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: $526 in Machakos versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $809 in Machakos versus $2,348 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,092 in Machakos versus $3,327 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Machakos costs roughly 62% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Machakos is 62% below, Ubud, Bali is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.07 KES 397

$3.44 Rp 61.0K

-10.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.14 KES 2,476

$36.31 Rp 644.5K

-47.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.36 KES 823

$5.71 Rp 101.3K

11.38%

Cappuccino

$1.96 KES 254

$2.67 Rp 47.4K

-26.59%

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

$0.60 KES 77.3

$1.75 Rp 31.1K

-65.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 KES 69.0

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

-39.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 KES 276

$2.95 Rp 52.4K

-27.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 KES 355

$4.52 Rp 80.2K

-39.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.38 KES 48.67

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

-76.54%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 KES 61.1

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

-79.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 KES 94.8

$1.11 Rp 19.7K

-34.23%

Eggs

$1.38 KES 178

$2.20 Rp 39.1K

-37.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.68 KES 1,383

$17.69 Rp 314.0K

-39.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.50 KES 841

$4.10 Rp 72.7K

58.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.68 KES 606

$12.18 Rp 216.1K

-61.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.57 KES 204

$3.71 Rp 65.8K

-57.68%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 KES 104

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

-49.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.38 KES 48.89

$2.28 Rp 40.5K

-83.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.37 KES 48.05

$1.95 Rp 34.7K

-81.03%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 KES 104

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

-58.12%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 KES 101

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

-66.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 KES 89.0

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

-31.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 KES 48.70

$0.55 Rp 9,795

-30.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 KES 439

$2.23 Rp 39.6K

52.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.68 KES 1,512

$23.07 Rp 409.5K

-49.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 KES 253

$2.42 Rp 42.9K

-19.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 KES 366

$3.00 Rp 53.2K

-5.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,825

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 KES 102

$0.48 Rp 8,586

64.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 KES 102

$0.43 Rp 7,697

83.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 KES 370

$5.64 Rp 100.1K

-49.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 KES 186

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

78.75%

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

$21.9K KES 2.8M

$24.9K Rp 442.7M

-12.14%

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

$20.5K KES 2.6M

$31.7K Rp 562.8M

-35.47%

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

$62.6 KES 8,097

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

-23.19%

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

$7.54 KES 976

$6.49 Rp 115.2K

16.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.42 KES 1,477

$18.77 Rp 333.1K

-39.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.55 KES 4,988

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

-32.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 332.4K

Cinema Ticket

$7.71 KES 997

$4.54 Rp 80.5K

69.82%

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

$46.27 KES 5,988

$481 Rp 8.5M

-90.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K KES 1.5M

$5,711 Rp 101.4M

99.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.44 KES 1,480

$45.52 Rp 807.9K

-74.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.85 KES 3,604

$35.88 Rp 636.9K

-22.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.0 KES 9,181

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

-11.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.84 KES 5,026

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

-50.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$92.3 KES 11.9K

$1,115 Rp 19.8M

-91.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$70.3 KES 9,094

$698 Rp 12.4M

-89.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$154 KES 20.0K

$3,637 Rp 64.5M

-95.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 KES 14.8K

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

-93.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$391 KES 50.6K

$168 Rp 3.0M

132.97%

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 Machakos: September 13, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $92.3 in Machakos and $1,115 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Machakos pays 133% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19.00 in Machakos vs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $162 vs $295 per month, with Machakos 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

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

Machakos wins on cost – living expenses run 160% 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 133% 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 $1,115 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 $526 per month in Machakos versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali – a 160% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $526 in Machakos versus $1,368 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 $526 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 160% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.