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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,378 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $836 in Nairobi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,327 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,368 in Nairobi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,275 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,900 in Nairobi, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 65% more than Nairobi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 0% above the global median, while Nairobi is 39% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$3.94 KES 509

-15.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$34.11 KES 4,410

5.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$6.21 KES 803

-9.34%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$2.71 KES 351

4.06%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$0.60 KES 78.2

191.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.56 KES 73.0

42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$2.39 KES 309

27.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$2.77 KES 358

55.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$0.84 KES 109

91.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$0.52 KES 67.8

336.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$1.88 KES 243

-37.77%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$1.63 KES 211

33.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$10.57 KES 1,366

66.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$6.27 KES 810

-35.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$6.13 KES 792

98.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$3.31 KES 428

9.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$1.04 KES 135

57.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$2.06 KES 266

12.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$1.07 KES 139

83.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$1.11 KES 143

65.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$1.07 KES 139

121.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$0.72 KES 93.6

45.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$0.73 KES 94.3

-26.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$3.49 KES 452

-34.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

$11.54 KES 1,492

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$2.23 KES 288

4.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$2.87 KES 371

6.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

$0.79 KES 102

-68.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

$45.54 KES 5,889

-79.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$1.59 KES 206

-69.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$1.51 KES 195

-68.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$2.94 KES 380

90.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$1.52 KES 197

-46.71%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$20.2K KES 2.6M

23.55%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

$19.4K KES 2.5M

60.05%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$60.5 KES 7,816

36.84%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$15.08 KES 1,950

-56.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$35.24 KES 4,557

-46.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

$51.0 KES 6,598

8.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

$14.83 KES 1,918

22.79%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$7.66 KES 990

-43.86%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$242 KES 31.3K

103.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$11.7K KES 1.5M

-49.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$26.74 KES 3,458

73.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$25.62 KES 3,313

42.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$62.3 KES 8,051

29.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$61.1 KES 7,905

28.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$452 KES 58.5K

146.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$215 KES 27.8K

222.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$1,135 KES 146.8K

220.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

$508 KES 65.7K

236.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

$1,302 KES 168.4K

112.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

$917 KES 118.5K

150.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

$484 KES 62.6K

-65.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

14.71

-6.32%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Nairobi: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $452 in Nairobi. 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 190% higher in Nairobi, 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 $34.00 in Nairobi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $294 vs $203 – making Nairobi 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 Nairobi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali costs about 65% more than Nairobi, 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 $1,253 in Nairobi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 383% less in Nairobi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $494 per month in Ubud, Bali and $242 in Nairobi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Nairobi, where all-in costs run around $836, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,378. In Nairobi 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. Nairobi costs $836 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 Nairobi. 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.