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: $442 in Machakos versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $763 in Machakos versus $2,557 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,085 in Machakos versus $3,723 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 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.37 KES 307

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

-33.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.19 KES 4,936

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

18.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.63 KES 857

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

32.34%

Cappuccino

$1.89 KES 244

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

-32.98%

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

$0.71 KES 91.6

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

-47.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 KES 64.4

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

-31.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 KES 252

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

-33.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 KES 342

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

-32.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.41 KES 52.8

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

-76.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 KES 61.6

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

-80.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 KES 97.7

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

-33.91%

Eggs

$1.37 KES 177

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

-43.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.41 KES 1,475

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

-20.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.59 KES 851

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

57.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.68 KES 604

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

-61.19%

Apples (1kg)

$1.51 KES 195

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

-58.52%

Banana (1kg)

$0.74 KES 95.6

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

-52.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.37 KES 48.17

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

-86.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.38 KES 48.78

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

-83.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 KES 94.9

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

-63.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 KES 102

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

-65.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 KES 85.0

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

-37.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 KES 48.00

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

-53.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 KES 403

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

-2.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.40 KES 1,474

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

-51.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 KES 253

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

-32.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 KES 361

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

1.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 KES 98.2

$0.45 Rp 8,167

68.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 KES 94.8

$0.46 Rp 8,298

58.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 KES 379

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

-51.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 KES 195

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

75.58%

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

$21.4K KES 2.8M

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

-19.69%

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

$19.7K KES 2.5M

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

-39.56%

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

$34.06 KES 4,402

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

-56.90%

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

$7.77 KES 1,004

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

89.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.38 KES 1,471

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

-52.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

Cinema Ticket

$6.02 KES 778

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

50.12%

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

$47.26 KES 6,109

$297 Rp 5.4M

-84.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,045 KES 1.0M

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

21.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.59 KES 1,498

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

-78.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.79 KES 3,075

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

-37.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.9 KES 8,522

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

-25.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.20 KES 4,937

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

-50.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$92.3 KES 11.9K

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

-90.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$68.4 KES 8,838

$680 Rp 12.3M

-89.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$156 KES 20.1K

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

-95.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 KES 14.7K

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

-94.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$380 KES 49.1K

$164 Rp 3.0M

132.13%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $92.3 in Machakos and $1,020 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Machakos pays 132% 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $163 vs $298, 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 215% 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.

Average pay runs 132% higher in Machakos, 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: $92.3 in Machakos versus $1,020 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 83% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $442 per month in Machakos versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali – a 215% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $442 in Machakos versus $1,392 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 $442 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 215% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.