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: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $946 in Cotonou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,477 in Cotonou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,009 in Cotonou.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 45% more expensive than in Cotonou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Cotonou is 31% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$5.34 F CFA 3,052

-35.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$36.50 F CFA 20.9K

-0.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$9.92 F CFA 5,668

-42.44%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$5.12 F CFA 2,927

-47.85%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$1.05 F CFA 599

66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$0.91 F CFA 519

-4.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$0.86 F CFA 491

243.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$2.69 F CFA 1,538

68.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$3.17 F CFA 1,814

-48.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.28 F CFA 731

82.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$1.88 F CFA 1,074

-40.96%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$2.81 F CFA 1,605

-21.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

$9.66 F CFA 5,522

83.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

$5.66 F CFA 3,232

-27.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

$5.19 F CFA 2,963

134.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$4.32 F CFA 2,466

-14.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$1.93 F CFA 1,105

-17.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$1.34 F CFA 764

70.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$2.78 F CFA 1,590

-29.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$1.30 F CFA 741

46.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.80 F CFA 1,031

29.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$0.45 F CFA 257

124.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$1.16 F CFA 663

-52.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$3.44 F CFA 1,963

-35.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

$4.29 F CFA 2,451

437.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

$1.22 F CFA 695

98.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

$1.89 F CFA 1,079

58.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

$1.36 F CFA 776

-80.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$1.38 F CFA 788

-65.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

$1.44 F CFA 821

-70.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.23 F CFA 701

-34.96%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

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

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

$25.1K F CFA 14.3M

26.38%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$151 F CFA 86.1K

-45.91%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$35.44 F CFA 20.2K

-81.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$49.28 F CFA 28.2K

-61.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$49.48 F CFA 28.3K

14.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

$3.54 F CFA 2,025

429.10%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$8.86 F CFA 5,061

-48.76%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$137 F CFA 78.0K

251.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

$5,660 F CFA 3.2M

0.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

$25.92 F CFA 14.8K

75.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$34.87 F CFA 19.9K

130.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$70.6 F CFA 40.3K

11.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$182 F CFA 103.9K

512.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$175 F CFA 99.8K

299.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

$614 F CFA 351.0K

492.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$429 F CFA 245.2K

304.82%

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

$261 F CFA 149.2K

-35.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

244.50%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Cotonou: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $182 in Cotonou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cotonou pays 55% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $37.00 in Cotonou. Groceries flip the comparison at $295 vs $230, with Cotonou 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 Cotonou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cotonou is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear. The 45% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 55% 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: $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $182 in Cotonou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $946 in Cotonou – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $946 in Cotonou versus $1,368 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 45% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.