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 $914 per month in Santiago de los Caballeros vs $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,395 per month in Santiago de los Caballeros vs $2,585 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,875 per month in Santiago de los Caballeros vs $3,763 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Santiago de los Caballeros is about 35% cheaper than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Santiago de los Caballeros sits 32% below the global median, while Ubud, Bali is 5% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.11 DOP 356

$3.45 Rp 62.0K

77.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.49 DOP 2,652

$32.34 Rp 580.1K

40.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.20 DOP 303

$4.84 Rp 86.9K

7.44%

Cappuccino

$1.95 DOP 114

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

-29.09%

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

$0.79 DOP 46.26

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

-42.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 DOP 40.56

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

-6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 DOP 153

$2.99 Rp 53.7K

-12.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.01 DOP 292

$3.85 Rp 69.1K

30.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 DOP 64.6

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

-36.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 DOP 84.9

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

-40.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 DOP 87.5

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

28.21%

Eggs

$1.35 DOP 79.0

$2.43 Rp 43.6K

-44.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.10 DOP 414

$14.50 Rp 260.2K

-51.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.37 DOP 371

$4.35 Rp 78.0K

46.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.83 DOP 631

$11.98 Rp 214.9K

-9.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 DOP 128

$3.72 Rp 66.7K

-41.13%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 DOP 53.8

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

-43.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 DOP 121

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

-24.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 DOP 106

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

-18.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 DOP 125

$1.92 Rp 34.4K

11.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 DOP 134

$2.28 Rp 40.8K

0.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 DOP 50.5

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

-17.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 DOP 56.1

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.01 DOP 234

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

21.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.74 DOP 627

$23.19 Rp 416.1K

-53.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 DOP 151

$2.78 Rp 49.8K

-6.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 DOP 183

$2.73 Rp 49.0K

14.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 DOP 33.31

$0.27 Rp 4,778

111.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 DOP 193

$0.48 Rp 8,659

587.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 DOP 129

$0.42 Rp 7,532

426.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.03 DOP 352

$6.22 Rp 111.6K

-3.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 DOP 73.7

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

55.56%

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

$17.2K DOP 1.0M

$26.6K Rp 477.4M

-35.29%

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

$18.8K DOP 1.1M

$32.2K Rp 577.4M

-41.73%

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

$77.8 DOP 4,533

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

-0.77%

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

$18.66 DOP 1,088

$4.07 Rp 73.0K

358.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.71 DOP 2,141

$24.33 Rp 436.4K

50.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.05 DOP 1,519

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

-73.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.47 DOP 960

$6.34 Rp 113.7K

159.78%

Cinema Ticket

$6.22 DOP 363

$3.99 Rp 71.5K

55.89%

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

$258 DOP 15.1K

$305 Rp 5.5M

-15.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,898 DOP 110.7K

$6,642 Rp 119.2M

-71.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 DOP 3,486

$54.1 Rp 971.2K

10.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.04 DOP 2,160

$37.81 Rp 678.2K

-2.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 DOP 4,706

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

-7.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.2 DOP 3,976

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

-10.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$431 DOP 25.2K

$992 Rp 17.8M

-56.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 DOP 15.7K

$673 Rp 12.1M

-60.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$670 DOP 39.1K

$3,375 Rp 60.5M

-80.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$364 DOP 21.2K

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

-82.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$986 DOP 57.5K

$2,805 Rp 50.3M

-64.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$917 DOP 53.5K

$2,227 Rp 39.9M

-58.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$554 DOP 32.3K

$167 Rp 3.0M

232.08%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $431 in Santiago de los Caballeros versus $992 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 232% 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries tell a different story – $223 in Santiago de los Caballeros vs $297 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 54%, 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 $1,371 per month in Santiago de los Caballeros and $2,112 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 33% 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 $914, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,408. 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.