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: $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $495 in Isiolo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Ubud, Bali versus $814 in Isiolo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,694 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,134 in Isiolo.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 184% more expensive than Isiolo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 4% above, Isiolo is 63% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$5.57 KES 722

-35.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$29.83 KES 3,867

8.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$3.88 KES 503

25.26%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$2.44 KES 316

12.70%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$0.26 KES 33.49

407.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.24 KES 31.28

191.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$2.26 KES 293

28.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$2.86 KES 371

32.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$0.82 KES 107

108.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$0.41 KES 53.2

502.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$1.59 KES 206

-24.53%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$1.43 KES 185

70.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$11.48 KES 1,489

25.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$6.80 KES 881

-36.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$5.54 KES 718

120.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$3.14 KES 407

17.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$1.07 KES 139

44.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$2.13 KES 277

30.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$1.02 KES 132

128.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$1.03 KES 133

91.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$1.17 KES 152

97.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.69 KES 89.9

53.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$0.75 KES 97.6

-2.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$3.06 KES 397

7.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$11.39 KES 1,477

100.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$2.21 KES 287

27.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$2.83 KES 366

-1.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$1.52 KES 197

-70.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$1.58 KES 205

-71.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$2.86 KES 371

118.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$1.45 KES 188

-41.38%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$21.6K KES 2.8M

20.21%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$20.3K KES 2.6M

55.94%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$34.71 KES 4,500

132.64%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$16.86 KES 2,186

-75.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$38.74 KES 5,023

-36.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$6.03 KES 781

-33.00%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$202 KES 26.2K

50.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$8,080 KES 1.0M

-18.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$18.30 KES 2,372

196.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$23.77 KES 3,082

63.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$65.5 KES 8,491

31.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$57.5 KES 7,458

33.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

$776 KES 100.6K

-78.95%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Isiolo: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Isiolo pays 375% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $30.00 in Isiolo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $202 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 184% 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, Isiolo earns 375% less. 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 47% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,404 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $495 in Isiolo – a 184% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $495 in Isiolo versus $1,404 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 $495 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 184% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.