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 $1,395 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $763 in Nairobi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,559 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,268 in Nairobi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,724 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,772 in Nairobi, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 83% more than Nairobi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 4% above the global median, while Nairobi is 43% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.48 Rp 59.7K

$5.31 KES 685

-34.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.88 Rp 564.0K

$37.93 KES 4,896

-13.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.09 Rp 87.3K

$6.65 KES 859

-23.46%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 47.1K

$2.44 KES 314

12.70%

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

$1.38 Rp 23.7K

$0.70 KES 90.7

97.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Rp 12.2K

$0.55 KES 70.4

29.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 Rp 49.4K

$2.31 KES 298

24.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.87 Rp 66.4K

$2.95 KES 380

31.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 Rp 30.7K

$0.88 KES 114

103.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 42.0K

$0.57 KES 73.4

329.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 Rp 20.7K

$1.59 KES 205

-23.90%

Eggs

$2.39 Rp 40.9K

$1.68 KES 217

42.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.70 Rp 252.1K

$11.40 KES 1,471

28.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.24 Rp 72.7K

$6.64 KES 857

-36.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.08 Rp 207.1K

$5.57 KES 718

116.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 Rp 62.9K

$3.15 KES 407

16.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.6K

$1.04 KES 135

54.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 Rp 46.6K

$2.17 KES 280

25.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 Rp 39.0K

$1.02 KES 131

122.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 32.6K

$1.02 KES 132

86.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 Rp 39.4K

$1.13 KES 145

103.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 Rp 17.4K

$0.70 KES 90.5

45.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.4K

$0.81 KES 104

-3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.24 Rp 55.7K

$3.14 KES 405

3.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.06 Rp 412.7K

$11.65 KES 1,504

106.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 Rp 48.7K

$2.18 KES 281

30.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 47.8K

$2.75 KES 355

1.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,610

$0.76 KES 98.0

-64.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.24 Rp 141.4K

$31.27 KES 4,036

-73.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,708

$1.52 KES 196

-70.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,305

$1.50 KES 194

-71.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.02 Rp 103.3K

$2.85 KES 367

111.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 14.7K

$1.54 KES 199

-44.16%

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

$26.1K Rp 447.1M

$21.9K KES 2.8M

19.10%

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

$31.7K Rp 543.7M

$20.3K KES 2.6M

56.04%

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

$78.3 Rp 1.3M

$34.60 KES 4,466

126.42%

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

$4.00 Rp 68.5K

$16.64 KES 2,148

-75.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.35 Rp 417.7K

$39.82 KES 5,140

-38.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.8 Rp 1.6M

$42.27 KES 5,455

126.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.46 Rp 110.7K

$20.64 KES 2,664

-68.70%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 68.7K

$6.26 KES 807

-35.94%

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

$302 Rp 5.2M

$204 KES 26.3K

47.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,545 Rp 112.3M

$7,885 KES 1.0M

-16.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 916.3K

$18.29 KES 2,361

192.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.55 Rp 661.2K

$23.62 KES 3,049

63.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.1 Rp 1.5M

$66.2 KES 8,543

34.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$56.7 KES 7,312

39.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,016 Rp 17.4M

$449 KES 57.9K

126.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$672 Rp 11.5M

$184 KES 23.7K

266.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,368 Rp 57.8M

$1,129 KES 145.7K

198.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,108 Rp 36.2M

$433 KES 55.9K

386.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,001 Rp 51.5M

$1,566 KES 202.1K

91.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,337 Rp 40.1M

$903 KES 116.6K

158.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$178 Rp 3.0M

$406 KES 52.4K

-56.28%

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: April 12, 2026

Last update for Nairobi: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,016 in Ubud, Bali versus $449 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 129% 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 in Ubud, Bali versus $38 in Nairobi. Groceries tell a different story – $300 in Ubud, Bali vs $205 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 83% 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 $2,092 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,144 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 279% less in Nairobi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $302 per month in Ubud, Bali and $204 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 $763, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,395. 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 $763 versus $1,395 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.