.6M

86.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 Rp 976.8K

$23.67 IQD 31.0K

132.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.51 Rp 682.1K

$25.30 IQD 33.1K

52.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$43.64 IQD 57.1K

97.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 Rp 1.4M

$35.54 IQD 46.5K

119.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 Rp 17.5M

$239 IQD 313.4K

311.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$665 Rp 11.8M

$176 IQD 230.4K

277.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,446 Rp 61.0M

$574 IQD 751.0K

500.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,042 Rp 36.2M

$350 IQD 458.1K

483.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,829 Rp 50.1M

$816 IQD 1.1M

246.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,282 Rp 40.4M

$588 IQD 769.5K

288.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

$574 IQD 752.3K

-70.54%

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $985 in Ubud, Bali and $239 in Sulaymaniyah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sulaymaniyah pays 239% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $26.00 in Sulaymaniyah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $299 vs $183 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 86% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Sulaymaniyah earns 239% 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: $985 in Ubud, Bali versus $239 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 $26.00 versus $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,394 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $749 in Sulaymaniyah – a 86% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $749 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,394 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 86% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.