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 $938 per month in Santiago de los Caballeros vs $1,378 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,432 per month in Santiago de los Caballeros vs $2,327 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,926 per month in Santiago de los Caballeros vs $3,275 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Santiago de los Caballeros is about 32% cheaper than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Santiago de los Caballeros sits 32% below the global median, while Ubud, Bali is 0% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.41 DOP 496

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

152.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.48 DOP 2,504

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

18.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.26 DOP 428

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

28.95%

Cappuccino

$1.88 DOP 111

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

-33.33%

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

$0.74 DOP 43.81

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

-57.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 DOP 24.20

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

-48.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 DOP 150

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

-16.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 DOP 211

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

-16.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 DOP 69.7

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

-26.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 DOP 91.9

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

-31.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 DOP 89.9

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

30.77%

Eggs

$1.54 DOP 90.6

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

-29.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.55 DOP 386

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

-62.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.62 DOP 214

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

-10.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.86 DOP 287

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

-60.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 DOP 193

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

-9.67%

Banana (1kg)

$0.80 DOP 46.89

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

-51.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.84 DOP 167

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

22.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 DOP 107

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

-7.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 DOP 118

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

8.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 DOP 132

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

-5.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 DOP 56.3

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

-8.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 DOP 59.7

$0.54 Rp 9,560

87.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.80 DOP 283

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

108.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.65 DOP 628

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

-53.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 DOP 156

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

12.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 DOP 175

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

-2.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 DOP 33.70

$0.25 Rp 4,365

128.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.50 DOP 1,798

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

223.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 DOP 152

$0.49 Rp 8,631

424.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.25 DOP 132

$0.47 Rp 8,349

378.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.02 DOP 355

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

7.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 DOP 79.8

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

66.67%

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

$15.2K DOP 898.7K

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

-39.06%

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

$25.5K DOP 1.5M

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

-17.96%

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

$92.7 DOP 5,468

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

12.11%

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

$27.31 DOP 1,610

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

320.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.16 DOP 2,191

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

97.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.11 DOP 1,481

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

-54.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 DOP 293

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

15.58%

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

$155 DOP 9,146

$494 Rp 8.7M

-68.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,685 DOP 335.2K

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

-3.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.80 DOP 1,580

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

-42.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.85 DOP 2,703

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

25.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.2 DOP 3,666

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

-22.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.3 DOP 3,906

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

-15.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$682 DOP 40.2K

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

-38.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$276 DOP 16.3K

$693 Rp 12.2M

-60.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,533 DOP 90.4K

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

-57.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 DOP 27.5K

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

-72.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$985 DOP 58.1K

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

-64.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$898 DOP 52.9K

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

-60.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$548 DOP 32.3K

$167 Rp 2.9M

227.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

-20.17%

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

Last update for Santiago de los Caballeros: September 8, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $682 in Santiago de los Caballeros versus $1,114 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 228% 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 $42.00 in Santiago de los Caballeros versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries tell a different story – $200 in Santiago de los Caballeros vs $294 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 47%, 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 $1,408 per month in Santiago de los Caballeros and $2,067 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $938 in Santiago de los Caballeros and $1,378 in Ubud, Bali. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 224% less in Santiago de los Caballeros. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Santiago de los Caballeros, where all-in costs run around $938, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,378. 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.