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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,394 in Ubud, Bali versus $553 in Buea.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,551 in Ubud, Bali versus $801 in Buea.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,708 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,050 in Buea.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 152% more expensive than Buea, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Buea is 59% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.40 Rp 60.2K

$1.79 FCFA 1,011

89.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.38 Rp 573.6K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.00 Rp 88.6K

$6.16 FCFA 3,478

-18.83%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 50.0K

$2.15 FCFA 1,212

31.16%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

$1.27 FCFA 718

8.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

$0.52 FCFA 295

40.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 Rp 52.8K

$1.04 FCFA 587

186.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 Rp 70.3K

$1.39 FCFA 787

185.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 Rp 31.8K

$3.15 FCFA 1,776

-43.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 43.7K

$0.39 FCFA 217

530.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.2K

$1.58 FCFA 892

-24.05%

Eggs

$2.39 Rp 42.3K

$2.61 FCFA 1,474

-8.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 Rp 255.1K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.28 Rp 75.9K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 Rp 209.4K

$4.31 FCFA 2,431

174.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.78 Rp 67.0K

$3.57 FCFA 2,016

5.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 28.9K

$1.37 FCFA 773

18.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 Rp 49.6K

$0.92 FCFA 522

204.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 Rp 40.0K

$1.43 FCFA 809

58.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 Rp 35.3K

$1.77 FCFA 999

12.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 Rp 39.2K

$1.43 FCFA 808

54.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 Rp 18.9K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 Rp 13.5K

$0.74 FCFA 417

2.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 55.4K

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 421.9K

$8.79 FCFA 4,964

170.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 Rp 50.3K

$1.21 FCFA 682

134.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.2K

$1.72 FCFA 973

61.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,726

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 148.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,034

$0.27 FCFA 154

66.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,578

$0.50 FCFA 280

-14.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 Rp 105.9K

$5.45 FCFA 3,073

9.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.20 FCFA 675

-33.33%

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

$25.8K Rp 457.2M

$19.5K FCFA 11.0M

32.41%

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

$31.8K Rp 563.4M

$21.1K FCFA 11.9M

50.80%

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

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$60.8 FCFA 34.3K

32.86%

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

$4.14 Rp 73.3K

$17.86 FCFA 10.1K

-76.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.12 Rp 427.2K

$112 FCFA 63.4K

-78.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.8 Rp 1.7M

$26.94 FCFA 15.2K

262.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.64 Rp 117.7K

$4.33 FCFA 2,443

53.35%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 71.5K

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

$297 Rp 5.3M

$627 FCFA 354.0K

-52.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,590 Rp 116.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 Rp 976.8K

$35.17 FCFA 19.9K

56.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.51 Rp 682.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 Rp 1.4M

$69.9 FCFA 39.5K

11.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 Rp 17.5M

$69.4 FCFA 39.2K

1320.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$665 Rp 11.8M

$61.1 FCFA 34.5K

988.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,446 Rp 61.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,042 Rp 36.2M

$209 FCFA 118.1K

876.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,829 Rp 50.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,282 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

$132 FCFA 74.6K

28.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 14, 2026

Last update for Buea: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $985 in Ubud, Bali and $69.4 in Buea. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ubud, Bali pays 28% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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 Buea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Buea differ by about 152% in total monthly costs ($1,394 vs $553 including rent). Buea is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Ubud, Bali pays 28% more on average, 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: $985 in Ubud, Bali versus $69.4 in Buea. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $297 in Ubud, Bali versus $627 in Buea. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

All in, you'll spend $1,394 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $553 in Buea – a 152% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $553 in Buea versus $1,394 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Buea but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Buea the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Buea 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 Buea gentler on the wallet – expenses run 152% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.