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: $931 in Higuey versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,524 in Higuey versus $2,348 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,116 in Higuey versus $3,327 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Higuey costs roughly 32% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Higuey is 32% below, Ubud, Bali is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.98 DOP 588

$3.44 Rp 61.0K

190.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.6 DOP 2,982

$36.31 Rp 644.5K

39.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.00 DOP 472

$5.71 Rp 101.3K

40.11%

Cappuccino

$2.09 DOP 123

$2.67 Rp 47.4K

-21.72%

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

$1.08 DOP 63.9

$1.75 Rp 31.1K

-38.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 DOP 28.94

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

-43.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 DOP 151

$2.95 Rp 52.4K

-13.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 DOP 212

$4.52 Rp 80.2K

-20.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 DOP 75.9

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

-20.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 DOP 92.0

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

-33.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 DOP 83.6

$1.11 Rp 19.7K

27.93%

Eggs

$2.00 DOP 118

$2.20 Rp 39.1K

-9.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.55 DOP 445

$17.69 Rp 314.0K

-57.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.52 DOP 325

$4.10 Rp 72.7K

34.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.84 DOP 403

$12.18 Rp 216.1K

-43.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 DOP 177

$3.71 Rp 65.8K

-18.87%

Banana (1kg)

$0.79 DOP 46.56

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

-50.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 DOP 88.6

$2.28 Rp 40.5K

-34.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 DOP 80.9

$1.95 Rp 34.7K

-29.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 DOP 70.8

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

-37.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 DOP 71.2

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

-48.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 DOP 33.51

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

-43.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 DOP 31.07

$0.55 Rp 9,795

-3.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.42 DOP 319

$2.23 Rp 39.6K

143.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.40 DOP 613

$23.07 Rp 409.5K

-54.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 DOP 152

$2.42 Rp 42.9K

6.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 DOP 174

$3.00 Rp 53.2K

-1.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 DOP 49.09

$0.27 Rp 4,825

207.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.5 DOP 3,032

$8.98 Rp 159.4K

472.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.37 DOP 198

$0.48 Rp 8,586

602.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.34 DOP 138

$0.43 Rp 7,697

444.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.83 DOP 343

$5.64 Rp 100.1K

3.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 DOP 81.0

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

71.25%

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

$23.8K DOP 1.4M

$24.9K Rp 442.7M

-4.73%

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

$31.5K DOP 1.9M

$31.7K Rp 562.8M

-0.74%

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

$95.1 DOP 5,606

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

16.78%

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

$17.15 DOP 1,011

$6.49 Rp 115.2K

164.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.89 DOP 1,997

$18.77 Rp 333.1K

80.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.44 DOP 1,499

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

-55.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$66.5 DOP 3,916

$18.73 Rp 332.4K

254.78%

Cinema Ticket

$7.74 DOP 456

$4.54 Rp 80.5K

70.48%

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

$101 DOP 5,950

$481 Rp 8.5M

-79.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,257 DOP 133.0K

$5,711 Rp 101.4M

-60.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.76 DOP 2,755

$45.52 Rp 807.9K

2.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.87 DOP 2,821

$35.88 Rp 636.9K

33.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 DOP 5,172

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

9.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.5 DOP 4,800

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

3.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$302 DOP 17.8K

$1,115 Rp 19.8M

-72.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$219 DOP 12.9K

$698 Rp 12.4M

-68.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$589 DOP 34.7K

$3,637 Rp 64.5M

-83.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$415 DOP 24.5K

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

-76.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,876 DOP 110.5K

$2,784 Rp 49.4M

-32.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,294 DOP 76.3K

$2,290 Rp 40.6M

-43.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$454 DOP 26.7K

$168 Rp 3.0M

169.99%

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: September 13, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $302 in Higuey and $1,115 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Higuey pays 170% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $51.0 in Higuey vs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $200 vs $295, with Higuey 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

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

Higuey is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment. The 47% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 170% 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: $302 in Higuey versus $1,115 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $931 per month in Higuey versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Higuey runs roughly 473% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $931 in Higuey versus $1,368 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 47% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.