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: $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $442 in Machakos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,557 in Ubud, Bali versus $763 in Machakos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,723 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,085 in Machakos.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 215% more expensive than in Machakos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Machakos is 67% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

$2.37 KES 307

50.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

$38.19 KES 4,936

-15.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

$6.63 KES 857

-24.43%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

$1.89 KES 244

49.21%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$0.71 KES 91.6

90.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.50 KES 64.4

46.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$1.95 KES 252

50.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

$2.65 KES 342

48.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$0.41 KES 52.8

334.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

$0.48 KES 61.6

410.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$0.76 KES 97.7

51.32%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$1.37 KES 177

75.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

$11.41 KES 1,475

25.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$6.59 KES 851

-36.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

$4.68 KES 604

157.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

$1.51 KES 195

141.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$0.74 KES 95.6

112.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$0.37 KES 48.17

654.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$0.38 KES 48.78

489.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$0.73 KES 94.9

171.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$0.79 KES 102

188.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$0.66 KES 85.0

59.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.37 KES 48.00

113.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

$3.12 KES 403

2.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

$11.40 KES 1,474

106.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

$1.96 KES 253

47.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

$2.79 KES 361

-1.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,167

$0.76 KES 98.2

-40.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,298

$0.73 KES 94.8

-36.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

$2.94 KES 379

106.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$1.51 KES 195

-43.05%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

$21.4K KES 2.8M

24.52%

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

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

$19.7K KES 2.5M

65.46%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$34.06 KES 4,402

132.00%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

$7.77 KES 1,004

-47.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

$11.38 KES 1,471

109.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

$6.02 KES 778

-33.39%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$47.26 KES 6,109

528.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

$8,045 KES 1.0M

-17.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

$11.59 KES 1,498

361.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

$23.79 KES 3,075

60.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$65.9 KES 8,522

34.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$38.20 KES 4,937

100.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$92.3 KES 11.9K

1004.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

$68.4 KES 8,838

894.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

$156 KES 20.1K

2129.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

$114 KES 14.7K

1732.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

$380 KES 49.1K

-56.92%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Machakos: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali and $92.3 in Machakos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Machakos pays 132% 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 $38.00 in Machakos. Groceries flip the comparison at $298 vs $163, 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 215% 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 132% 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: $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $92.3 in Machakos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 83% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,392 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $442 in Machakos – a 215% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $442 in Machakos versus $1,392 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 $442 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 215% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.