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: $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $662 in Higuey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,557 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,052 in Higuey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,723 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,443 in Higuey.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 110% more expensive than in Higuey, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Higuey is 50% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

$4.77 DOP 277

-25.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

$28.42 DOP 1,651

13.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

$5.12 DOP 298

-2.15%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

$2.21 DOP 128

27.60%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$0.46 DOP 26.61

193.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.40 DOP 23.44

82.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$1.92 DOP 111

52.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

$3.01 DOP 175

30.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$1.04 DOP 60.7

71.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

$1.00 DOP 58.4

145.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$0.87 DOP 50.5

32.18%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$1.51 DOP 87.7

59.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

$2.62 DOP 152

446.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$3.44 DOP 200

21.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

$4.97 DOP 289

142.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

$3.19 DOP 185

14.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$0.87 DOP 50.7

80.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$2.99 DOP 173

-6.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$2.01 DOP 117

11.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$0.91 DOP 52.8

117.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$2.28 DOP 133

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$1.10 DOP 63.7

-4.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.84 DOP 48.74

-5.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

$4.19 DOP 244

-23.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

$10.84 DOP 630

116.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

$1.72 DOP 99.9

68.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

$2.48 DOP 144

11.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

$1.05 DOP 60.8

-74.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,167

$3.50 DOP 203

-87.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,298

$2.12 DOP 123

-78.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

$6.03 DOP 350

0.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$1.31 DOP 76.3

-34.35%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

$26.2K DOP 1.5M

1.59%

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

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

$31.6K DOP 1.8M

3.04%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$50.8 DOP 2,952

55.58%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

$25.82 DOP 1,501

-84.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

$26.03 DOP 1,512

-8.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$14.20 DOP 825

595.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

$4.31 DOP 251

-6.96%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$262 DOP 15.2K

13.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

$8,077 DOP 469.3K

-18.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

$59.7 DOP 3,467

-10.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

$52.4 DOP 3,042

-27.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$97.3 DOP 5,652

-8.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$116 DOP 6,749

-34.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$158 DOP 9,210

543.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

$109 DOP 6,360

521.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

$275 DOP 16.0K

1160.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

$208 DOP 12.1K

902.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

$1,947 DOP 113.2K

40.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

$1,284 DOP 74.6K

78.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

$466 DOP 27.1K

-64.85%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Higuey: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali and $158 in Higuey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Higuey pays 184% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $28.00 in Higuey for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 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 110% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 184% lower in Higuey. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $158 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 $1,392 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $662 in Higuey – a 110% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $662 in Higuey versus $1,392 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 110% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.