Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nairobi and Ubud, Bali

For one person, living is cheaper in Nairobi: $885 a month against $1,349 in Ubud, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $5,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

43

Cost of Living Index in Nairobi
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Nairobi Living Index
65

Cost of Living Index in Ubud, Bali
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Ubud, Bali Living Index

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Nairobi

🇰🇪 Kenya

$885

/mo nomad

Ubud, Bali

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$1,349

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nairobi and in Ubud, Bali

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Nairobi and in Ubud, Bali actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $885 per month in Nairobi vs $1,349 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Nairobi $885
Ubud, Bali $1,349

A couple spends around $1,436 per month in Nairobi vs $2,305 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Nairobi $1,436
Ubud, Bali $2,305

A family of three spends $1,987 per month in Nairobi vs $3,261 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Nairobi $1,987
Ubud, Bali $3,261

Nairobi is about 34% cheaper than Ubud, Bali, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.43 KES 835

$3.32 Rp 60.4K

93.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.51 KES 4,482

$35.64 Rp 647.8K

-3.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.26 KES 813

$5.53 Rp 100.6K

13.20%

Cappuccino

$2.60 KES 338

$2.72 Rp 49.4K

-4.41%

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

$0.64 KES 82.9

$1.70 Rp 30.9K

-62.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 KES 86.8

$0.76 Rp 13.8K

-11.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 KES 299

$2.65 Rp 48.2K

-13.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 KES 357

$4.38 Rp 79.6K

-37.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 KES 123

$1.49 Rp 27.1K

-36.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 KES 76.2

$2.28 Rp 41.4K

-74.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 KES 260

$1.19 Rp 21.6K

68.07%

Eggs

$1.69 KES 220

$2.04 Rp 37.0K

-17.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.01 KES 1,430

$17.70 Rp 321.7K

-37.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.41 KES 832

$3.96 Rp 72.0K

61.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.41 KES 832

$12.19 Rp 221.6K

-47.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 KES 444

$3.66 Rp 66.4K

-6.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 KES 138

$1.52 Rp 27.6K

-30.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 KES 263

$2.23 Rp 40.5K

-8.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 KES 147

$1.97 Rp 35.9K

-42.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 KES 143

$1.85 Rp 33.6K

-40.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 KES 143

$2.42 Rp 44.1K

-54.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 KES 96.0

$0.99 Rp 18.0K

-25.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 KES 99.1

$0.51 Rp 9,332

49.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 KES 438

$2.22 Rp 40.4K

52.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.65 KES 1,513

$22.24 Rp 404.2K

-47.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 KES 293

$2.26 Rp 41.1K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 KES 356

$2.97 Rp 54.0K

-7.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 KES 108

$0.25 Rp 4,562

232.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.81 KES 6,079

$7.82 Rp 142.2K

498.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 KES 197

$0.44 Rp 7,989

245.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 KES 198

$0.43 Rp 7,817

253.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 KES 364

$5.41 Rp 98.3K

-48.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 KES 202

$0.82 Rp 15.0K

89.02%

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

$19.4K KES 2.5M

$23.8K Rp 433.3M

-18.72%

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

$22.2K KES 2.9M

$31.7K Rp 577.0M

-30.03%

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

$56.7 KES 7,359

$79.1 Rp 1.4M

-28.32%

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

$15.25 KES 1,981

$6.45 Rp 117.2K

136.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.78 KES 4,516

$18.58 Rp 337.7K

87.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 KES 6,705

$49.48 Rp 899.4K

4.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.64 KES 2,031

$17.65 Rp 320.8K

-11.39%

Cinema Ticket

$7.60 KES 987

$4.27 Rp 77.7K

77.99%

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

$277 KES 36.0K

$491 Rp 8.9M

-43.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K KES 1.6M

$5,674 Rp 103.1M

116.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.73 KES 3,601

$44.64 Rp 811.4K

-37.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.36 KES 3,812

$34.95 Rp 635.3K

-15.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.3 KES 9,000

$79.9 Rp 1.5M

-13.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.1 KES 7,671

$79.4 Rp 1.4M

-25.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$441 KES 57.3K

$1,125 Rp 20.4M

-60.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 KES 30.6K

$671 Rp 12.2M

-64.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,131 KES 146.9K

$3,565 Rp 64.8M

-68.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$522 KES 67.8K

$1,723 Rp 31.3M

-69.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,234 KES 160.2K

$2,732 Rp 49.6M

-54.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$805 KES 104.5K

$2,284 Rp 41.5M

-64.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$484 KES 62.9K

$164 Rp 3.0M

195.50%

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 Nairobi: October 25, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Nairobi

$235 26.6%

Ubud, Bali

$672 49.8% 185% $436

Groceries & Markets

Nairobi

$209 23.7%

Ubud, Bali

$288 21.4% 37.7% $79

Eating Out

Nairobi

$124 14%

Ubud, Bali

$108 8% 12.9% $16

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nairobi

$107 12.1%

Ubud, Bali

$104 7.7% 2.5% $2.6

Clothing & Footwear

Nairobi

$83 9.4%

Ubud, Bali

$108 8% 28.8% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Nairobi

$67 7.6%

Ubud, Bali

$58 4.3% 13.2% $8.8

Getting Around

Nairobi

$59 6.7%

Ubud, Bali

$11 0.9% 80.7% $48

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $441 in Nairobi versus $1,125 in Ubud, Bali. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Nairobi are about 3 times higher, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35 in Nairobi versus $36 in Ubud, Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $209 vs $288 – making Nairobi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇪 Nairobi

🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali

🕒 Local time

21:04 9:04 PM

02:04 2:04 AM

5 h ahead of Nairobi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,138,295 Capital

74,800

💱 Currency

Kenyan Shilling KES Sh

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KES = 7.7 USD

1,000 KES = 6.92 EUR

100,000 IDR = 5.5 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to KES – Kenyan Shilling Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇪 Kenyan Shilling (Sh)

Kenyan Shilling exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 130 KES (1,000 KES = 7.7 USD). 1 EUR = 145 KES (1,000 KES = 6.92 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18,175 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.5 USD). 1 EUR = 20,233 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

USD to KES in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nairobi Ubud, Bali 8,720 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Nairobi
Ubud, Bali

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Ubud, Bali costs about 52% more than Nairobi, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,327 per month in Nairobi and $2,023 in Ubud, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nairobi, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $441 there versus $1,125 in Ubud, Bali.

Public transport costs about 83% less in Ubud, Bali. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $277 per month in Nairobi and $491 in Ubud, Bali. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $885 in Nairobi and $1,349 in Ubud, Bali. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nairobi costs $885 versus $1,349 in Ubud, Bali. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.