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: $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $666 in Higuey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,063 in Higuey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,694 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,461 in Higuey.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 111% more expensive than Higuey, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 4% above, Higuey is 50% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$4.60 DOP 270

-22.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$28.81 DOP 1,687

12.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$5.00 DOP 293

-2.80%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$2.24 DOP 131

22.77%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$0.49 DOP 28.71

169.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.43 DOP 25.31

62.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$1.89 DOP 110

53.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$2.92 DOP 171

29.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$1.05 DOP 61.2

62.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$1.06 DOP 61.8

133.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$0.81 DOP 47.48

48.15%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$1.51 DOP 88.5

61.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$2.51 DOP 147

472.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$3.34 DOP 196

29.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$4.98 DOP 292

145.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$3.18 DOP 186

15.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$0.85 DOP 49.76

82.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$3.02 DOP 177

-7.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$1.93 DOP 113

20.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$0.90 DOP 52.8

118.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$2.38 DOP 139

-2.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.09 DOP 63.6

-2.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$0.87 DOP 51.1

-16.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$4.20 DOP 246

-21.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$10.75 DOP 630

112.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$1.74 DOP 102

61.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$2.62 DOP 154

6.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

$1.04 DOP 60.9

-72.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$3.45 DOP 202

-86.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$2.19 DOP 128

-79.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$5.80 DOP 340

7.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$1.28 DOP 74.8

-33.59%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$27.0K DOP 1.6M

-3.70%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$31.5K DOP 1.8M

0.41%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$51.2 DOP 2,996

57.87%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$25.39 DOP 1,487

-84.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$26.20 DOP 1,535

-6.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

$14.60 DOP 855

568.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$4.22 DOP 247

-4.27%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$268 DOP 15.7K

13.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$8,089 DOP 473.9K

-18.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$59.9 DOP 3,507

-9.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$51.0 DOP 2,986

-23.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$96.4 DOP 5,650

-10.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$116 DOP 6,809

-34.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$159 DOP 9,295

521.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

$109 DOP 6,370

505.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

$281 DOP 16.5K

1097.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

$213 DOP 12.5K

870.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Higuey: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $986 in Ubud, Bali and $159 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 $297 vs $170 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 111% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,106 in Ubud, Bali and $999 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: $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $159 in Higuey. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 75% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,404 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $666 in Higuey – a 111% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $666 in Higuey versus $1,404 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 111% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.