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: $933 in Cotonou versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,498 in Cotonou versus $2,327 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,062 in Cotonou versus $3,275 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Cotonou costs roughly 32% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cotonou is 32% below, Ubud, Bali is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.29 F CFA 2,990

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

58.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.57 F CFA 20.7K

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

2.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.83 F CFA 5,552

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

74.60%

Cappuccino

$5.39 F CFA 3,046

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

91.13%

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

$1.08 F CFA 608

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

-38.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 F CFA 557

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

23.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.85 F CFA 481

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

-72.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 F CFA 1,486

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

-38.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.11 F CFA 1,760

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

93.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 F CFA 697

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

-45.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 F CFA 1,082

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

64.10%

Eggs

$2.76 F CFA 1,557

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

27.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.92 F CFA 5,605

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

-43.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 F CFA 3,192

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

39.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.27 F CFA 2,978

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

-56.73%

Apples (1kg)

$4.27 F CFA 2,413

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

17.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 F CFA 1,057

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

14.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 F CFA 751

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

-42.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.81 F CFA 1,587

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

43.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 F CFA 742

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

-28.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 F CFA 1,030

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

-23.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 F CFA 273

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

-54.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 F CFA 634

$0.54 Rp 9,560

107.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.45 F CFA 1,950

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

50.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.31 F CFA 2,437

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

-81.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 F CFA 711

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

-46.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 F CFA 1,095

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

-36.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.31 F CFA 739

$0.25 Rp 4,365

424.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 F CFA 809

$0.49 Rp 8,631

191.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 F CFA 791

$0.47 Rp 8,349

197.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 F CFA 687

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

50.62%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

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

$24.3K F CFA 13.8M

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

-21.64%

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

$155 F CFA 87.6K

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

87.42%

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

$35.18 F CFA 19.9K

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

442.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.94 F CFA 28.2K

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

165.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.1 F CFA 28.9K

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

-7.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.50 F CFA 1,976

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

-80.78%

Cinema Ticket

$8.92 F CFA 5,041

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

107.44%

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

$135 F CFA 76.5K

$494 Rp 8.7M

-72.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,847 F CFA 3.3M

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

-1.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.84 F CFA 15.2K

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

-42.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$35.63 F CFA 20.1K

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

-55.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.4 F CFA 39.8K

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

-10.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$186 F CFA 105.3K

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

-83.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 F CFA 99.1K

$693 Rp 12.2M

-74.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 F CFA 349.8K

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

-82.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$419 F CFA 237.0K

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

-75.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$262 F CFA 148.1K

$167 Rp 2.9M

56.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

-70.97%

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

Last update for Cotonou: September 7, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $186 in Cotonou and $1,114 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cotonou pays 57% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $37.00 in Cotonou vs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $230 vs $294, with Cotonou cheaper for home cooking.

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, Clothing & Footwear. The 48% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 57% 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: $186 in Cotonou versus $1,114 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $933 per month in Cotonou versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $933 in Cotonou versus $1,378 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 48% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.