Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto Plata and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto Plata and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $830 per month in Puerto Plata vs $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,281 per month in Puerto Plata vs $2,540 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,733 per month in Puerto Plata vs $3,660 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Puerto Plata is about 42% cheaper than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Puerto Plata sits 38% below the global median, while Ubud, Bali is 6% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.00 DOP 291

$3.56 Rp 64.3K

40.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.71 DOP 2,195

$32.73 Rp 590.3K

15.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.28 DOP 424

$4.95 Rp 89.2K

47.07%

Cappuccino

$1.31 DOP 76.1

$2.71 Rp 48.9K

-51.66%

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

$0.89 DOP 51.9

$1.34 Rp 24.2K

-33.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 DOP 42.12

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

2.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 DOP 141

$2.92 Rp 52.7K

-17.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 DOP 227

$3.96 Rp 71.4K

-1.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 DOP 57.7

$1.81 Rp 32.6K

-45.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 DOP 105

$2.52 Rp 45.4K

-28.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.04 DOP 60.5

$1.16 Rp 20.9K

-10.34%

Eggs

$1.41 DOP 82.2

$2.46 Rp 44.4K

-42.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.06 DOP 178

$14.71 Rp 265.3K

-79.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.15 DOP 242

$4.32 Rp 77.9K

-3.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.71 DOP 216

$12.14 Rp 218.9K

-69.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 DOP 195

$3.84 Rp 69.3K

-13.02%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 DOP 53.9

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

-40.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.93 DOP 171

$2.83 Rp 51.1K

3.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 DOP 114

$2.33 Rp 41.9K

-15.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.89 DOP 110

$1.91 Rp 34.5K

-1.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 DOP 137

$2.20 Rp 39.7K

7.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 DOP 65.6

$1.01 Rp 18.3K

11.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.15 DOP 8.71

$0.78 Rp 14.0K

-80.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.36 DOP 195

$3.32 Rp 59.8K

1.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.35 DOP 486

$23.74 Rp 428.0K

-64.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 DOP 153

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

-5.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 DOP 184

$2.86 Rp 51.6K

10.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 DOP 28.90

$0.27 Rp 4,848

85.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.04 DOP 1,749

$8.03 Rp 144.8K

274.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 DOP 192

$0.46 Rp 8,230

617.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 DOP 123

$0.45 Rp 8,116

371.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.51 DOP 146

$6.10 Rp 109.9K

-58.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 DOP 73.5

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

59.49%

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

$26.6K DOP 1.5M

$26.1K Rp 471.6M

1.76%

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

$31.2K DOP 1.8M

$32.1K Rp 579.2M

-2.79%

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

$51.6 DOP 3,004

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

-35.44%

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

$24.92 DOP 1,451

$4.06 Rp 73.3K

513.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.22 DOP 2,109

$23.52 Rp 424.1K

54.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$8.34 DOP 485

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

-91.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.60 DOP 500

$6.63 Rp 119.6K

29.71%

Cinema Ticket

$4.69 DOP 273

$4.15 Rp 74.8K

13.01%

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

$269 DOP 15.7K

$304 Rp 5.5M

-11.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,037 DOP 60.4K

$6,613 Rp 119.3M

-84.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.63 DOP 2,656

$55.5 Rp 1.0M

-17.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.35 DOP 2,581

$38.31 Rp 690.9K

15.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 DOP 5,096

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

-1.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.6 DOP 3,644

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

-19.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$354 DOP 20.6K

$1,006 Rp 18.1M

-64.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$276 DOP 16.0K

$675 Rp 12.2M

-59.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 DOP 48.0K

$3,442 Rp 62.1M

-76.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$416 DOP 24.2K

$2,039 Rp 36.8M

-79.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 51.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.8M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.15

13.28

-46.16%

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

Last update for Puerto Plata: June 2, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $354 in Puerto Plata versus $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Puerto Plata versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries tell a different story – $175 in Puerto Plata vs $302 in Ubud, Bali – so Puerto Plata wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 71%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,245 per month in Puerto Plata and $2,129 in Ubud, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Puerto Plata, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 274% less in Puerto Plata. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $269 per month in Puerto Plata and $304 in Ubud, Bali. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Puerto Plata, where all-in costs run around $830, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,419. In Puerto Plata it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Puerto Plata – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Puerto Plata. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.