Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and La Romana Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and La Romana

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $804 in La Romana, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,423 in La Romana, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,732 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,043 in La Romana, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 79% more than La Romana, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Ubud, Bali sits 7% above the global median, while La Romana is 40% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$8.45 DOP 499

-57.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$50.5 DOP 2,984

-35.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$7.25 DOP 429

-30.07%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$2.75 DOP 162

2.91%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$1.00 DOP 59.0

34.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.39 DOP 23.11

76.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$2.50 DOP 148

19.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$5.23 DOP 309

-26.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$1.12 DOP 66.1

55.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$1.79 DOP 106

41.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$1.57 DOP 92.8

-24.20%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$2.23 DOP 132

8.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$7.00 DOP 414

109.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$4.98 DOP 294

-16.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$4.99 DOP 295

139.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$3.34 DOP 197

10.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$0.91 DOP 53.6

76.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$2.92 DOP 173

-7.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$1.92 DOP 113

21.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$2.46 DOP 145

-22.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$2.32 DOP 137

-5.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$1.12 DOP 66.5

-5.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.97 DOP 57.6

-25.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$5.15 DOP 304

-39.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$11.61 DOP 686

102.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$2.74 DOP 162

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$3.27 DOP 193

-11.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$3.34 DOP 198

-86.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$2.17 DOP 128

-80.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$5.84 DOP 345

5.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$1.34 DOP 78.9

-37.31%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$26.6K DOP 1.6M

-1.34%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$31.8K DOP 1.9M

2.28%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$66.6 DOP 3,938

17.68%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$17.60 DOP 1,040

-77.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$34.37 DOP 2,031

-29.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$6.89 DOP 407

-41.36%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$266 DOP 15.7K

13.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$8,181 DOP 483.4K

-20.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$59.8 DOP 3,532

-9.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$52.1 DOP 3,079

-27.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$96.8 DOP 5,722

-10.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$114 DOP 6,761

-31.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$202 DOP 11.9K

401.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$135 DOP 7,952

401.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$420 DOP 24.8K

706.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$494 DOP 29.2K

324.37%

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

11.5

15.48%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Last update for La Romana: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $202 in La Romana. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $50.0 in La Romana. Groceries tell a different story – $298 in Ubud, Bali vs $220 in La Romana – so La Romana 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

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

Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 79%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,158 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,206 in La Romana. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in La Romana, 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 $1,438 in Ubud, Bali and $804 in La Romana. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $303 per month in Ubud, Bali and $266 in La Romana. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in La Romana, where all-in costs run around $804, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,438. In La Romana it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward La Romana – 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 La Romana. 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.