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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,379 in Ubud, Bali versus $527 in Isiolo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,363 in Ubud, Bali versus $876 in Isiolo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,347 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,226 in Isiolo.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 162% more expensive than in Isiolo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 1% above, Isiolo is 62% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.31 Rp 58.9K

$5.55 KES 718

-40.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.08 Rp 694.5K

$34.56 KES 4,472

13.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.62 Rp 99.8K

$6.30 KES 816

-10.79%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.9K

$2.80 KES 363

-5.71%

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

$1.58 Rp 28.2K

$0.63 KES 81.8

150.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Rp 12.6K

$0.53 KES 67.9

33.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 Rp 48.5K

$2.29 KES 296

19.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 Rp 76.8K

$2.68 KES 347

61.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 Rp 27.4K

$0.85 KES 110

81.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 Rp 40.8K

$0.56 KES 73.0

310.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

$1.84 KES 239

-44.02%

Eggs

$2.12 Rp 37.7K

$1.65 KES 213

28.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.30 Rp 307.5K

$10.66 KES 1,380

62.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.03 Rp 71.6K

$6.62 KES 857

-39.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.42 Rp 220.8K

$6.33 KES 819

96.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 Rp 65.7K

$3.16 KES 409

17.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$0.99 KES 128

63.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 Rp 40.3K

$1.97 KES 255

15.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 Rp 35.4K

$1.02 KES 131

95.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 Rp 32.5K

$1.00 KES 130

83.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 Rp 40.1K

$0.95 KES 123

136.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 Rp 18.6K

$0.66 KES 84.9

57.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 Rp 10.0K

$0.72 KES 93.3

-22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.22 Rp 39.5K

$3.43 KES 444

-35.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.22 Rp 412.7K

$11.57 KES 1,498

100.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 Rp 42.5K

$2.29 KES 297

4.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 Rp 51.1K

$2.81 KES 364

2.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,416

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.17 Rp 127.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,163

$1.53 KES 198

-69.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,235

$1.58 KES 204

-70.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 Rp 101.2K

$2.88 KES 373

97.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

$1.39 KES 180

-45.32%

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

$24.6K Rp 436.7M

$18.7K KES 2.4M

31.58%

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

$31.0K Rp 551.5M

$19.3K KES 2.5M

60.43%

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

$82.2 Rp 1.5M

$55.7 KES 7,213

47.42%

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

$6.33 Rp 112.5K

$15.51 KES 2,007

-59.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.54 Rp 329.6K

$34.29 KES 4,437

-45.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.1 Rp 996.2K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.41 Rp 327.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 Rp 75.8K

$7.87 KES 1,018

-45.87%

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

$489 Rp 8.7M

$240 KES 31.1K

103.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,793 Rp 103.0M

$11.0K KES 1.4M

-47.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.98 Rp 817.3K

$26.64 KES 3,447

72.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.86 Rp 637.4K

$25.38 KES 3,285

41.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 Rp 1.4M

$63.1 KES 8,167

26.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.9 Rp 1.4M

$59.8 KES 7,736

35.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,144 Rp 20.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 Rp 12.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,532 Rp 62.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,709 Rp 30.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,785 Rp 49.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,261 Rp 40.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

$760 KES 98.3K

-77.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

14.71

-6.32%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 15, 2026

Last update for Isiolo: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Isiolo pays 349% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $39.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $35.00 in Isiolo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $203 per month, with Isiolo 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 Isiolo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Isiolo wins on cost – living expenses run 162% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Isiolo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 349% lower in Isiolo. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,379 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $527 in Isiolo – a 162% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $527 in Isiolo versus $1,379 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Isiolo but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Isiolo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Isiolo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $527 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Isiolo hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Isiolo 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 Isiolo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 162% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.