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: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $474 in Kiambu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $774 in Kiambu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,075 in Kiambu.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 191% more expensive than in Kiambu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Kiambu is 66% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$3.97 KES 513

-16.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$34.24 KES 4,427

4.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$6.01 KES 777

-6.32%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$2.71 KES 350

4.06%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$0.55 KES 71.3

218.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.52 KES 67.7

53.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$2.29 KES 296

32.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$2.66 KES 344

61.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$0.54 KES 69.6

198.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$0.50 KES 65.3

354.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$1.89 KES 244

-38.10%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$1.42 KES 184

52.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$10.54 KES 1,363

67.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$6.30 KES 814

-35.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$4.07 KES 526

199.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$3.25 KES 420

11.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$1.01 KES 130

62.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$0.76 KES 97.8

203.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$0.60 KES 77.0

226.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$0.68 KES 88.4

170.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$0.73 KES 93.9

224.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$0.30 KES 38.67

250.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$0.40 KES 52.0

35.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$3.45 KES 447

-33.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

$11.74 KES 1,518

96.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$2.29 KES 296

2.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$2.74 KES 354

12.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

$0.68 KES 87.6

-63.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$1.55 KES 201

-68.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$0.37 KES 48.15

27.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$2.97 KES 384

88.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$1.57 KES 204

-48.41%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$20.1K KES 2.6M

24.41%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

$19.6K KES 2.5M

58.64%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$60.0 KES 7,754

37.94%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$7.74 KES 1,001

-16.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$35.57 KES 4,599

-47.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$5.87 KES 759

-26.75%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$243 KES 31.4K

103.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$11.5K KES 1.5M

-48.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$26.69 KES 3,451

73.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$25.86 KES 3,343

40.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$64.0 KES 8,269

26.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$61.0 KES 7,882

29.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$117 KES 15.1K

852.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

$1,149 KES 148.6K

140.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

$122 KES 15.8K

36.68%

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 6, 2026

Last update for Kiambu: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali and $117 in Kiambu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ubud, Bali pays 37% 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: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $34.00 in Kiambu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $177 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, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 191% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 37% 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: $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $117 in Kiambu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $494 in Ubud, Bali versus $243 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 $34.00 versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $474 in Kiambu versus $1,378 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 191% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.