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: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $486 in Kiambu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $750 in Kiambu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,014 in Kiambu.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 192% more expensive than Kiambu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Kiambu is 64% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

$3.16 KES 410

12.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

$19.55 KES 2,533

67.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

$4.55 KES 589

8.79%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$1.91 KES 247

41.88%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

$0.54 KES 70.2

148.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.34 KES 43.48

105.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

$1.76 KES 228

65.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

$2.26 KES 293

75.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$0.68 KES 88.3

166.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$0.53 KES 68.1

375.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$1.66 KES 216

-30.12%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$1.36 KES 176

80.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

$11.74 KES 1,522

25.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

$6.55 KES 848

-34.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

$4.15 KES 537

192.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

$3.04 KES 394

26.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

$1.09 KES 141

43.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$0.78 KES 102

262.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$0.56 KES 72.7

316.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

$0.55 KES 70.7

247.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$0.76 KES 98.5

189.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$0.32 KES 41.56

215.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$0.40 KES 52.0

95.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

$3.01 KES 390

10.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

$11.43 KES 1,481

107.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

$2.19 KES 284

27.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

$2.79 KES 362

2.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,800

$0.56 KES 72.1

-51.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,150

$1.59 KES 207

-71.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,037

$0.37 KES 48.56

21.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

$2.85 KES 369

114.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.53 KES 198

-48.37%

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

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

$21.9K KES 2.8M

19.41%

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

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

$19.7K KES 2.6M

62.78%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$28.59 KES 3,704

179.61%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

$7.60 KES 984

-46.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

$29.32 KES 3,799

-19.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$11.59 KES 1,502

751.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

$5.64 KES 731

-26.42%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$204 KES 26.5K

48.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

$8,097 KES 1.0M

-18.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

$6.24 KES 808

790.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

$23.84 KES 3,088

60.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$27.40 KES 3,550

223.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$30.38 KES 3,936

156.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$115 KES 14.9K

773.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$92.7 KES 12.0K

628.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

$191 KES 24.8K

1700.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

$146 KES 18.9K

1296.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

$1,137 KES 147.2K

149.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$122 KES 15.8K

35.20%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Kiambu: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $115 in Kiambu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ubud, Bali pays 35% 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: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $20.00 in Kiambu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $181 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 192% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Ubud, Bali pays 35% more on average, 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: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $115 in Kiambu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $304 in Ubud, Bali versus $204 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 $20.00 versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $486 in Kiambu versus $1,419 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 192% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.