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: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $978 in Cotonou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,407 in Cotonou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,835 in Cotonou.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 47% more expensive than Cotonou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 7% above, Cotonou is 27% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$3.47 F CFA 1,948

2.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$26.93 F CFA 15.1K

20.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$5.24 F CFA 2,940

-3.24%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$5.52 F CFA 3,097

-48.73%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$0.86 F CFA 483

55.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.78 F CFA 435

-11.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$1.45 F CFA 814

106.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$3.49 F CFA 1,956

10.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$2.65 F CFA 1,486

-34.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$1.38 F CFA 774

84.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$1.85 F CFA 1,037

-35.68%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$2.18 F CFA 1,221

11.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$9.23 F CFA 5,179

58.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$4.93 F CFA 2,763

-15.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$5.13 F CFA 2,877

132.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$3.89 F CFA 2,183

-5.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$1.37 F CFA 771

17.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$1.27 F CFA 710

111.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$1.77 F CFA 991

31.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$1.41 F CFA 789

35.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$1.45 F CFA 811

51.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$0.48 F CFA 267

120.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$1.28 F CFA 718

-43.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$2.33 F CFA 1,309

34.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$6.52 F CFA 3,659

260.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$1.24 F CFA 698

120.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$2.28 F CFA 1,281

26.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

$1.80 F CFA 1,012

-83.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$1.44 F CFA 810

-68.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$1.26 F CFA 705

-66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$1.79 F CFA 1,005

244.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$1.06 F CFA 595

-20.75%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$24.3K F CFA 13.6M

33.72%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$269 F CFA 150.9K

-70.86%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$44.80 F CFA 25.1K

-91.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$55.5 F CFA 31.1K

-56.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$58.9 F CFA 33.0K

63.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

$5.44 F CFA 3,051

16.73%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$7.53 F CFA 4,221

-46.35%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$189 F CFA 106.1K

59.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$6,522 F CFA 3.7M

0.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$17.58 F CFA 9,863

206.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$8.64 F CFA 4,846

339.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$9.04 F CFA 5,070

859.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$49.26 F CFA 27.6K

60.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$202 F CFA 113.3K

401.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$149 F CFA 83.6K

352.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$577 F CFA 323.7K

487.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$285 F CFA 159.7K

637.11%

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

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Cotonou: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali and $202 in Cotonou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $27.00 in Cotonou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $214 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 47% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,158 in Ubud, Bali and $1,467 in Cotonou to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $202 in Cotonou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $978 in Cotonou – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $978 in Cotonou versus $1,438 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 47% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.