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: $966 in Cotonou versus $1,417 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,394 in Cotonou versus $2,540 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,822 in Cotonou versus $3,664 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 27% below, Ubud, Bali is 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.49 F CFA 2,009

$3.52 Rp 63.9K

-0.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.82 F CFA 15.4K

$33.05 Rp 599.0K

-18.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.25 F CFA 3,020

$4.89 Rp 88.6K

7.36%

Cappuccino

$5.54 F CFA 3,188

$2.79 Rp 50.5K

98.57%

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

$0.90 F CFA 521

$1.33 Rp 24.2K

-32.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 F CFA 447

$0.68 Rp 12.4K

14.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 F CFA 823

$3.03 Rp 54.8K

-52.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 F CFA 2,050

$3.99 Rp 72.3K

-10.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.58 F CFA 1,487

$1.74 Rp 31.5K

48.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 F CFA 820

$2.43 Rp 44.1K

-41.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 F CFA 1,104

$1.20 Rp 21.7K

60.00%

Eggs

$2.27 F CFA 1,306

$2.42 Rp 43.8K

-6.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.53 F CFA 5,487

$14.83 Rp 268.8K

-35.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.01 F CFA 2,886

$4.17 Rp 75.5K

20.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.14 F CFA 2,961

$12.17 Rp 220.5K

-57.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.93 F CFA 2,262

$3.71 Rp 67.3K

5.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 F CFA 831

$1.63 Rp 29.5K

-11.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 F CFA 693

$2.81 Rp 50.9K

-57.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 F CFA 1,042

$2.34 Rp 42.4K

-22.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 F CFA 798

$1.92 Rp 34.7K

-27.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 F CFA 823

$2.20 Rp 39.9K

-35.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 F CFA 279

$1.03 Rp 18.6K

-52.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 F CFA 706

$0.78 Rp 14.1K

57.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 F CFA 1,283

$3.19 Rp 57.9K

-30.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.34 F CFA 2,497

$23.38 Rp 423.8K

-81.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 F CFA 712

$2.89 Rp 52.3K

-57.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 F CFA 1,270

$2.87 Rp 52.1K

-23.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.79 F CFA 1,029

$0.29 Rp 5,313

517.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.26 Rp 149.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 F CFA 822

$0.48 Rp 8,759

197.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 F CFA 741

$0.45 Rp 8,200

186.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.72 F CFA 993

$5.97 Rp 108.3K

-71.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 F CFA 633

$0.81 Rp 14.8K

35.80%

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

$25.8K Rp 468.3M

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

$25.2K F CFA 14.5M

$32.1K Rp 581.1M

-21.47%

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

$260 F CFA 149.9K

$79.1 Rp 1.4M

229.21%

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

$44.40 F CFA 25.6K

$3.94 Rp 71.5K

1026.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.2 F CFA 32.9K

$24.22 Rp 438.9K

136.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.3 F CFA 34.1K

$96.0 Rp 1.7M

-38.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.18 F CFA 2,982

$6.35 Rp 115.0K

-18.43%

Cinema Ticket

$7.64 F CFA 4,397

$3.99 Rp 72.4K

91.48%

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

$185 F CFA 106.3K

$296 Rp 5.4M

-37.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,570 F CFA 3.8M

$6,680 Rp 121.1M

-1.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.87 F CFA 10.3K

$53.6 Rp 971.2K

-66.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.02 F CFA 5,196

$38.85 Rp 704.2K

-76.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$9.02 F CFA 5,195

$87.7 Rp 1.6M

-89.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.84 F CFA 27.5K

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

-37.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$201 F CFA 115.7K

$1,001 Rp 18.1M

-79.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 F CFA 86.8K

$669 Rp 12.1M

-77.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$592 F CFA 340.9K

$3,410 Rp 61.8M

-82.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 F CFA 166.0K

$2,051 Rp 37.2M

-85.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,234 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$177 F CFA 101.9K

$164 Rp 3.0M

7.70%

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 4, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $201 in Cotonou and $1,001 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cotonou pays 8% 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $211 vs $300 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 47% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 8% 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: $201 in Cotonou versus $1,001 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 $966 per month in Cotonou versus $1,417 in Ubud, Bali – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $966 in Cotonou versus $1,417 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 47% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.