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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,378 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $500 in Malindi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,327 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $785 in Malindi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,275 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,070 in Malindi, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 175% more than Malindi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 0% above the global median, while Malindi is 64% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$2.09 KES 271

59.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$23.34 KES 3,017

53.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$10.59 KES 1,370

-46.84%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$3.71 KES 480

-23.99%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$0.95 KES 123

84.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.43 KES 55.5

86.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$2.29 KES 297

32.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$3.26 KES 422

31.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$0.93 KES 121

73.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$0.49 KES 63.0

363.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$1.21 KES 156

-3.31%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$1.74 KES 225

24.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$11.21 KES 1,450

57.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$5.46 KES 706

-25.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$5.11 KES 661

138.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$2.14 KES 277

69.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$0.73 KES 94.0

124.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$1.84 KES 238

25.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$0.69 KES 89.0

184.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$0.68 KES 87.8

170.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$0.66 KES 84.9

259.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$0.60 KES 78.1

75.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$0.43 KES 55.0

25.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$4.52 KES 584

-49.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

$7.83 KES 1,012

194.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$1.98 KES 256

18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$2.97 KES 384

3.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$3.00 KES 388

-83.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$1.71 KES 221

-72.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$4.49 KES 581

24.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$1.36 KES 176

-40.44%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$12.3K KES 1.6M

104.11%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

$12.0K KES 1.5M

159.55%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$55.3 KES 7,146

49.67%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$13.28 KES 1,717

-51.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$31.29 KES 4,045

-39.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

$38.80 KES 5,017

42.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$10.95 KES 1,416

-60.73%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$87.7 KES 11.3K

463.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$5,331 KES 689.3K

11.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$13.03 KES 1,685

255.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$13.53 KES 1,749

169.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$23.02 KES 2,976

250.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$45.51 KES 5,885

73.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$383 KES 49.5K

849.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

6.00%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Malindi: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $23.00 in Malindi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $294 vs $171 – making Malindi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Malindi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali costs about 175% more than Malindi, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,067 per month in Ubud, Bali and $750 in Malindi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali and $23.00 in Malindi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 72% more in Ubud, Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Malindi, where all-in costs run around $500, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,378. In Malindi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Malindi costs $500 versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Malindi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.