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 $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $765 in Nairobi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,299 in Nairobi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,763 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,832 in Nairobi, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 84% more than Nairobi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Nairobi is 43% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$5.55 KES 717

-37.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$38.48 KES 4,973

-15.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$6.64 KES 858

-27.11%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$2.49 KES 322

10.44%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$0.70 KES 91.1

97.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.50 KES 65.0

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$2.36 KES 306

26.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

$2.83 KES 366

36.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$0.86 KES 111

102.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$0.56 KES 72.6

339.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.60 KES 207

-26.88%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$1.68 KES 216

44.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$11.71 KES 1,513

23.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$6.91 KES 894

-37.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$5.64 KES 729

112.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$3.08 KES 398

20.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.07 KES 139

52.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$2.06 KES 266

33.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$1.04 KES 135

115.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$1.07 KES 138

79.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$1.15 KES 149

98.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.65 KES 84.5

63.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.75 KES 96.6

-4.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$3.16 KES 409

4.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

$11.79 KES 1,524

96.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$2.21 KES 285

25.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$2.83 KES 365

-3.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$0.75 KES 97.4

-64.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

$30.90 KES 3,993

-73.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$1.53 KES 198

-68.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$1.50 KES 193

-72.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$2.95 KES 382

110.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.53 KES 198

-47.06%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$22.1K KES 2.9M

20.54%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$19.8K KES 2.6M

62.87%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$33.74 KES 4,360

132.22%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$16.72 KES 2,160

-75.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$38.94 KES 5,032

-37.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$43.13 KES 5,574

128.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

$20.62 KES 2,665

-69.25%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$6.36 KES 822

-37.26%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$205 KES 26.5K

48.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$8,113 KES 1.0M

-18.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$18.49 KES 2,389

192.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$23.69 KES 3,062

59.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$64.3 KES 8,310

35.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$55.6 KES 7,185

37.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$438 KES 56.7K

126.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$186 KES 24.1K

260.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

$1,142 KES 147.5K

195.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$432 KES 55.8K

374.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

$1,526 KES 197.2K

83.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

$909 KES 117.5K

144.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$431 KES 55.7K

-61.27%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Nairobi: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $438 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 158% 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $38.00 in Nairobi. Groceries tell a different story – $297 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 84% 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 $2,112 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,147 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 $305 per month in Ubud, Bali and $205 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 $765, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,408. 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 $765 versus $1,408 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.