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: $662 in Higuey versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,052 in Higuey versus $2,557 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,443 in Higuey versus $3,723 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Higuey costs roughly 52% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Higuey is 50% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.77 DOP 277

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

33.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.42 DOP 1,651

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

-12.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.12 DOP 298

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

2.20%

Cappuccino

$2.21 DOP 128

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

-21.63%

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

$0.46 DOP 26.61

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

-65.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 DOP 23.44

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

-45.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 DOP 111

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

-34.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 DOP 175

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

-23.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 DOP 60.7

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

-41.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 DOP 58.4

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

-59.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 DOP 50.5

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

-24.35%

Eggs

$1.51 DOP 87.7

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

-37.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.62 DOP 152

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

-81.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.44 DOP 200

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

-17.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.97 DOP 289

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

-58.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.19 DOP 185

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

-12.36%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 DOP 50.7

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

-44.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 DOP 173

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

7.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.01 DOP 117

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

-10.27%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 DOP 52.8

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

-54.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 DOP 133

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 DOP 63.7

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

4.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 DOP 48.74

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

6.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 DOP 244

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

31.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.84 DOP 630

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

-53.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 DOP 99.9

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

-40.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 DOP 144

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

-10.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 DOP 60.8

$0.27 Rp 4,813

288.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 DOP 203

$0.45 Rp 8,167

677.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 DOP 123

$0.46 Rp 8,298

360.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.03 DOP 350

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

-0.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 DOP 76.3

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

52.33%

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

$26.2K DOP 1.5M

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

-1.56%

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

$31.6K DOP 1.8M

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

-2.96%

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

$50.8 DOP 2,952

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

-35.73%

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

$25.82 DOP 1,501

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

531.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.03 DOP 1,512

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

9.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.20 DOP 825

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

-85.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.31 DOP 251

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

7.48%

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

$262 DOP 15.2K

$297 Rp 5.4M

-11.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,077 DOP 469.3K

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

22.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 DOP 3,467

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

11.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.4 DOP 3,042

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

37.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 DOP 5,652

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

9.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 DOP 6,749

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

51.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$158 DOP 9,210

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

-84.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 DOP 6,360

$680 Rp 12.3M

-83.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$275 DOP 16.0K

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

-92.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$208 DOP 12.1K

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

-90.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,947 DOP 113.2K

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

-28.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,284 DOP 74.6K

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

-44.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$466 DOP 27.1K

$164 Rp 3.0M

184.49%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $158 in Higuey and $1,020 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Higuey pays 184% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $28.00 in Higuey vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $170 vs $298 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 110% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 184% higher in Higuey, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $158 in Higuey versus $1,020 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 $662 per month in Higuey versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali – a 110% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $662 in Higuey versus $1,392 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 110% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.