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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $443 in Machakos versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $754 in Machakos versus $2,549 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,065 in Machakos versus $3,694 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Machakos costs roughly 68% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Machakos is 67% below, Ubud, Bali is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.34 KES 303

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

-34.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.41 KES 4,980

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

18.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.89 KES 893

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

41.77%

Cappuccino

$1.95 KES 252

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

-29.09%

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

$0.69 KES 90.1

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

-47.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 KES 65.7

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

-27.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 KES 243

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

-35.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 KES 359

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

-26.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.40 KES 52.4

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

-76.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.44 KES 56.9

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

-82.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 KES 97.9

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

-36.67%

Eggs

$1.36 KES 176

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

-44.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.49 KES 1,490

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

-20.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.77 KES 878

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

57.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.75 KES 615

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

-61.10%

Apples (1kg)

$1.53 KES 198

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

-58.42%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 KES 96.9

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

-51.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.37 KES 48.26

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

-86.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.38 KES 49.23

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

-83.69%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 KES 104

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

-59.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 KES 101

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

-66.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 KES 83.7

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

-38.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 KES 48.81

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

-47.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.11 KES 404

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

-5.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.55 KES 1,498

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

-49.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 KES 257

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

-29.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 KES 356

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

-1.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 KES 95.2

$0.45 Rp 8,047

62.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 KES 103

$0.45 Rp 8,094

77.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 KES 384

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

-52.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 KES 196

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

77.65%

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

$22.0K KES 2.8M

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

-15.46%

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

$19.6K KES 2.5M

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

-37.93%

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

$34.62 KES 4,489

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

-57.13%

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

$7.56 KES 980

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

86.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.64 KES 1,510

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

-52.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 KES 813

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

55.20%

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

$46.87 KES 6,077

$304 Rp 5.4M

-84.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,961 KES 1.0M

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

20.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.72 KES 1,520

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

-78.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.84 KES 3,091

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

-38.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.5 KES 8,497

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

-23.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.27 KES 4,962

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

-50.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$93.1 KES 12.1K

$986 Rp 17.7M

-90.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$68.7 KES 8,910

$658 Rp 11.8M

-89.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$152 KES 19.7K

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

-95.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$118 KES 15.3K

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

-94.29%

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)

$393 KES 50.9K

$163 Rp 2.9M

140.26%

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 Machakos: June 8, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $93.1 in Machakos and $986 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Machakos pays 140% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $38.00 in Machakos vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $165 vs $297, with Machakos cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Machakos wins on cost – living expenses run 217% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Machakos the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Machakos pays 140% 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: $93.1 in Machakos versus $986 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 81% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $443 per month in Machakos versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali – a 217% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $443 in Machakos versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Machakos but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Machakos the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Machakos delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $443 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Machakos hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Machakos 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 Machakos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 217% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.