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: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $425 in Zanjan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $753 in Zanjan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,080 in Zanjan.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 238% more expensive than Zanjan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 7% above, Zanjan is 68% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Zanjan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.57 Rp 61.6K
$3.06 $3.06
16.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.58 Rp 562.6K
$15.70 $15.70
107.52%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.07 Rp 87.5K
$3.26 $3.26
55.52%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$0.66 $0.66
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.02 $1.02
-
Cappuccino
$2.83 Rp 48.8K
$0.94 $0.94
201.06%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.34 Rp 23.1K
$0.46 $0.46
191.30%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69 Rp 12.0K
$1.07 $1.07
-35.51%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.99 Rp 51.6K
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.85 Rp 66.4K
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Zanjan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 Rp 30.1K
$0.60 $0.60
190.00%
White Bread (500g)
$2.54 Rp 43.8K
$0.57 $0.57
345.61%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.19 Rp 20.6K
$1.92 $1.92
-38.02%
Eggs
$2.43 Rp 41.9K
$1.20 $1.20
102.50%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.66 Rp 253.2K
$3.36 $3.36
336.31%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.18 Rp 72.1K
$3.18 $3.18
31.45%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.94 Rp 206.1K
$8.66 $8.66
37.88%
Apples (1kg)
$3.69 Rp 63.6K
$0.87 $0.87
324.14%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 Rp 27.7K
$1.28 $1.28
25.78%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.69 Rp 46.4K
$0.88 $0.88
205.68%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.33 Rp 40.2K
$0.52 $0.52
348.08%
Potato (1kg)
$1.91 Rp 32.9K
$0.53 $0.53
260.38%
Onion (1kg)
$2.19 Rp 37.7K
$0.50 $0.50
338.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.06 Rp 18.3K
$0.63 $0.63
68.25%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 Rp 12.5K
$0.22 $0.22
227.27%
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)
-
$1.28 $1.28
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.13 Rp 54.1K
$1.95 $1.95
60.51%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.49 Rp 405.6K
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.74 Rp 47.3K
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 Rp 49.7K
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Zanjan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.29 Rp 5,010
$0.14 $0.14
107.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.17 Rp 141.0K
$10.18 $10.18
-19.74%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.45 Rp 7,834
$0.29 $0.29
55.17%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.42 Rp 7,278
$0.27 $0.27
55.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.16 Rp 106.3K
$1.01 $1.01
509.90%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.84 Rp 14.5K
$0.78 $0.78
7.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.2K Rp 453.1M
$59.8K $59.8K
-56.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.5K Rp 560.8M
$45.7K $45.7K
-28.93%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Zanjan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$78.4 Rp 1.4M
$15.88 $15.88
393.83%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.95 Rp 68.2K
$2.23 $2.23
77.13%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.40 Rp 421.4K
$5.63 $5.63
333.39%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Zanjan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$96.5 Rp 1.7M
$12.52 $12.52
671.09%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.35 Rp 109.6K
$12.69 $12.69
-49.96%
Cinema Ticket
$4.04 Rp 69.7K
$1.49 $1.49
171.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Zanjan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$303 Rp 5.2M
$125 $125
142.30%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,523 Rp 112.6M
$1,999 $1,999
226.24%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Zanjan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.8 Rp 929.5K
$30.85 $30.85
74.52%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.98 Rp 655.8K
$34.73 $34.73
9.36%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$86.8 Rp 1.5M
$121 $121
-28.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.9 Rp 1.4M
$69.3 $69.3
13.86%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Zanjan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 Rp 17.5M
$259 $259
290.56%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$674 Rp 11.6M
$101 $101
565.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,390 Rp 58.5M
$597 $597
468.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,098 Rp 36.2M
$304 $304
590.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,985 Rp 51.5M
$895 $895
233.41%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,339 Rp 40.4M
$525 $525
345.73%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Zanjan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$173 Rp 3.0M
$366 $366
-52.71%
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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Zanjan: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali and $259 in Zanjan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zanjan pays 111% 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 $298 vs $102 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 238% 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 111% 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: $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $259 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 $303 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 192% 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 $425 in Zanjan versus $1,438 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 $425 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 238% 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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