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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $997 in Cotonou versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,426 in Cotonou versus $2,557 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,854 in Cotonou versus $3,723 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Cotonou costs roughly 28% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cotonou is 25% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.46 F CFA 1,980

$3.57 Rp 64.6K

-3.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.77 F CFA 15.3K

$32.32 Rp 584.4K

-17.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.16 F CFA 2,946

$5.01 Rp 90.5K

2.99%

Cappuccino

$5.56 F CFA 3,175

$2.82 Rp 51.1K

97.16%

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

$0.86 F CFA 492

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

-36.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 F CFA 449

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

8.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 F CFA 799

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

-52.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 F CFA 2,060

$3.94 Rp 71.2K

-8.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.58 F CFA 1,472

$1.78 Rp 32.2K

44.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 F CFA 820

$2.45 Rp 44.3K

-41.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 F CFA 1,100

$1.15 Rp 20.8K

66.96%

Eggs

$2.22 F CFA 1,271

$2.41 Rp 43.7K

-7.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.25 F CFA 5,288

$14.33 Rp 259.1K

-35.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 F CFA 2,888

$4.19 Rp 75.7K

20.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.16 F CFA 2,949

$12.06 Rp 218.1K

-57.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.88 F CFA 2,217

$3.64 Rp 65.8K

6.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 F CFA 784

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

-12.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 F CFA 694

$2.79 Rp 50.4K

-56.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 F CFA 995

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

-22.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 F CFA 766

$1.98 Rp 35.8K

-32.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 F CFA 859

$2.28 Rp 41.2K

-34.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 F CFA 293

$1.05 Rp 19.1K

-51.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 F CFA 705

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

55.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 F CFA 1,341

$3.19 Rp 57.7K

-26.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.28 F CFA 2,446

$23.49 Rp 424.8K

-81.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 F CFA 686

$2.90 Rp 52.4K

-58.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 F CFA 1,309

$2.76 Rp 49.8K

-17.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.80 F CFA 1,030

$0.27 Rp 4,821

566.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 F CFA 789

$0.45 Rp 8,180

206.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.25 F CFA 712

$0.46 Rp 8,311

171.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.74 F CFA 994

$6.07 Rp 109.7K

-71.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 F CFA 636

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

29.07%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.7M

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

$24.9K F CFA 14.2M

$32.5K Rp 588.6M

-23.57%

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

$266 F CFA 152.1K

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

236.86%

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

$43.54 F CFA 24.9K

$4.09 Rp 74.0K

964.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.1 F CFA 32.0K

$23.85 Rp 431.2K

135.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.8 F CFA 33.6K

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

-40.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.40 F CFA 3,086

$6.35 Rp 114.9K

-14.96%

Cinema Ticket

$7.51 F CFA 4,294

$4.01 Rp 72.5K

87.28%

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

$185 F CFA 105.5K

$297 Rp 5.4M

-37.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,379 F CFA 3.6M

$6,602 Rp 119.4M

-3.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.45 F CFA 9,972

$53.4 Rp 966.0K

-67.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.70 F CFA 4,972

$38.11 Rp 689.2K

-77.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$9.04 F CFA 5,169

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

-89.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.16 F CFA 28.1K

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

-35.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$199 F CFA 113.8K

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

-80.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 F CFA 85.2K

$680 Rp 12.3M

-78.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$571 F CFA 326.4K

$3,469 Rp 62.7M

-83.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$283 F CFA 161.6K

$2,090 Rp 37.8M

-86.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$171 F CFA 97.9K

$164 Rp 3.0M

4.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

-62.35%

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

Last update for Cotonou: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $199 in Cotonou and $1,020 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cotonou pays 5% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $27.00 in Cotonou vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $209 vs $298 per month, with Cotonou cheaper across the board.

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

Cotonou vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cotonou is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Clothing & Footwear. The 40% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 5% higher in Cotonou, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $199 in Cotonou versus $1,020 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 42% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $997 per month in Cotonou versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $997 in Cotonou versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cotonou but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Cotonou the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cotonou is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cotonou and Ubud, Bali are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Cotonou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.