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: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $931 in Higuey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,524 in Higuey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,116 in Higuey.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 47% more expensive than in Higuey, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Higuey is 32% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 61.0K

$9.98 DOP 588

-65.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 644.5K

$50.6 DOP 2,982

-28.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.3K

$8.00 DOP 472

-28.63%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.4K

$2.09 DOP 123

27.75%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.1K

$1.08 DOP 63.9

62.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

$0.49 DOP 28.94

77.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.4K

$2.56 DOP 151

15.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.2K

$3.60 DOP 212

25.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.29 DOP 75.9

25.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

$1.56 DOP 92.0

49.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.7K

$1.42 DOP 83.6

-21.83%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.1K

$2.00 DOP 118

10.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 314.0K

$7.55 DOP 445

134.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.7K

$5.52 DOP 325

-25.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 216.1K

$6.84 DOP 403

78.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.8K

$3.01 DOP 177

23.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

$0.79 DOP 46.56

101.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.5K

$1.50 DOP 88.6

52.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.7K

$1.37 DOP 80.9

42.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

$1.20 DOP 70.8

59.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

$1.21 DOP 71.2

92.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

$0.57 DOP 33.51

77.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,795

$0.53 DOP 31.07

3.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.6K

$5.42 DOP 319

-58.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 409.5K

$10.40 DOP 613

121.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.9K

$2.58 DOP 152

-6.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.2K

$2.96 DOP 174

1.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,825

$0.83 DOP 49.09

-67.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.4K

$51.5 DOP 3,032

-82.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,586

$3.37 DOP 198

-85.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,697

$2.34 DOP 138

-81.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 100.1K

$5.83 DOP 343

-3.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$1.37 DOP 81.0

-41.61%

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

$24.9K Rp 442.7M

$23.8K DOP 1.4M

4.96%

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

$31.7K Rp 562.8M

$31.5K DOP 1.9M

0.74%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$95.1 DOP 5,606

-14.37%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.2K

$17.15 DOP 1,011

-62.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 333.1K

$33.89 DOP 1,997

-44.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$25.44 DOP 1,499

123.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 332.4K

$66.5 DOP 3,916

-71.81%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.5K

$7.74 DOP 456

-41.34%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$101 DOP 5,950

376.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.4M

$2,257 DOP 133.0K

153.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 807.9K

$46.76 DOP 2,755

-2.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 636.9K

$47.87 DOP 2,821

-25.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$87.8 DOP 5,172

-8.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$81.5 DOP 4,800

-3.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.8M

$302 DOP 17.8K

268.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$219 DOP 12.9K

218.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.5M

$589 DOP 34.7K

517.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$415 DOP 24.5K

318.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.4M

$1,876 DOP 110.5K

48.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.6M

$1,294 DOP 76.3K

76.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$454 DOP 26.7K

-62.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

11.5

19.83%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Higuey: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $302 in Higuey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Higuey pays 170% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $51.0 in Higuey. Groceries flip the comparison at $295 vs $200, with Higuey cheaper for home cooking.

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, Sport & Entertainment. The 47% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 170% 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: $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $302 in Higuey. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $931 in Higuey – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Higuey runs roughly 473% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $931 in Higuey versus $1,368 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 47% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.