---
title: "Nairobi vs Ubud (Bali) for digital nomads"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/nairobi-vs-ubud
description: "Under balanced weights Ubud (Bali) edges it, 50 to 46, winning 7 of the 9 factors. Nairobi is stronger on climate; Ubud (Bali) on visa ease, safety. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you."
dataset: 2026.09.4 (2026-09-26)
license: CC BY 4.0
---

# Nairobi vs Ubud (Bali) for digital nomads

Under balanced weights Ubud (Bali) edges it, 50 to 46, winning 7 of the 9 factors. Nairobi is stronger on climate; Ubud (Bali) on visa ease, safety. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.

## Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)

| Metric | Nairobi | Ubud (Bali) | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | 61 | 65 | Ubud (Bali) |
| Safety | 35 | 50 | Ubud (Bali) |
| Healthcare | 45 | 53 | Ubud (Bali) |
| Internet | 33 | no data | — |
| Visa ease | 6 | 22 | Ubud (Bali) |
| Getting there & around | 13 | 14 | Ubud (Bali) |
| Climate | 100 | 67 | Nairobi |
| Air quality | 82 | 85 | Ubud (Bali) |
| Quality of life | 43 | 45 | Ubud (Bali) |

## Cost

| Metric | Nairobi | Ubud (Bali) | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | $1,146 | $1,042 | Ubud (Bali) |
| Central one-bedroom rent | $541 | $739 | Nairobi |

## Safety and health (country-level)

| Metric | Nairobi | Ubud (Bali) | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Homicides per 100k | 5.8 | 4.1 | Ubud (Bali) |
| Political stability (0–100) | 42.7 | 55.5 | Ubud (Bali) |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 57 | 67 | Ubud (Bali) |
| Life expectancy | 66.8 yrs | 68.3 yrs | Ubud (Bali) |

## Internet (M-Lab measured medians)

| Metric | Nairobi | Ubud (Bali) | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Download | 8.9 Mbps | no data | — |
| Upload | 4.1 Mbps | no data | — |

## Visa

| Metric | Nairobi | Ubud (Bali) | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nomad visa | none listed | Visa Rumah Kedua Pekerja Jarak Jauh | Ubud (Bali) |
| Minimum income for the visa | no data | $4,998/mo | — |
| Visa-free days, US passport | visa or e-visa required | visa or e-visa required | tie |
| Visa-free days, EU passport | visa or e-visa required | visa or e-visa required | tie |
| Visa-free days, UK passport | visa or e-visa required | visa or e-visa required | tie |

## Getting there and around

| Metric | Nairobi | Ubud (Bali) | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Non-stop airport destinations | 58 | 65 | Ubud (Bali) |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 1 | 2 | Ubud (Bali) |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 1 | Nairobi |

## Climate and air

| Metric | Nairobi | Ubud (Bali) | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Comfortable months per year | 12 | 8 | Nairobi |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 13.1 µg/m³ | 11.9 µg/m³ | Ubud (Bali) |

## FAQ

### Which is cheaper, Nairobi or Ubud (Bali)?

Ubud (Bali) is cheaper: about $1,042 per month versus $1,146 for one person.

### Is Nairobi or Ubud (Bali) safer?

Ubud (Bali) scores higher on safety (50 vs 35), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.

### Where is the internet faster, Nairobi or Ubud (Bali)?

M-Lab has no reliable measurement for one of the two cities.

City pages: [Nairobi](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/nairobi) · [Ubud (Bali)](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/ubud). Sources: 2026 Cost of Living Index (country level); Digital Nomad Visas 2026; Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100); Estimates of rates of homicides per 100 000 population; UHC service coverage index; Life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes; M-Lab NDT statistics (city aggregates, 2024); Airport destinations (Wikipedia airline and destination tables); NASA POWER climatology (2001–2020 monthly means); WHO Ambient Air Quality Database, June 2026 update (V8); Human Development Index (HDR 2025, HDI 2023); EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (band); Walkability and transit ratings (editorial); Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations); WhereNext city cost estimates 2026 (city pages).

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