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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $879 in Zakho.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,278 in Zakho.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,676 in Zakho.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 56% more expensive than in Zakho, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Zakho is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$7.73 IQD 10.1K

-55.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$44.26 IQD 58.0K

-17.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$8.17 IQD 10.7K

-30.11%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$3.81 IQD 4,993

-29.92%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$1.07 IQD 1,403

63.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$0.41 IQD 538

112.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$6.14 IQD 8,037

-51.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$4.57 IQD 5,983

-1.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.27 IQD 1,657

27.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$0.82 IQD 1,069

184.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$1.76 IQD 2,308

-36.93%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$1.77 IQD 2,317

24.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

$8.19 IQD 10.7K

116.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

$5.52 IQD 7,228

-25.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

$14.97 IQD 19.6K

-18.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$1.10 IQD 1,439

237.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$1.11 IQD 1,457

43.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$1.23 IQD 1,614

85.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$0.80 IQD 1,042

143.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$0.74 IQD 973

158.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$0.73 IQD 958

219.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$0.80 IQD 1,046

26.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$0.59 IQD 772

-6.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$2.45 IQD 3,211

-8.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

$12.65 IQD 16.6K

82.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

$1.70 IQD 2,231

42.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

$2.06 IQD 2,697

45.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$1.96 IQD 2,570

-75.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

$1.79 IQD 2,341

-75.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

$6.61 IQD 8,654

-14.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$0.68 IQD 892

17.65%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

$17.7K IQD 23.2M

41.01%

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

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

60.05%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$127 IQD 166.0K

-35.75%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$13.60 IQD 17.8K

-52.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$28.07 IQD 36.8K

-33.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$11.44 IQD 15.0K

-60.31%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$317 IQD 414.5K

51.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

$3,093 IQD 4.1M

84.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

$30.48 IQD 39.9K

49.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

$19.73 IQD 25.8K

81.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$50.6 IQD 66.2K

58.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$39.77 IQD 52.1K

97.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$115 IQD 151.2K

865.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$223 IQD 291.7K

213.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

$315 IQD 412.6K

1054.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$276 IQD 361.1K

529.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$657 IQD 860.6K

-74.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

2.53

444.66%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Zakho: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $115 in Zakho. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zakho pays 291% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $44.00 in Zakho. Groceries flip the comparison at $295 vs $205, with Zakho 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 Zakho: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zakho wins on cost – living expenses run 56% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Zakho the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 291% lower in Zakho. 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: $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $115 in Zakho. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $879 in Zakho – a 56% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $879 in Zakho versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Zakho but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Zakho the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Zakho delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $879 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Zakho hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Zakho 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 Zakho gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.