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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $997 in Cotonou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,557 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,426 in Cotonou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,723 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,854 in Cotonou.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 40% more expensive than in Cotonou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Cotonou is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

$3.46 F CFA 1,967

3.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

$26.77 F CFA 15.2K

20.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

$5.16 F CFA 2,927

-2.91%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

$5.56 F CFA 3,154

-49.28%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$0.86 F CFA 488

56.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.79 F CFA 446

-7.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$1.40 F CFA 794

109.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

$3.61 F CFA 2,047

9.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$2.58 F CFA 1,462

-31.01%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

$1.44 F CFA 815

70.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$1.92 F CFA 1,092

-40.10%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$2.22 F CFA 1,263

8.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

$9.25 F CFA 5,253

54.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$5.05 F CFA 2,869

-17.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

$5.16 F CFA 2,929

133.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

$3.88 F CFA 2,202

-6.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$1.37 F CFA 779

14.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$1.21 F CFA 689

130.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$1.74 F CFA 988

28.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$1.34 F CFA 761

47.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$1.50 F CFA 853

52.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$0.51 F CFA 291

105.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.23 F CFA 700

-35.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

$2.35 F CFA 1,332

35.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

$4.28 F CFA 2,430

448.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

$1.20 F CFA 681

141.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

$2.29 F CFA 1,301

20.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

$1.80 F CFA 1,023

-85.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,167

$1.38 F CFA 784

-67.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,298

$1.25 F CFA 707

-63.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

$1.74 F CFA 988

248.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$1.11 F CFA 631

-22.52%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

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

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

$24.9K F CFA 14.1M

30.84%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$266 F CFA 151.1K

-70.31%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

$43.54 F CFA 24.7K

-90.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

$56.1 F CFA 31.8K

-57.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$58.8 F CFA 33.4K

67.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

$5.40 F CFA 3,066

17.59%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

$7.51 F CFA 4,266

-46.60%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$185 F CFA 104.8K

61.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

$6,379 F CFA 3.6M

3.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

$17.45 F CFA 9,907

206.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

$8.70 F CFA 4,939

338.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$9.04 F CFA 5,134

880.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$49.16 F CFA 27.9K

55.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$199 F CFA 113.0K

412.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

$149 F CFA 84.6K

356.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

$571 F CFA 324.3K

507.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

$283 F CFA 160.6K

639.05%

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

$171 F CFA 97.3K

-4.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

165.60%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Last update for Cotonou: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali and $199 in Cotonou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cotonou pays 5% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $27.00 in Cotonou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $209 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

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

Cotonou is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 40% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 5% lower in Cotonou. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $199 in Cotonou. 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 $1,392 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $997 in Cotonou – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $997 in Cotonou versus $1,392 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, Ubud, Bali and Cotonou 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 40% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.