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: $1,379 in Ubud, Bali versus $759 in Sulaymaniyah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,363 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,194 in Sulaymaniyah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,347 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,629 in Sulaymaniyah.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 82% more expensive than in Sulaymaniyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 1% above, Sulaymaniyah is 45% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.31 Rp 58.9K

$4.61 IQD 6,031

-28.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.08 Rp 694.5K

$22.56 IQD 29.5K

73.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.62 Rp 99.8K

$6.95 IQD 9,096

-19.14%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.9K

$2.36 IQD 3,091

11.86%

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

$1.58 Rp 28.2K

$0.46 IQD 603

243.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Rp 12.6K

$0.23 IQD 302

208.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 Rp 48.5K

$4.55 IQD 5,952

-40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 Rp 76.8K

$2.32 IQD 3,044

86.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 Rp 27.4K

$1.36 IQD 1,780

13.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 Rp 40.8K

$0.97 IQD 1,265

137.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

$1.91 IQD 2,507

-46.07%

Eggs

$2.12 Rp 37.7K

$1.74 IQD 2,276

21.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.30 Rp 307.5K

$5.04 IQD 6,595

243.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.03 Rp 71.6K

$3.44 IQD 4,504

17.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.42 Rp 220.8K

$15.51 IQD 20.3K

-19.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 Rp 65.7K

$1.33 IQD 1,741

178.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.25 IQD 1,642

29.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 Rp 40.3K

$1.15 IQD 1,512

97.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 Rp 35.4K

$0.70 IQD 920

184.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 Rp 32.5K

$0.58 IQD 763

215.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 Rp 40.1K

$0.74 IQD 966

204.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 Rp 18.6K

$0.71 IQD 933

46.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 Rp 10.0K

$0.53 IQD 697

5.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.22 Rp 39.5K

$2.37 IQD 3,100

-6.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.22 Rp 412.7K

$11.61 IQD 15.2K

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 Rp 42.5K

$1.92 IQD 2,519

24.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 Rp 51.1K

$1.74 IQD 2,284

64.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,416

$0.56 IQD 728

-55.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.17 Rp 127.4K

$22.76 IQD 29.8K

-68.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,163

$2.26 IQD 2,953

-79.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,235

$2.24 IQD 2,932

-79.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 Rp 101.2K

$5.20 IQD 6,808

9.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

$0.65 IQD 856

16.92%

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

$24.6K Rp 436.7M

$20.8K IQD 27.2M

18.13%

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

$31.0K Rp 551.5M

$19.2K IQD 25.1M

61.79%

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

$82.2 Rp 1.5M

$102 IQD 133.2K

-19.24%

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

$6.33 Rp 112.5K

$10.63 IQD 13.9K

-40.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.54 Rp 329.6K

$28.41 IQD 37.2K

-34.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.1 Rp 996.2K

$35.69 IQD 46.7K

57.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.41 Rp 327.2K

$19.99 IQD 26.2K

-7.90%

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 Rp 75.8K

$7.48 IQD 9,793

-43.05%

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

$489 Rp 8.7M

$176 IQD 230.6K

177.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,793 Rp 103.0M

$2,882 IQD 3.8M

101.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.98 Rp 817.3K

$18.84 IQD 24.7K

144.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.86 Rp 637.4K

$25.87 IQD 33.9K

38.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 Rp 1.4M

$43.64 IQD 57.1K

82.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.9 Rp 1.4M

$38.78 IQD 50.8K

108.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,144 Rp 20.3M

$228 IQD 298.0K

402.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 Rp 12.3M

$176 IQD 230.2K

293.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,532 Rp 62.8M

$514 IQD 672.5K

587.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,709 Rp 30.4M

$361 IQD 472.4K

373.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,785 Rp 49.5M

$827 IQD 1.1M

236.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,261 Rp 40.2M

$565 IQD 740.2K

300.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

$571 IQD 747.4K

-70.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

5.77

138.82%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 15, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,144 in Ubud, Bali and $228 in Sulaymaniyah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sulaymaniyah pays 237% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $39.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $23.00 in Sulaymaniyah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $188 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 82% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 237% lower in Sulaymaniyah. 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: $1,144 in Ubud, Bali versus $228 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 $23.00 versus $39.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,379 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $759 in Sulaymaniyah – a 82% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $759 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,379 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 82% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.