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 $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $674 in Mombasa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,348 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,121 in Mombasa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,327 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,569 in Mombasa, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 103% more than Mombasa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 0% above the global median, while Mombasa is 51% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$2.27 KES 294

51.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$23.05 KES 2,984

57.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$10.29 KES 1,332

-44.51%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$3.69 KES 478

-27.64%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$1.01 KES 131

73.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$0.43 KES 55.1

102.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$2.37 KES 306

24.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$3.27 KES 423

38.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$0.94 KES 122

72.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$0.50 KES 64.6

366.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$1.56 KES 202

-28.85%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$1.75 KES 227

25.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

$11.04 KES 1,429

60.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

$5.50 KES 712

-25.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

$5.31 KES 688

129.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$2.17 KES 281

70.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$1.19 KES 154

33.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$1.85 KES 240

23.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$0.64 KES 82.5

204.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$0.67 KES 87.1

185.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.05 KES 136

121.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$0.56 KES 72.9

80.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$0.43 KES 55.4

27.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$4.55 KES 589

-50.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

$7.52 KES 973

206.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

$1.92 KES 248

26.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

$2.81 KES 364

6.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

$0.80 KES 103

-66.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

$38.16 KES 4,940

-76.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$3.12 KES 404

-84.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

$1.79 KES 232

-75.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

$4.73 KES 613

19.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.55 KES 200

-48.39%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

$12.1K KES 1.6M

106.97%

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

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

$11.7K KES 1.5M

170.12%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$56.0 KES 7,248

45.49%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$13.27 KES 1,718

-51.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$33.64 KES 4,354

-44.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$18.32 KES 2,372

210.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

$19.23 KES 2,489

-2.60%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$10.61 KES 1,374

-57.21%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$87.8 KES 11.4K

447.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

$5,364 KES 694.3K

6.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

$13.27 KES 1,718

243.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

$13.59 KES 1,759

164.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$23.09 KES 2,989

248.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$46.00 KES 5,955

71.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$230 KES 29.8K

383.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$154 KES 20.0K

352.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

$551 KES 71.3K

559.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$400 KES 51.8K

334.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

$5,493 KES 711.1K

-49.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

$3,917 KES 507.1K

-41.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$315 KES 40.8K

-46.70%

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 14, 2026

Last update for Mombasa: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $230 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 88% 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 $36.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $23.00 in Mombasa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $175 – 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: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, $674 in Mombasa – roughly 103% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,052 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,010 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 $36.00 in Ubud, Bali and $23.00 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 $1,368 in Ubud, Bali and $674 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 $674, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,368. 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 $674 in Mombasa to $1,368 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.