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: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $555 in Buea.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $802 in Buea.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,049 in Buea.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 159% more expensive than Buea, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 7% above, Buea is 59% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$1.81 FCFA 1,013

97.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$6.34 FCFA 3,554

-20.03%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$2.16 FCFA 1,210

31.02%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$1.27 FCFA 710

5.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.49 FCFA 273

40.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$1.04 FCFA 581

187.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$1.43 FCFA 800

169.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$3.03 FCFA 1,702

-42.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$0.38 FCFA 216

568.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$1.64 FCFA 920

-27.44%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$2.57 FCFA 1,443

-5.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$4.30 FCFA 2,414

177.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$3.58 FCFA 2,008

3.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$1.43 FCFA 803

12.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$0.85 FCFA 476

216.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$1.38 FCFA 776

68.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$1.81 FCFA 1,013

5.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$1.44 FCFA 808

52.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.75 FCFA 418

-4.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$8.92 FCFA 5,002

163.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$1.26 FCFA 704

117.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$1.80 FCFA 1,009

60.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$0.25 FCFA 140

80.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$0.46 FCFA 260

-8.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$5.27 FCFA 2,957

16.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$1.18 FCFA 664

-28.81%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$19.4K FCFA 10.9M

35.45%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$21.1K FCFA 11.8M

54.16%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$62.8 FCFA 35.2K

24.85%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$17.38 FCFA 9,746

-77.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$111 FCFA 62.3K

-78.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$26.57 FCFA 14.9K

263.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

$4.29 FCFA 2,405

48.02%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$626 FCFA 350.9K

-51.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$35.46 FCFA 19.9K

51.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$71.2 FCFA 39.9K

10.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$71.7 FCFA 40.2K

1311.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$61.0 FCFA 34.2K

1006.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$210 FCFA 117.7K

899.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

$136 FCFA 76.4K

27.06%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Buea: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali and $71.7 in Buea. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ubud, Bali pays 27% 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 159% in total monthly costs ($1,438 vs $555 including rent). Buea is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Ubud, Bali pays 27% 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: $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $71.7 in Buea. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $303 in Ubud, Bali versus $626 in Buea. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

All in, you'll spend $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $555 in Buea – a 159% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $555 in Buea versus $1,438 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 159% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.