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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,394 in Ubud, Bali versus $459 in Machakos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,551 in Ubud, Bali versus $759 in Machakos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,708 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,060 in Machakos.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 204% more expensive than in Machakos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Machakos is 66% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.40 Rp 60.6K

$2.33 KES 302

45.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.38 Rp 577.1K

$39.40 KES 5,105

-17.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.00 Rp 89.1K

$7.01 KES 908

-28.67%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 50.3K

$1.91 KES 248

47.64%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.5K

$0.70 KES 90.8

97.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

$0.51 KES 65.5

43.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 Rp 53.2K

$1.88 KES 244

58.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 Rp 70.8K

$2.66 KES 345

49.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 Rp 32.0K

$0.37 KES 48.30

383.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$0.48 KES 62.5

412.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.4K

$0.76 KES 98.1

57.89%

Eggs

$2.39 Rp 42.6K

$1.36 KES 176

75.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 Rp 256.6K

$11.39 KES 1,476

26.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.28 Rp 76.4K

$6.67 KES 864

-35.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 Rp 210.6K

$4.67 KES 605

153.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.78 Rp 67.4K

$1.54 KES 199

145.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.1K

$0.74 KES 96.0

120.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 Rp 49.9K

$0.40 KES 52.3

600.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 Rp 40.3K

$0.40 KES 51.9

465.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 Rp 35.6K

$0.80 KES 104

150.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 Rp 39.4K

$0.76 KES 98.0

190.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 Rp 19.1K

$0.68 KES 88.1

57.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

$0.41 KES 52.5

85.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 55.7K

$3.14 KES 406

-0.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 424.4K

$11.78 KES 1,526

102.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 Rp 50.6K

$1.99 KES 257

42.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.5K

$2.73 KES 353

1.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,755

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 149.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,082

$0.80 KES 103

-43.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,624

$0.75 KES 96.6

-42.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 Rp 106.5K

$2.97 KES 384

101.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$1.45 KES 188

-44.83%

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

$25.8K Rp 459.9M

$21.5K KES 2.8M

19.86%

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

$31.8K Rp 566.8M

$20.1K KES 2.6M

57.84%

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

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$34.77 KES 4,504

132.21%

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

$4.14 Rp 73.7K

$7.66 KES 992

-45.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.12 Rp 429.8K

$11.82 KES 1,531

104.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.8 Rp 1.7M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.64 Rp 118.4K

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 71.9K

$6.23 KES 807

-35.15%

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

$297 Rp 5.3M

$46.71 KES 6,052

535.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,590 Rp 117.4M

$8,055 KES 1.0M

-18.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 Rp 982.6K

$11.82 KES 1,531

366.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.51 Rp 686.2K

$23.76 KES 3,078

62.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$65.8 KES 8,529

30.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 Rp 1.4M

$38.50 KES 4,988

102.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 Rp 17.6M

$91.5 KES 11.8K

977.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$665 Rp 11.8M

$69.9 KES 9,057

850.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,446 Rp 61.4M

$156 KES 20.2K

2113.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,042 Rp 36.4M

$114 KES 14.8K

1688.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,829 Rp 50.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,282 Rp 40.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

$379 KES 49.2K

-55.40%

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 14, 2026

Last update for Machakos: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $985 in Ubud, Bali and $91.5 in Machakos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Machakos pays 124% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $39.00 in Machakos. Groceries flip the comparison at $299 vs $165, with Machakos cheaper for home cooking.

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 Machakos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Machakos wins on cost – living expenses run 204% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Machakos the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 124% lower in Machakos. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $985 in Ubud, Bali versus $91.5 in Machakos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 82% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,394 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $459 in Machakos – a 204% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $459 in Machakos versus $1,394 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Machakos but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Machakos the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Machakos delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $459 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Machakos hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Machakos 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 Machakos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 204% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.