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 $1,392 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $811 in La Romana, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,557 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,441 in La Romana, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,723 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,070 in La Romana, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 72% more than La Romana, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while La Romana is 39% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

$8.66 DOP 503

-58.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

$51.8 DOP 3,013

-37.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

$7.32 DOP 425

-31.56%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

$2.70 DOP 157

4.44%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$1.03 DOP 59.9

31.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.39 DOP 22.89

87.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$2.53 DOP 147

15.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

$5.16 DOP 300

-23.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$1.08 DOP 62.9

64.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

$1.74 DOP 101

40.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$1.57 DOP 91.1

-26.75%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$2.19 DOP 127

10.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

$7.09 DOP 412

102.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$5.13 DOP 298

-18.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

$5.07 DOP 295

137.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

$3.30 DOP 192

10.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$0.87 DOP 50.7

80.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$2.87 DOP 167

-2.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$2.01 DOP 117

11.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$2.45 DOP 142

-19.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$2.29 DOP 133

-0.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$1.09 DOP 63.1

-3.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.95 DOP 55.4

-16.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

$5.18 DOP 301

-38.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

$17.16 DOP 997

36.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

$2.71 DOP 157

7.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

$3.24 DOP 189

-14.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,167

$3.32 DOP 193

-86.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,298

$2.18 DOP 127

-78.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

$5.78 DOP 336

5.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$1.32 DOP 76.7

-34.85%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

$26.9K DOP 1.6M

-1.11%

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

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

$32.1K DOP 1.9M

1.50%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$68.9 DOP 4,005

14.67%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

$17.98 DOP 1,045

-77.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

$34.46 DOP 2,002

-30.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

$6.83 DOP 397

-41.29%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$266 DOP 15.4K

11.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

$8,155 DOP 473.9K

-19.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

$59.0 DOP 3,428

-9.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

$51.0 DOP 2,963

-25.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$95.6 DOP 5,555

-7.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$115 DOP 6,662

-33.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$205 DOP 11.9K

397.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

$138 DOP 7,994

394.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

$429 DOP 25.0K

707.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

$501 DOP 29.1K

316.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 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: July 28, 2026

Last update for La Romana: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $205 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $52.0 in La Romana. Groceries tell a different story – $298 in Ubud, Bali vs $231 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 72%, 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 $2,088 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,217 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 $1,392 in Ubud, Bali and $811 in La Romana. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $297 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 $811, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,392. 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.