Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Higuey and Ubud, Bali

For one person, living is cheaper in Higuey: $926 a month against $1,331 in Ubud, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Ubud, Bali outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Higuey, Dominican Republic
Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Higuey
🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
$926
/mo nomad
Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,331
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Higuey and in Ubud, Bali

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Higuey and in Ubud, Bali actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $926 in Higuey versus $1,331 in Ubud, Bali.

  • Higuey $926
  • Ubud, Bali $1,331

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,521 in Higuey versus $2,255 in Ubud, Bali.

  • Higuey $1,521
  • Ubud, Bali $2,255

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,116 in Higuey versus $3,180 in Ubud, Bali.

  • Higuey $2,116
  • Ubud, Bali $3,180

Living in Higuey costs roughly 30% less than in Ubud, Bali, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Higuey 31% lower, Ubud, Bali 2% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Higuey
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.95 DOP 602
$3.38 Rp 61.3K
194.38%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$52.3 DOP 3,165
$34.65 Rp 628.8K
51.05%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.43 DOP 449
$5.57 Rp 101.2K
33.39%
Cappuccino
$2.12 DOP 128
$2.62 Rp 47.5K
-19.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.07 DOP 64.6
$1.54 Rp 27.9K
-30.52%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 DOP 29.44
$0.64 Rp 11.6K
-23.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.51 DOP 152
$2.67 Rp 48.4K
-5.99%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.04 DOP 184
$4.26 Rp 77.4K
-28.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Higuey
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.20 DOP 72.8
$1.46 Rp 26.5K
-17.81%
White Bread (500g)
$1.54 DOP 93.3
$2.29 Rp 41.6K
-32.75%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.38 DOP 83.4
$1.11 Rp 20.1K
24.32%
Eggs
$2.00 DOP 121
$2.10 Rp 38.1K
-4.76%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.36 DOP 445
$15.94 Rp 289.3K
-53.83%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.26 DOP 318
$3.88 Rp 70.5K
35.57%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.78 DOP 410
$11.40 Rp 206.9K
-40.53%
Apples (1kg)
$2.92 DOP 176
$3.55 Rp 64.5K
-17.75%
Banana (1kg)
$0.76 DOP 46.22
$1.54 Rp 27.9K
-50.65%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.46 DOP 88.4
$2.23 Rp 40.5K
-34.53%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.29 DOP 77.7
$1.97 Rp 35.8K
-34.52%
Potato (1kg)
$1.14 DOP 68.7
$1.86 Rp 33.7K
-38.71%
Onion (1kg)
$1.18 DOP 71.1
$2.42 Rp 43.9K
-51.24%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.56 DOP 33.72
$1.02 Rp 18.6K
-45.10%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 DOP 31.34
$0.52 Rp 9,479
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.22 DOP 316
$2.20 Rp 39.9K
137.27%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.19 DOP 616
$21.79 Rp 395.4K
-53.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.43 DOP 147
$2.33 Rp 42.2K
4.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 DOP 174
$2.97 Rp 53.9K
-3.03%
🚌 Getting Around
Higuey
Ubud, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.84 DOP 50.9
$0.25 Rp 4,544
236.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$48.70 DOP 2,945
$8.17 Rp 148.4K
496.08%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.39 DOP 205
$0.44 Rp 7,944
670.45%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.19 DOP 132
$0.47 Rp 8,493
365.96%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.70 DOP 345
$5.60 Rp 101.6K
1.79%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 DOP 88.8
$0.83 Rp 15.0K
77.11%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.0K DOP 1.5M
$24.4K Rp 443.7M
2.44%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.2K DOP 1.9M
$31.7K Rp 575.2M
-1.65%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Higuey
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$93.0 DOP 5,623
$77.5 Rp 1.4M
20.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.84 DOP 1,018
$6.14 Rp 111.5K
174.27%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.54 DOP 2,028
$18.92 Rp 343.3K
77.27%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Higuey
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$24.52 DOP 1,482
$51.0 Rp 925.4K
-51.91%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$66.9 DOP 4,047
$18.25 Rp 331.2K
266.79%
Cinema Ticket
$7.29 DOP 441
$4.38 Rp 79.5K
66.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Higuey
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$97.5 DOP 5,896
$492 Rp 8.9M
-80.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,149 DOP 129.9K
$12.2K Rp 221.8M
-82.41%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Higuey
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.91 DOP 2,715
$45.16 Rp 819.6K
-0.55%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.51 DOP 2,751
$34.89 Rp 633.2K
30.44%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.8 DOP 5,185
$78.3 Rp 1.4M
9.49%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.2 DOP 4,787
$77.9 Rp 1.4M
1.68%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Higuey
Ubud, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$300 DOP 18.1K
$1,078 Rp 19.6M
-72.18%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$217 DOP 13.1K
$665 Rp 12.1M
-67.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$570 DOP 34.4K
$3,510 Rp 63.7M
-83.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$415 DOP 25.1K
$1,671 Rp 30.3M
-75.15%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,862 DOP 112.6K
$2,340 Rp 42.5M
-20.43%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,225 DOP 74.1K
$2,236 Rp 40.6M
-45.21%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Higuey
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$444 DOP 26.9K
$166 Rp 3.0M
167.03%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.5
13.78
-16.55%

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

Last update for Higuey: November 2, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Higuey
$217
Ubud, Bali
$665 207% $448
Groceries & Markets
Higuey
$194
Ubud, Bali
$279 44.3% $86
Eating Out
Higuey
$152
Ubud, Bali
$106 30.5% $46
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Higuey
$143
Ubud, Bali
$103 28.5% $41
Clothing & Footwear
Higuey
$115
Ubud, Bali
$106 7.5% $8.6
Getting Around
Higuey
$66
Ubud, Bali
$12 82% $54
Sport & Entertainment
Higuey
$39
Ubud, Bali
$60 52.8% $21

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $300 in Higuey and $1,078 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Higuey pays about 2.7 times more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $52 in Higuey vs $35 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $194 vs $279, with Higuey cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇩🇴 Higuey
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🕒 Local time
22:02 10:02 PM
10:02 10:02 AM
12 h ahead of Higuey
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
123,787
74,800
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to DOP – Dominican Peso Converter

Dominican Peso exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 60.46 DOP (100 DOP = 1.65 USD). 1 EUR = 67.61 DOP (100 DOP = 1.48 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 18,148 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD). 1 EUR = 20,295 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.93 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Higuey Ubud, Bali 18,810 km ≈ 24 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Higuey
  • Ubud, Bali

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Higuey cheaper than Ubud, Bali?
Higuey is about 30% cheaper overall, especially in groceries and leisure. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Higuey or Ubud, Bali?
Average pay in Higuey is about 2.7 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Higuey and Ubud, Bali?
Rent for a central apartment: $300 in Higuey versus $1,078 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Higuey and in Ubud, Bali?
All in, you’ll spend $926 per month in Higuey versus $1,331 in Ubud, Bali – Higuey is about 30% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 83% less than in Higuey. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Is it better to live in Higuey or in Ubud, Bali?
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.
Which city is safer, Higuey or Ubud, Bali?
Safety-wise, Higuey and Ubud, Bali are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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