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 $1,404 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $816 in La Romana, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,549 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,450 in La Romana, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,694 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,084 in La Romana, rent included.

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

Ubud, Bali sits 4% 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 64.0K

$8.45 DOP 495

-57.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$51.8 DOP 3,036

-37.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$7.22 DOP 423

-32.69%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$2.63 DOP 154

4.56%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$0.99 DOP 57.7

33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.40 DOP 23.31

75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$2.52 DOP 148

15.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$5.17 DOP 303

-26.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$1.08 DOP 63.3

58.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$1.79 DOP 105

37.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$1.58 DOP 92.3

-24.05%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$2.19 DOP 129

11.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$7.23 DOP 423

98.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$5.11 DOP 299

-15.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$5.11 DOP 300

138.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$3.32 DOP 194

10.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$0.92 DOP 53.8

68.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$2.96 DOP 173

-5.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$1.95 DOP 114

19.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$2.55 DOP 149

-22.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$2.37 DOP 139

-2.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.14 DOP 66.7

-7.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$0.89 DOP 52.0

-17.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$5.28 DOP 309

-37.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$16.84 DOP 986

35.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$2.64 DOP 155

6.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$3.09 DOP 181

-10.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$3.50 DOP 205

-87.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$2.21 DOP 130

-79.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$6.02 DOP 353

3.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$1.26 DOP 74.0

-32.54%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$26.1K DOP 1.5M

-0.33%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$32.2K DOP 1.9M

-1.66%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$68.9 DOP 4,037

17.16%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$18.00 DOP 1,055

-77.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$34.32 DOP 2,011

-28.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$6.76 DOP 396

-40.24%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$263 DOP 15.4K

15.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$8,092 DOP 474.0K

-18.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$59.7 DOP 3,496

-9.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$51.4 DOP 3,010

-24.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$96.5 DOP 5,650

-10.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$115 DOP 6,708

-33.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$207 DOP 12.1K

375.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

$137 DOP 8,015

380.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

$425 DOP 24.9K

692.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

$512 DOP 30.0K

303.53%

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

11.5

15.48%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Last update for La Romana: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $207 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 $52.0 in La Romana. Groceries tell a different story – $297 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 $2,106 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,224 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 $1,404 in Ubud, Bali and $816 in La Romana. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $304 per month in Ubud, Bali and $263 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 $816, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,404. 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.