Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Higuey Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Higuey

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $666 in Higuey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,065 in Higuey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,464 in Higuey.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 116% more expensive than Higuey, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 7% above, Higuey is 50% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$4.63 DOP 274

-22.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$28.62 DOP 1,691

13.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$5.18 DOP 306

-2.12%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$2.21 DOP 131

28.05%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$0.49 DOP 28.96

173.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.44 DOP 25.89

56.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$1.92 DOP 113

55.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$2.98 DOP 176

29.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$0.99 DOP 58.8

75.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$1.05 DOP 61.8

141.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$0.86 DOP 50.9

38.37%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$1.53 DOP 90.4

58.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$2.50 DOP 148

486.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$3.44 DOP 204

21.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$5.19 DOP 307

130.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$3.19 DOP 188

15.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$0.85 DOP 50.3

89.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$3.04 DOP 179

-11.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$1.92 DOP 114

21.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$0.92 DOP 54.5

107.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$2.40 DOP 142

-8.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$1.13 DOP 66.9

-6.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.81 DOP 48.09

-11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$4.28 DOP 253

-26.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$11.42 DOP 675

105.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$1.67 DOP 98.9

64.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$2.57 DOP 152

12.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

$1.00 DOP 59.1

-71.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$3.46 DOP 204

-86.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$2.20 DOP 130

-80.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$6.04 DOP 357

1.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$1.26 DOP 74.6

-33.33%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$26.8K DOP 1.6M

-1.90%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$32.2K DOP 1.9M

0.78%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$51.6 DOP 3,047

52.07%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$24.97 DOP 1,476

-84.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$26.69 DOP 1,577

-8.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$14.15 DOP 836

582.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$4.22 DOP 249

-4.27%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$264 DOP 15.6K

14.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$7,942 DOP 469.3K

-17.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$60.8 DOP 3,591

-11.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$51.2 DOP 3,027

-25.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$95.9 DOP 5,669

-9.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$115 DOP 6,799

-31.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$163 DOP 9,610

522.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$109 DOP 6,432

519.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$282 DOP 16.7K

1102.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$211 DOP 12.5K

895.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

12.25

8.41%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Last update for Higuey: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali and $163 in Higuey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $29.00 in Higuey for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $171 per month, with Higuey cheaper across the board.

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

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

Higuey is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 116% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,158 in Ubud, Bali and $1,000 in Higuey to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $163 in Higuey. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 74% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $666 in Higuey – a 116% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $666 in Higuey versus $1,438 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, Ubud, Bali and Higuey 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 116% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.