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: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $487 in Isiolo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $813 in Isiolo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,140 in Isiolo.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 195% more expensive than Isiolo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 7% above, Isiolo is 64% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$5.54 KES 715

-35.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$30.53 KES 3,940

6.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$3.89 KES 503

30.33%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$2.39 KES 309

18.41%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$0.28 KES 36.23

378.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.22 KES 28.28

213.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$2.38 KES 307

25.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$2.98 KES 384

29.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$0.88 KES 114

97.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$0.42 KES 53.8

504.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$1.59 KES 205

-25.16%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$1.42 KES 183

71.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$11.77 KES 1,520

24.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$6.80 KES 877

-38.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$5.45 KES 703

119.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$3.19 KES 411

15.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$1.08 KES 139

49.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$2.10 KES 271

28.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$1.02 KES 131

128.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$1.08 KES 139

76.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$1.13 KES 145

93.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$0.69 KES 88.4

53.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.80 KES 104

-10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$3.12 KES 403

0.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$11.54 KES 1,489

103.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$2.18 KES 282

25.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$2.72 KES 351

5.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$1.54 KES 199

-70.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$1.53 KES 197

-72.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$2.81 KES 363

119.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$1.40 KES 180

-40.00%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$22.0K KES 2.8M

19.13%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$20.2K KES 2.6M

61.12%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$34.61 KES 4,467

126.58%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$17.03 KES 2,199

-76.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$38.85 KES 5,014

-37.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$6.17 KES 797

-34.52%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$201 KES 26.0K

50.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$8,040 KES 1.0M

-18.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$18.30 KES 2,363

194.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$23.64 KES 3,051

60.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$65.1 KES 8,405

33.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$56.6 KES 7,300

39.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

$782 KES 100.9K

-77.86%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Isiolo: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Isiolo pays 352% 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 $31.00 in Isiolo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $204 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 195% 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 352% 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 46% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $487 in Isiolo – a 195% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $487 in Isiolo versus $1,438 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 $487 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 195% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.