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: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $771 in Buea.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,415 in Buea.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,058 in Buea.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 77% more expensive than in Buea, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Buea is 44% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$1.78 FCFA 1,016

93.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$124 FCFA 71.1K

-70.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$6.17 FCFA 3,527

-7.46%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$2.20 FCFA 1,257

21.36%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$1.34 FCFA 766

30.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$0.52 FCFA 299

67.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$1.08 FCFA 617

173.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$1.61 FCFA 917

180.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$2.89 FCFA 1,652

-43.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$0.41 FCFA 236

468.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$1.66 FCFA 947

-33.13%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$2.01 FCFA 1,150

9.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

$23.31 FCFA 13.3K

-24.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

$7.88 FCFA 4,506

-47.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

$4.45 FCFA 2,544

173.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$3.54 FCFA 2,022

4.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$1.45 FCFA 827

9.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$0.91 FCFA 519

150.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$1.36 FCFA 775

43.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$1.80 FCFA 1,027

6.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.37 FCFA 782

70.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$0.75 FCFA 428

34.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$0.68 FCFA 387

-19.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$2.61 FCFA 1,492

-14.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

$8.68 FCFA 4,957

165.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

$1.26 FCFA 723

92.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

$1.78 FCFA 1,016

68.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$0.25 FCFA 143

92.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

$0.54 FCFA 309

-20.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

$5.33 FCFA 3,046

5.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.20 FCFA 686

-33.33%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

$19.5K FCFA 11.2M

27.68%

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

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

$15.8K FCFA 9.0M

101.02%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$62.7 FCFA 35.8K

29.88%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$17.55 FCFA 10.0K

-63.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$175 FCFA 99.8K

-89.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$26.49 FCFA 15.1K

114.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

$4.37 FCFA 2,498

328.60%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$8.58 FCFA 4,905

-47.09%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$530 FCFA 302.9K

-9.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

$3,440 FCFA 2.0M

66.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

$35.15 FCFA 20.1K

29.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

$69.9 FCFA 39.9K

-48.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$143 FCFA 81.8K

-43.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$71.0 FCFA 40.6K

10.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$130 FCFA 74.0K

29.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

19.04

-27.63%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Buea: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Ubud, Bali pays 30% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $124 in Buea. Groceries flip the comparison at $295 vs $254, with Buea 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

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

Ubud, Bali and Buea differ by about 77% in total monthly costs ($1,368 vs $771 including rent). Buea is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 30% higher in Ubud, Bali, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $481 in Ubud, Bali versus $530 in Buea. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Buea – a meal for two runs $124 versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $771 in Buea versus $1,368 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 77% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.