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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $500 per month in Malindi vs $1,378 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $785 per month in Malindi vs $2,327 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,070 per month in Malindi vs $3,275 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Malindi is about 64% cheaper than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Malindi sits 64% below the global median, while Ubud, Bali is 0% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.09 KES 271

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

-37.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.34 KES 3,017

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

-34.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 KES 1,370

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

88.10%

Cappuccino

$3.71 KES 480

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

31.56%

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

$0.95 KES 123

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

-45.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 KES 55.5

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

-46.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 KES 297

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

-24.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 KES 422

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

-24.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 KES 121

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

-42.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 KES 63.0

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

-78.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 KES 156

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

3.42%

Eggs

$1.74 KES 225

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

-19.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.21 KES 1,450

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

-36.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.46 KES 706

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

34.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.11 KES 661

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

-58.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 KES 277

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

-40.88%

Banana (1kg)

$0.73 KES 94.0

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

-55.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 KES 238

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

-20.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 KES 89.0

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

-64.80%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 KES 87.8

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

-63.04%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 KES 84.9

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

-72.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 KES 78.1

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

-42.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 KES 55.0

$0.54 Rp 9,560

-20.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 KES 584

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

96.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.83 KES 1,012

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

-66.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 KES 256

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

-15.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 KES 384

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

-3.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 KES 388

$0.49 Rp 8,631

512.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 KES 221

$0.47 Rp 8,349

263.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.49 KES 581

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

-19.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 KES 176

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

67.90%

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

$12.3K KES 1.6M

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

-51.01%

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

$12.0K KES 1.5M

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

-61.47%

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

$55.3 KES 7,146

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

-33.18%

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

$13.28 KES 1,717

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

104.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.29 KES 4,045

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

66.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.80 KES 5,017

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

-29.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

Cinema Ticket

$10.95 KES 1,416

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

154.65%

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

$87.7 KES 11.3K

$494 Rp 8.7M

-82.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,331 KES 689.3K

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

-9.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.03 KES 1,685

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

-71.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.53 KES 1,749

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

-62.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.02 KES 2,976

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

-71.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.51 KES 5,885

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

-42.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$383 KES 49.5K

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

-89.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

-5.66%

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

Last update for Malindi: September 6, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Malindi versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $171 vs $294 – making Malindi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Ubud, Bali costs about 175% more than Malindi, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $750 per month in Malindi and $2,067 in Ubud, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Malindi and $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 72% more in Ubud, Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Malindi, where all-in costs run around $500, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,378. In Malindi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Malindi costs $500 versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Malindi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.