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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $429 in Zanjan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Ubud, Bali versus $757 in Zanjan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,694 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,085 in Zanjan.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 228% more expensive than Zanjan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 4% above, Zanjan is 68% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Zanjan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.57 Rp 64.0K
$2.91 $2.91
22.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.50 Rp 582.3K
$16.27 $16.27
99.75%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.86 Rp 87.1K
$3.32 $3.32
46.39%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$0.67 $0.67
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$0.97 $0.97
-
Cappuccino
$2.75 Rp 49.2K
$0.97 $0.97
183.51%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.32 Rp 23.7K
$0.46 $0.46
186.96%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70 Rp 12.6K
$1.04 $1.04
-32.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.91 Rp 52.2K
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.79 Rp 68.0K
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Zanjan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.71 Rp 30.6K
$0.60 $0.60
185.00%
White Bread (500g)
$2.47 Rp 44.3K
$0.53 $0.53
366.04%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.20 Rp 21.5K
$1.86 $1.86
-35.48%
Eggs
$2.44 Rp 43.8K
$1.16 $1.16
110.34%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.38 Rp 257.7K
$3.36 $3.36
327.98%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.31 Rp 77.1K
$3.18 $3.18
35.53%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.21 Rp 218.7K
$8.82 $8.82
38.44%
Apples (1kg)
$3.68 Rp 66.0K
$0.91 $0.91
304.40%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 Rp 27.8K
$1.26 $1.26
23.02%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.79 Rp 49.9K
$0.83 $0.83
236.14%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.33 Rp 41.8K
$0.52 $0.52
348.08%
Potato (1kg)
$1.97 Rp 35.3K
$0.52 $0.52
278.85%
Onion (1kg)
$2.31 Rp 41.4K
$0.51 $0.51
352.94%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.06 Rp 19.1K
$0.58 $0.58
82.76%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.73 Rp 13.1K
$0.22 $0.22
231.82%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$0.62 $0.62
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.50 $0.50
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.22 $1.22
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.28 Rp 58.8K
$2.01 $2.01
63.18%
Wine (Bottle)
$22.79 Rp 408.4K
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.81 Rp 50.3K
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 Rp 49.9K
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Zanjan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.29 Rp 5,217
$0.14 $0.14
107.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.06 Rp 144.4K
$9.94 $9.94
-18.91%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.45 Rp 8,047
$0.29 $0.29
55.17%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.45 Rp 8,094
$0.29 $0.29
55.17%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.24 Rp 111.7K
$0.97 $0.97
543.30%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.85 Rp 15.2K
$0.78 $0.78
8.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.0K Rp 465.4M
$58.9K $58.9K
-55.89%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.7K Rp 567.2M
$44.3K $44.3K
-28.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Zanjan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$80.8 Rp 1.4M
$15.83 $15.83
410.11%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.06 Rp 72.7K
$2.27 $2.27
78.85%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.42 Rp 437.6K
$5.74 $5.74
325.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Zanjan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$97.7 Rp 1.7M
$12.76 $12.76
665.44%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.45 Rp 115.5K
$12.69 $12.69
-49.17%
Cinema Ticket
$4.04 Rp 72.4K
$1.47 $1.47
174.83%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Zanjan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$304 Rp 5.4M
$125 $125
142.56%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,621 Rp 118.6M
$2,000 $2,000
231.08%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Zanjan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.2 Rp 971.7K
$31.01 $31.01
74.88%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.78 Rp 694.7K
$34.70 $34.70
11.76%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$86.1 Rp 1.5M
$121 $121
-28.97%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$76.7 Rp 1.4M
$69.0 $69.0
11.05%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Zanjan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$986 Rp 17.7M
$253 $253
288.93%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$658 Rp 11.8M
$99.7 $99.7
559.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,369 Rp 60.4M
$595 $595
466.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,066 Rp 37.0M
$313 $313
559.24%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,741 Rp 49.1M
$864 $864
217.38%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,228 Rp 39.9M
$464 $464
379.88%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Zanjan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$163 Rp 2.9M
$372 $372
-56.03%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.28
21.5
-38.23%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Last update for Zanjan: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $986 in Ubud, Bali and $253 in Zanjan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zanjan pays 127% 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 $16.00 in Zanjan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $101 per month, with Zanjan 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 Zanjan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Ubud, Bali or Zanjan?
Zanjan wins on cost – living expenses run 228% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Zanjan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Ubud, Bali or Zanjan?
On paper, Zanjan earns 127% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Ubud, Bali vs Zanjan?
Rent for a central apartment: $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $253 in Zanjan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Ubud, Bali and Zanjan?
Childcare runs $304 in Ubud, Bali versus $125 in Zanjan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Ubud, Bali or Zanjan?
Supermarket bills run roughly 193% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Ubud, Bali or Zanjan?
At $429 in Zanjan versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Zanjan but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Zanjan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Ubud, Bali or Zanjan?
Both work as nomad bases, but Zanjan delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $429 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Zanjan hard to pass up.
How safe is Ubud, Bali compared to Zanjan?
Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Zanjan are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Zanjan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 228% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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