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: $1,374 in Ubud, Bali versus $539 in Isiolo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,313 in Ubud, Bali versus $876 in Isiolo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,252 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,214 in Isiolo.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 155% more expensive than in Isiolo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 2% above, Isiolo is 60% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.32 Rp 59.5K

$4.73 KES 613

-29.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.33 Rp 632.8K

$34.12 KES 4,424

3.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.33 Rp 95.5K

$6.07 KES 787

-12.19%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

$2.72 KES 352

1.10%

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

$1.73 Rp 31.0K

$0.59 KES 76.5

193.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$0.63 KES 81.8

26.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.8K

$2.35 KES 305

25.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 Rp 79.5K

$2.62 KES 340

69.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

$0.86 KES 112

74.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 Rp 41.1K

$0.57 KES 74.2

303.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 Rp 19.7K

$1.93 KES 250

-43.01%

Eggs

$2.16 Rp 38.7K

$1.67 KES 216

29.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.09 Rp 306.1K

$10.77 KES 1,396

58.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.88 Rp 69.4K

$6.47 KES 839

-40.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.92 Rp 213.4K

$6.40 KES 829

86.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 Rp 63.9K

$3.18 KES 412

12.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 Rp 28.4K

$1.03 KES 134

53.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 Rp 42.3K

$1.97 KES 256

19.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.2K

$1.13 KES 147

74.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

$1.10 KES 143

64.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 Rp 42.8K

$1.03 KES 133

132.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 Rp 18.2K

$0.68 KES 87.9

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 Rp 8,802

$0.74 KES 95.4

-33.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 40.2K

$3.52 KES 457

-36.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.30 Rp 399.4K

$11.42 KES 1,480

95.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 Rp 42.4K

$2.29 KES 297

3.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 51.9K

$2.80 KES 363

3.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,462

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.55 Rp 153.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 Rp 7,915

$1.57 KES 203

-71.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,564

$1.53 KES 198

-72.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.66 Rp 101.4K

$2.94 KES 381

92.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.43 KES 185

-43.36%

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

$23.7K Rp 425.2M

$21.4K KES 2.8M

11.15%

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

$31.0K Rp 554.8M

$20.1K KES 2.6M

54.48%

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

$82.3 Rp 1.5M

$61.9 KES 8,020

33.10%

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

$6.30 Rp 112.8K

$15.49 KES 2,008

-59.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.63 Rp 333.8K

$35.16 KES 4,559

-47.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 Rp 980.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 Rp 330.4K

Cinema Ticket

$4.24 Rp 75.9K

$7.93 KES 1,028

-46.53%

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

$484 Rp 8.7M

$252 KES 32.6K

92.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,590 Rp 100.1M

$11.8K KES 1.5M

-52.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.77 Rp 819.8K

$28.60 KES 3,708

60.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.69 Rp 639.3K

$28.49 KES 3,695

25.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 Rp 1.4M

$68.9 KES 8,926

13.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.1 Rp 1.4M

$59.3 KES 7,689

35.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 Rp 20.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$678 Rp 12.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,504 Rp 62.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,688 Rp 30.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,788 Rp 49.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,257 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$761 KES 98.6K

-78.30%

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: September 28, 2026

Last update for Isiolo: September 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Isiolo pays 361% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $34.00 in Isiolo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $205 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 155% 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 361% 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 40% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,374 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $539 in Isiolo – a 155% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $539 in Isiolo versus $1,374 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 $539 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 155% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.