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 $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $782 in Nairobi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,540 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,305 in Nairobi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,660 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,828 in Nairobi, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 81% more than Nairobi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 6% above the global median, while Nairobi is 42% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 64.3K

$5.35 KES 692

-33.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 590.3K

$38.02 KES 4,917

-13.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 89.3K

$6.91 KES 894

-28.36%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.9K

$2.39 KES 309

13.39%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.2K

$0.71 KES 91.8

88.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.51 KES 65.5

37.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.7K

$2.31 KES 298

26.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 71.4K

$2.97 KES 385

33.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.6K

$0.94 KES 121

92.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.4K

$0.53 KES 68.1

375.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.9K

$1.64 KES 212

-29.27%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.4K

$1.69 KES 218

45.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 265.3K

$11.74 KES 1,518

25.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.9K

$6.84 KES 884

-36.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 218.9K

$5.44 KES 704

123.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 69.3K

$3.03 KES 392

26.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

$1.08 KES 140

44.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 51.1K

$2.08 KES 269

36.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.9K

$1.04 KES 135

124.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.5K

$1.06 KES 138

80.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.7K

$1.15 KES 149

91.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.3K

$0.70 KES 90.8

44.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 14.0K

$0.79 KES 102

-1.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.8K

$3.04 KES 393

9.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 428.1K

$11.67 KES 1,509

103.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$2.22 KES 287

25.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.6K

$2.82 KES 364

1.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,848

$0.75 KES 96.6

-64.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 144.8K

$30.59 KES 3,956

-73.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,231

$1.59 KES 205

-71.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,117

$1.50 KES 194

-70.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.9K

$2.88 KES 372

111.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

$1.56 KES 202

-49.36%

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

$26.1K Rp 471.6M

$22.0K KES 2.8M

18.82%

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

$32.1K Rp 579.3M

$20.4K KES 2.6M

57.32%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$34.70 KES 4,487

130.37%

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

$4.06 Rp 73.3K

$16.60 KES 2,147

-75.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 424.2K

$39.54 KES 5,113

-40.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$43.29 KES 5,598

128.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 119.6K

$20.63 KES 2,667

-67.86%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.8K

$6.07 KES 785

-31.63%

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

$304 Rp 5.5M

$202 KES 26.1K

50.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 119.3M

$8,140 KES 1.1M

-18.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 1.0M

$18.28 KES 2,364

203.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 690.9K

$23.56 KES 3,047

62.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$66.4 KES 8,590

33.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$56.7 KES 7,326

37.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.2M

$450 KES 58.2K

123.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.2M

$185 KES 23.9K

265.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 62.1M

$1,134 KES 146.6K

203.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.8M

$417 KES 54.0K

388.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 51.2M

$1,558 KES 201.5K

82.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.8M

$886 KES 114.5K

155.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$416 KES 53.9K

-60.32%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Nairobi: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $450 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 152% 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $38.00 in Nairobi. Groceries tell a different story – $302 in Ubud, Bali vs $207 in Nairobi – so Nairobi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 81% 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 $2,129 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,174 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 281% less in Nairobi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $304 per month in Ubud, Bali and $202 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 $782, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,419. 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 $782 versus $1,419 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.