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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $498 in Embu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $791 in Embu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,084 in Embu.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 183% more expensive than in Embu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Embu is 63% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$5.29 KES 684

-34.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$31.17 KES 4,027

3.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$5.31 KES 686

-8.85%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$2.26 KES 292

21.68%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$0.33 KES 43.05

318.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.22 KES 28.39

240.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$2.27 KES 293

31.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

$2.96 KES 382

30.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$0.51 KES 66.5

241.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$0.52 KES 67.0

373.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$0.95 KES 122

23.16%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$1.71 KES 221

42.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$3.83 KES 495

278.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$3.25 KES 420

33.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$4.07 KES 526

194.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$3.03 KES 391

22.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.04 KES 134

56.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$2.07 KES 268

32.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$0.40 KES 51.8

460.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$0.68 KES 87.2

182.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$0.90 KES 117

153.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.66 KES 84.9

60.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.53 KES 68.4

35.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$3.12 KES 403

5.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

$11.67 KES 1,508

98.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$2.28 KES 295

21.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$2.78 KES 360

-1.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$1.19 KES 154

-77.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$1.52 KES 196

-68.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$1.57 KES 203

-73.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$2.97 KES 383

109.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.44 KES 186

-43.75%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$21.8K KES 2.8M

22.14%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$12.3K KES 1.6M

162.58%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$34.82 KES 4,499

125.01%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$16.52 KES 2,134

-75.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$38.04 KES 4,916

-36.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$17.29 KES 2,234

470.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$4.20 KES 543

-5.00%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$199 KES 25.8K

53.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$8,200 KES 1.1M

-19.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$9.43 KES 1,219

474.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$24.50 KES 3,166

54.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$65.8 KES 8,501

32.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$15.59 KES 2,015

389.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$77.8 KES 10.1K

1174.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$55.1 KES 7,116

1121.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$93.5 KES 12.1K

2092.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$268 KES 34.6K

-37.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

14.84

-10.51%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Embu: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $77.8 in Embu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Embu pays 60% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $31.00 in Embu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $146 per month, with Embu 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

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

Ubud, Bali and Embu differ by about 183% in total monthly costs ($1,408 vs $498 including rent). Embu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 60% lower in Embu. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $77.8 in Embu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $305 in Ubud, Bali versus $199 in Embu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Embu – a meal for two runs $31.00 versus $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $498 in Embu versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Embu but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Embu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Embu 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 Embu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 183% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.