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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $666 in Higuey versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,063 in Higuey versus $2,549 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,461 in Higuey versus $3,694 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Higuey costs roughly 53% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Higuey is 50% below, Ubud, Bali is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.60 DOP 267

$3.57 Rp 64.7K

28.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.81 DOP 1,672

$32.50 Rp 589.5K

-11.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.00 DOP 290

$4.86 Rp 88.2K

2.88%

Cappuccino

$2.24 DOP 130

$2.75 Rp 49.8K

-18.55%

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

$0.49 DOP 28.44

$1.32 Rp 24.0K

-62.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 DOP 25.07

$0.70 Rp 12.7K

-38.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 DOP 109

$2.91 Rp 52.8K

-35.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 DOP 169

$3.79 Rp 68.8K

-22.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 DOP 60.7

$1.71 Rp 31.0K

-38.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 DOP 61.2

$2.47 Rp 44.9K

-57.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 DOP 47.05

$1.20 Rp 21.8K

-32.50%

Eggs

$1.51 DOP 87.7

$2.44 Rp 44.3K

-38.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.51 DOP 146

$14.38 Rp 260.9K

-82.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 DOP 194

$4.31 Rp 78.1K

-22.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.98 DOP 289

$12.21 Rp 221.4K

-59.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 DOP 184

$3.68 Rp 66.8K

-13.59%

Banana (1kg)

$0.85 DOP 49.30

$1.55 Rp 28.1K

-45.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 DOP 175

$2.79 Rp 50.5K

8.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 DOP 112

$2.33 Rp 42.3K

-17.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.90 DOP 52.3

$1.97 Rp 35.7K

-54.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 DOP 138

$2.31 Rp 41.9K

3.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 DOP 63.0

$1.06 Rp 19.3K

2.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 DOP 50.6

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

19.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 DOP 244

$3.28 Rp 59.5K

28.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.75 DOP 624

$22.79 Rp 413.4K

-52.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 DOP 101

$2.81 Rp 50.9K

-38.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 DOP 152

$2.78 Rp 50.5K

-5.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 DOP 60.4

$0.29 Rp 5,281

258.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 146.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 DOP 200

$0.45 Rp 8,146

666.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 DOP 127

$0.45 Rp 8,193

386.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.80 DOP 337

$6.24 Rp 113.1K

-7.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 DOP 74.1

$0.85 Rp 15.4K

50.59%

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

$27.0K DOP 1.6M

$26.0K Rp 471.2M

3.84%

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

$31.5K DOP 1.8M

$31.7K Rp 574.1M

-0.41%

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

$51.2 DOP 2,969

$80.8 Rp 1.5M

-36.66%

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

$25.39 DOP 1,474

$4.06 Rp 73.6K

525.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.20 DOP 1,520

$24.42 Rp 442.9K

7.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.60 DOP 848

$97.7 Rp 1.8M

-85.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 116.9K

Cinema Ticket

$4.22 DOP 245

$4.04 Rp 73.3K

4.46%

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

$268 DOP 15.5K

$304 Rp 5.5M

-11.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,089 DOP 469.5K

$6,621 Rp 120.1M

22.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 DOP 3,475

$54.2 Rp 983.6K

10.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.0 DOP 2,958

$38.78 Rp 703.2K

31.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.4 DOP 5,597

$86.1 Rp 1.6M

11.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 DOP 6,746

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

51.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$159 DOP 9,210

$986 Rp 17.9M

-83.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 DOP 6,311

$658 Rp 11.9M

-83.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 DOP 16.3K

$3,369 Rp 61.1M

-91.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$213 DOP 12.4K

$2,066 Rp 37.5M

-89.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.25

13.28

-7.76%

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

Last update for Higuey: June 8, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $159 in Higuey and $986 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $29.00 in Higuey vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $170 vs $297 per month, with Higuey 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

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

Higuey is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 111% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $999 in Higuey and $2,106 in Ubud, Bali 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: $159 in Higuey versus $986 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 75% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $666 per month in Higuey versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali – a 111% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $666 in Higuey versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Higuey but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Higuey the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Higuey 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, Higuey and Ubud, Bali 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 Higuey gentler on the wallet – expenses run 111% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.