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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $618 in Mombasa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,060 in Mombasa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,763 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,502 in Mombasa, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 128% more than Mombasa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Mombasa is 54% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 61.8K

$2.35 KES 304

46.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 578.5K

$19.18 KES 2,478

68.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 86.7K

$8.80 KES 1,137

-45.00%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.1K

$3.18 KES 411

-13.52%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

$0.48 KES 62.4

187.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.4K

$0.48 KES 61.7

56.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.5K

$1.96 KES 253

52.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 68.9K

$2.82 KES 364

36.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

$0.82 KES 106

112.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.0K

$0.49 KES 63.9

402.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.9K

$1.40 KES 180

-16.43%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.5K

$1.79 KES 231

35.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 259.5K

$9.71 KES 1,255

49.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 77.8K

$5.82 KES 752

-25.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 214.3K

$5.22 KES 675

129.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.5K

$1.79 KES 231

107.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.1K

$0.91 KES 117

79.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.1K

$1.52 KES 197

80.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.1K

$0.79 KES 102

183.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.3K

$0.68 KES 87.5

182.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.7K

$1.08 KES 139

111.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.0K

$0.66 KES 85.4

60.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.60 KES 78.0

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 58.8K

$3.30 KES 427

-0.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 414.9K

$7.95 KES 1,027

191.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.7K

$1.88 KES 242

47.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 48.9K

$2.77 KES 358

-1.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,765

$0.75 KES 96.4

-64.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.0K

$35.08 KES 4,532

-76.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,636

$3.05 KES 394

-84.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,511

$1.94 KES 251

-78.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.3K

$4.58 KES 592

35.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.60 KES 206

-49.38%

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

$26.6K Rp 476.1M

$12.0K KES 1.5M

121.95%

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

$32.2K Rp 575.9M

$11.8K KES 1.5M

172.88%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$44.61 KES 5,764

75.63%

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

$4.07 Rp 72.8K

$14.45 KES 1,867

-71.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 435.2K

$43.55 KES 5,626

-44.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$18.09 KES 2,337

445.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.3K

$19.19 KES 2,480

-66.96%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.3K

$4.71 KES 609

-15.29%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$87.7 KES 11.3K

247.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 118.8M

$5,406 KES 698.5K

22.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 968.6K

$13.03 KES 1,684

315.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 676.3K

$13.80 KES 1,784

173.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$23.61 KES 3,050

267.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$45.93 KES 5,934

66.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.7M

$181 KES 23.4K

448.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.0M

$118 KES 15.3K

469.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.4M

$590 KES 76.3K

471.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.7M

$462 KES 59.7K

343.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.2M

$5,440 KES 702.8K

-48.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 39.8M

$3,820 KES 493.6K

-41.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$321 KES 41.5K

-48.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

2.15%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Mombasa: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $181 in Mombasa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 92% higher in Mombasa, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $19.00 in Mombasa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $169 – making Mombasa 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 Mombasa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, $618 in Mombasa – roughly 128% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,112 per month in Ubud, Bali and $928 in Mombasa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mombasa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali and $19.00 in Mombasa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,408 in Ubud, Bali and $618 in Mombasa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mombasa, where all-in costs run around $618, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,408. In Mombasa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Ubud, Bali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $618 in Mombasa to $1,408 in Ubud, Bali. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Mombasa. 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.