Cost of Living Comparison Between Santiago de los Caballeros and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Santiago de los Caballeros and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $907 per month in Santiago de los Caballeros vs $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,393 per month in Santiago de los Caballeros vs $2,540 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,879 per month in Santiago de los Caballeros vs $3,660 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Santiago de los Caballeros is about 36% cheaper than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Santiago de los Caballeros sits 32% below the global median, while Ubud, Bali is 6% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.01 DOP 350

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

68.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.41 DOP 2,649

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

38.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.02 DOP 293

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

1.41%

Cappuccino

$1.94 DOP 113

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

-28.41%

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

$0.79 DOP 46.19

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

-41.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 DOP 40.08

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

-1.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.58 DOP 151

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

-11.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.23 DOP 305

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

32.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 DOP 62.1

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

-41.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 DOP 85.2

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

-42.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 DOP 84.9

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

25.86%

Eggs

$1.29 DOP 75.5

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

-47.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.33 DOP 427

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

-50.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 DOP 378

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

50.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 DOP 636

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

-10.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.21 DOP 129

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

-42.45%

Banana (1kg)

$0.91 DOP 52.8

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

-41.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 DOP 116

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

-29.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 DOP 112

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

-18.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.18 DOP 127

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

14.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 DOP 139

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

8.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 DOP 51.8

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

-11.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 DOP 56.2

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

23.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.98 DOP 232

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

19.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.90 DOP 636

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

-54.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 DOP 151

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

-7.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 DOP 188

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

12.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 DOP 33.37

$0.27 Rp 4,800

111.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 DOP 196

$0.46 Rp 8,150

628.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 DOP 128

$0.45 Rp 8,037

388.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.79 DOP 338

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

-5.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 DOP 74.2

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

60.76%

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

$17.2K DOP 1.0M

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

-34.14%

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

$18.9K DOP 1.1M

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

-41.28%

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

$76.4 DOP 4,457

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

-4.42%

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

$19.10 DOP 1,114

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

370.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.57 DOP 2,075

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

51.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.48 DOP 1,486

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

-74.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.90 DOP 986

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

154.90%

Cinema Ticket

$6.40 DOP 373

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

54.22%

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

$253 DOP 14.8K

$304 Rp 5.4M

-16.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,954 DOP 114.0K

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

-70.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 DOP 3,465

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

6.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.39 DOP 2,181

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

-2.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 DOP 4,570

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

-11.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.7 DOP 3,888

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

-14.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 DOP 24.7K

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

-57.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$271 DOP 15.8K

$675 Rp 12.1M

-59.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$666 DOP 38.8K

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

-80.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 DOP 21.8K

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

-81.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$986 DOP 57.5K

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

-65.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$928 DOP 54.1K

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

-59.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$533 DOP 31.1K

$165 Rp 3.0M

222.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.9

13.28

-2.86%

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

Last update for Santiago de los Caballeros: May 30, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Santiago de los Caballeros 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.

Salaries run about 223% higher in Santiago de los Caballeros, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Santiago de los Caballeros versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries tell a different story – $225 in Santiago de los Caballeros vs $302 in Ubud, Bali – so Santiago de los Caballeros 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

Santiago de los Caballeros vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 57%, 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 $1,360 per month in Santiago de los Caballeros 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 Santiago de los Caballeros, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Santiago de los Caballeros and $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 34% more in Ubud, Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Santiago de los Caballeros, where all-in costs run around $907, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,419. In Santiago de los Caballeros it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Santiago de los Caballeros – 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 Santiago de los Caballeros. 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.