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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $864 in Zakho versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,359 in Zakho versus $2,549 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,854 in Zakho versus $3,694 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Zakho costs roughly 38% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Zakho is 36% below, Ubud, Bali is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.58 IQD 9,926

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

112.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.64 IQD 29.7K

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

-30.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.88 IQD 11.6K

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

82.72%

Cappuccino

$3.19 IQD 4,184

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

16.00%

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

$0.48 IQD 628

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

-63.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 IQD 288

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

-68.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 IQD 2,656

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

-30.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 IQD 2,673

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

-46.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 IQD 1,739

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

-22.22%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 IQD 1,039

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

-68.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 IQD 2,434

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

55.00%

Eggs

$1.90 IQD 2,489

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

-22.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.27 IQD 9,524

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

-49.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.81 IQD 6,294

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

11.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.09 IQD 18.5K

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

15.40%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,510

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

-68.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 IQD 1,558

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

-23.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 IQD 1,541

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

-57.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 IQD 1,062

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

-65.24%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 IQD 864

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

-66.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 933

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

-69.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 IQD 947

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

-32.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 IQD 727

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

-23.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.62 IQD 3,430

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

-20.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.35 IQD 16.2K

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

-45.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 IQD 1,898

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

-48.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 IQD 2,542

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

-30.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 IQD 521

$0.29 Rp 5,217

37.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.88 IQD 40.4K

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

283.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 IQD 2,965

$0.45 Rp 8,047

402.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.23 IQD 2,921

$0.45 Rp 8,094

395.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.00 IQD 9,165

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

12.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.70 IQD 912

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

-17.65%

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

$19.2K IQD 25.1M

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

-26.16%

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

$20.6K IQD 27.0M

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

-34.97%

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

$100 IQD 131.0K

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

23.88%

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

$17.47 IQD 22.9K

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

330.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 IQD 38.9K

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

21.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.17 IQD 48.7K

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

-61.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.01 IQD 22.3K

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

163.72%

Cinema Ticket

$11.66 IQD 15.3K

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

188.61%

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

$272 IQD 355.7K

$304 Rp 5.4M

-10.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,319 IQD 4.3M

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

-49.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.98 IQD 43.2K

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

-39.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.77 IQD 65.2K

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

28.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 IQD 107.4K

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

-4.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.1 IQD 99.6K

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

-0.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$246 IQD 321.7K

$986 Rp 17.7M

-75.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 IQD 236.0K

$658 Rp 11.8M

-72.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$580 IQD 759.4K

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

-82.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$343 IQD 448.6K

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

-83.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$659 IQD 863.5K

$163 Rp 2.9M

303.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.67

13.28

-57.30%

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

Last update for Zakho: June 7, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $246 in Zakho and $986 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zakho pays 304% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $23.00 in Zakho vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $195 vs $297 per month, with Zakho 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

Zakho vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zakho wins on cost – living expenses run 63% 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.

Zakho pays 304% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $246 in Zakho versus $986 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $272 in Zakho versus $304 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 52% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $864 in Zakho versus $1,404 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 $864 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Zakho hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Zakho and Ubud, Bali 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 63% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.