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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $489 in Kiambu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $759 in Kiambu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,030 in Kiambu.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 188% more expensive than in Kiambu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$3.12 KES 403

10.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$19.07 KES 2,464

69.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$4.74 KES 613

2.11%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$1.91 KES 246

43.98%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$0.50 KES 64.3

176.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.36 KES 47.14

108.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$1.73 KES 224

72.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

$2.34 KES 302

64.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$0.64 KES 82.5

171.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$0.54 KES 69.2

355.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.66 KES 214

-29.52%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$1.29 KES 167

88.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$11.83 KES 1,529

22.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$6.76 KES 874

-35.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$4.17 KES 539

187.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$3.06 KES 395

21.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.07 KES 139

52.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$0.81 KES 104

238.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$0.59 KES 76.8

279.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$0.59 KES 75.7

225.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$0.76 KES 98.1

200.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.32 KES 41.55

231.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.37 KES 48.13

94.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$3.01 KES 390

9.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

$11.50 KES 1,486

101.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$2.30 KES 298

20.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$2.84 KES 367

-3.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$0.56 KES 72.1

-51.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$1.53 KES 197

-68.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$0.41 KES 52.6

2.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$2.84 KES 367

119.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.52 KES 196

-46.71%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$21.7K KES 2.8M

22.60%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$19.9K KES 2.6M

61.72%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$28.46 KES 3,678

175.30%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$7.90 KES 1,021

-48.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$28.86 KES 3,730

-15.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$11.68 KES 1,509

744.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$5.93 KES 767

-32.72%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$201 KES 26.0K

51.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$7,976 KES 1.0M

-16.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$6.26 KES 809

764.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$23.57 KES 3,045

60.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$26.87 KES 3,473

223.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$30.47 KES 3,937

150.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$117 KES 15.1K

750.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$92.6 KES 12.0K

626.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

$191 KES 24.7K

1664.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$149 KES 19.3K

1274.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

$1,159 KES 149.8K

141.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$123 KES 15.9K

35.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

20.73%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Kiambu: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $117 in Kiambu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ubud, Bali pays 36% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $19.00 in Kiambu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $183 per month, with Kiambu 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 Kiambu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kiambu is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 188% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 36% higher in Ubud, Bali, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $117 in Kiambu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $305 in Ubud, Bali versus $201 in Kiambu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Kiambu – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $489 in Kiambu versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kiambu but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Kiambu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kiambu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Kiambu 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 Kiambu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 188% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.