Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Puerto Plata Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Puerto Plata

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $850 in Puerto Plata, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,285 in Puerto Plata, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,763 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,721 in Puerto Plata, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 66% more than Puerto Plata, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Puerto Plata is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$5.00 DOP 291

-31.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$37.64 DOP 2,193

-14.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$7.33 DOP 427

-33.97%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$1.34 DOP 77.9

105.22%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$0.97 DOP 56.4

42.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.72 DOP 41.95

4.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$2.33 DOP 136

28.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

$3.87 DOP 225

-0.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$0.99 DOP 57.8

75.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$1.78 DOP 103

38.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$0.99 DOP 57.7

18.18%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$1.46 DOP 85.3

66.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$3.06 DOP 178

373.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$4.28 DOP 250

1.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$3.84 DOP 223

211.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$3.18 DOP 185

16.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$0.92 DOP 53.8

77.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$2.90 DOP 169

-5.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$1.94 DOP 113

15.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$1.92 DOP 112

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$2.40 DOP 140

-5.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.13 DOP 65.8

-6.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.17 DOP 10.17

323.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$3.49 DOP 203

-5.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

$8.38 DOP 488

176.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$2.63 DOP 153

5.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$3.27 DOP 191

-16.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$0.53 DOP 30.79

-49.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

$30.79 DOP 1,793

-73.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$3.30 DOP 192

-85.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$2.11 DOP 123

-80.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$2.53 DOP 147

145.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.26 DOP 73.3

-35.71%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$26.1K DOP 1.5M

2.02%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$31.3K DOP 1.8M

2.78%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$50.2 DOP 2,921

56.23%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$25.73 DOP 1,499

-84.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$36.07 DOP 2,101

-32.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$8.38 DOP 488

1076.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

$8.34 DOP 486

-23.98%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$4.89 DOP 285

-18.40%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$263 DOP 15.3K

16.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$1,031 DOP 60.0K

544.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$46.63 DOP 2,716

16.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$44.15 DOP 2,572

-14.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$89.4 DOP 5,206

-2.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$64.1 DOP 3,731

19.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$344 DOP 20.0K

188.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$271 DOP 15.8K

147.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

$823 DOP 47.9K

310.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$408 DOP 23.8K

402.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

7.15

85.73%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Puerto Plata: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $344 in Puerto Plata. 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 $38.00 in Puerto Plata. Groceries tell a different story – $297 in Ubud, Bali vs $176 in Puerto Plata – so Puerto Plata 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 Puerto Plata: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 66%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,112 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,275 in Puerto Plata. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Puerto Plata, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 280% less in Puerto Plata. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Ubud, Bali and $263 in Puerto Plata. 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 Puerto Plata, where all-in costs run around $850, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,408. In Puerto Plata it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Puerto Plata – 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 Puerto Plata. 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.