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: $489 in Embu versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $789 in Embu versus $2,334 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,089 in Embu versus $3,273 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 64% below, Ubud, Bali is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.93 KES 509

$3.37 Rp 59.7K

16.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.04 KES 4,017

$38.59 Rp 682.4K

-19.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.30 KES 686

$5.52 Rp 97.6K

-3.99%

Cappuccino

$2.25 KES 292

$2.64 Rp 46.8K

-14.77%

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

$0.34 KES 43.64

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

-79.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 KES 28.31

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

-71.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 KES 308

$2.63 Rp 46.6K

-9.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 KES 345

$4.28 Rp 75.7K

-37.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.55 KES 71.7

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

-64.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 KES 67.6

$2.22 Rp 39.3K

-76.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.96 KES 124

$1.13 Rp 19.9K

-15.04%

Eggs

$1.71 KES 221

$2.09 Rp 36.9K

-18.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.78 KES 489

$17.39 Rp 307.6K

-78.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.20 KES 414

$3.87 Rp 68.4K

-17.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.23 KES 547

$12.55 Rp 221.9K

-66.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 KES 430

$3.62 Rp 63.9K

-8.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 KES 135

$1.56 Rp 27.6K

-33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 KES 251

$2.35 Rp 41.6K

-17.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.37 KES 48.42

$2.06 Rp 36.4K

-82.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 KES 89.4

$1.90 Rp 33.6K

-63.68%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 KES 119

$2.34 Rp 41.3K

-60.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 KES 94.9

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

-29.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 KES 68.1

$0.55 Rp 9,809

-3.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.43 KES 443

$2.25 Rp 39.8K

52.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.70 KES 1,513

$23.81 Rp 421.0K

-50.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 KES 291

$2.31 Rp 40.9K

-2.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 KES 367

$2.80 Rp 49.5K

1.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 KES 147

$0.27 Rp 4,816

322.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 153.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.56 KES 202

$0.48 Rp 8,515

225.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 KES 196

$0.45 Rp 7,887

237.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 KES 370

$5.72 Rp 101.1K

-50.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 KES 198

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

101.32%

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

$20.4K KES 2.6M

$24.5K Rp 433.0M

-16.55%

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

$12.5K KES 1.6M

$32.1K Rp 568.0M

-61.12%

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

$60.5 KES 7,827

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

-27.59%

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

$15.08 KES 1,951

$6.46 Rp 114.2K

133.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.70 KES 4,619

$18.99 Rp 335.9K

87.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.09 KES 2,211

$56.0 Rp 989.8K

-69.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 329.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.13 KES 534

$4.28 Rp 75.7K

-3.50%

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

$239 KES 30.9K

$487 Rp 8.6M

-50.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K KES 1.5M

$5,856 Rp 103.6M

99.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.17 KES 1,187

$45.56 Rp 805.6K

-79.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.70 KES 3,324

$36.38 Rp 643.3K

-29.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.3 KES 8,313

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

-21.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$15.23 KES 1,970

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

-81.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$77.7 KES 10.1K

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

-93.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$54.4 KES 7,034

$701 Rp 12.4M

-92.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.5M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$93.0 KES 12.0K

$1,762 Rp 31.2M

-94.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 50.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$273 KES 35.3K

$170 Rp 3.0M

60.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.71

13.78

6.75%

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

Last update for Embu: August 31, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $77.7 in Embu and $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Embu pays 61% 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 $39.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $147 vs $293 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 186% in total monthly costs ($489 vs $1,396 including rent). Embu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 61% 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: $77.7 in Embu versus $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $239 in Embu versus $487 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 $39.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $489 in Embu versus $1,396 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 186% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.