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: $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $557 in Buea.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,557 in Ubud, Bali versus $800 in Buea.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,723 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,043 in Buea.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 150% more expensive than in Buea, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Buea is 58% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

$1.79 FCFA 1,016

99.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

$6.05 FCFA 3,435

-17.19%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

$2.20 FCFA 1,252

28.18%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$1.26 FCFA 714

7.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.52 FCFA 296

40.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$1.09 FCFA 619

168.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

$1.37 FCFA 777

187.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$3.04 FCFA 1,726

-41.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

$0.38 FCFA 216

544.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$1.64 FCFA 932

-29.88%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$2.62 FCFA 1,490

-8.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

$4.47 FCFA 2,539

169.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

$3.56 FCFA 2,024

2.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$1.39 FCFA 786

12.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$0.86 FCFA 491

224.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$1.43 FCFA 813

56.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$1.78 FCFA 1,009

11.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$1.37 FCFA 780

66.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.74 FCFA 420

6.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

$8.78 FCFA 4,985

167.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

$1.27 FCFA 722

128.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

$1.73 FCFA 983

59.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,167

$0.25 FCFA 142

80.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,298

$0.47 FCFA 265

-2.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

$5.44 FCFA 3,086

11.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$1.25 FCFA 708

-31.20%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

$19.2K FCFA 10.9M

38.46%

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

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

$20.9K FCFA 11.9M

55.50%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$62.4 FCFA 35.4K

26.70%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

$17.41 FCFA 9,886

-76.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

$110 FCFA 62.5K

-78.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$26.45 FCFA 15.0K

273.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

$4.48 FCFA 2,546

41.74%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$623 FCFA 353.5K

-52.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

$35.13 FCFA 19.9K

52.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$69.8 FCFA 39.6K

9.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$70.9 FCFA 40.3K

1337.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

$61.4 FCFA 34.8K

1008.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

$214 FCFA 121.3K

877.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

$130 FCFA 74.0K

25.53%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Buea: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali and $70.9 in Buea. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ubud, Bali pays 26% 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 150% in total monthly costs ($1,392 vs $557 including rent). Buea is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 26% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $70.9 in Buea. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $297 in Ubud, Bali versus $623 in Buea. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

All in, you'll spend $1,392 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $557 in Buea – a 150% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $557 in Buea versus $1,392 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 150% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.