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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $498 in Embu versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $791 in Embu versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,084 in Embu versus $3,763 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Embu costs roughly 65% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Embu is 63% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.29 KES 684

$3.45 Rp 62.0K

53.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.17 KES 4,027

$32.34 Rp 580.1K

-3.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 KES 686

$4.84 Rp 86.9K

9.71%

Cappuccino

$2.26 KES 292

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

-17.82%

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

$0.33 KES 43.04

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

-76.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 KES 28.38

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

-70.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 KES 293

$2.99 Rp 53.7K

-24.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 KES 382

$3.85 Rp 69.1K

-23.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.51 KES 66.5

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

-70.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 KES 67.0

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

-78.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 KES 122

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

-18.80%

Eggs

$1.71 KES 221

$2.43 Rp 43.6K

-29.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.83 KES 495

$14.50 Rp 260.2K

-73.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.25 KES 420

$4.35 Rp 78.0K

-25.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.07 KES 526

$11.98 Rp 214.9K

-66.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 KES 391

$3.72 Rp 66.7K

-18.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 KES 134

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

-36.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 KES 268

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

-24.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.40 KES 51.8

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

-82.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 KES 87.2

$1.92 Rp 34.4K

-64.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 KES 117

$2.28 Rp 40.8K

-60.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 KES 84.9

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

-37.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 KES 68.4

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

-26.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 KES 403

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

-5.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.67 KES 1,508

$23.19 Rp 416.1K

-49.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 KES 295

$2.78 Rp 49.8K

-17.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 KES 359

$2.73 Rp 49.0K

1.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 KES 154

$0.27 Rp 4,778

340.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 KES 196

$0.48 Rp 8,659

216.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 KES 203

$0.42 Rp 7,532

273.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 KES 383

$6.22 Rp 111.6K

-52.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 KES 186

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

77.78%

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

$21.8K KES 2.8M

$26.6K Rp 477.4M

-18.13%

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

$12.3K KES 1.6M

$32.2K Rp 577.4M

-61.92%

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

$34.82 KES 4,498

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

-55.56%

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

$16.52 KES 2,134

$4.07 Rp 73.0K

305.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.04 KES 4,915

$24.33 Rp 436.4K

56.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.29 KES 2,234

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

-82.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.20 KES 543

$3.99 Rp 71.5K

5.26%

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

$199 KES 25.7K

$305 Rp 5.5M

-34.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,200 KES 1.1M

$6,642 Rp 119.2M

23.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.43 KES 1,218

$54.1 Rp 971.2K

-82.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.50 KES 3,166

$37.81 Rp 678.2K

-35.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.8 KES 8,500

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

-24.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$15.59 KES 2,014

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

-79.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$77.8 KES 10.1K

$992 Rp 17.8M

-92.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$55.1 KES 7,115

$673 Rp 12.1M

-91.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.5M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$93.5 KES 12.1K

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

-95.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 39.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$268 KES 34.6K

$167 Rp 3.0M

60.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.84

13.28

11.75%

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

Last update for Embu: July 14, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $77.8 in Embu and $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Embu pays 60% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $31.00 in Embu vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $146 vs $297 per month, with Embu 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

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

Embu and Ubud, Bali differ by about 183% in total monthly costs ($498 vs $1,408 including rent). Embu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 60% higher in Embu, 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: $77.8 in Embu versus $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $199 in Embu versus $305 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Embu – a meal for two runs $31.00 versus $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $498 in Embu versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Embu but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Embu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Embu 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 Embu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 183% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.