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 $1,395 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $842 in Puerto Plata, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,559 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,297 in Puerto Plata, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,724 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,753 in Puerto Plata, rent included.

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

Ubud, Bali sits 4% above the global median, while Puerto Plata is 38% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.48 Rp 59.7K

$4.96 DOP 297

-29.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.88 Rp 564.0K

$37.96 DOP 2,276

-13.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.09 Rp 87.3K

$7.54 DOP 452

-32.49%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 47.1K

$1.30 DOP 77.7

111.54%

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

$1.38 Rp 23.7K

$0.90 DOP 54.2

53.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Rp 12.2K

$0.67 DOP 40.39

5.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 Rp 49.4K

$2.44 DOP 146

18.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.87 Rp 66.4K

$3.77 DOP 226

2.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 Rp 30.7K

$1.04 DOP 62.3

72.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 42.0K

$1.74 DOP 104

40.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 Rp 20.7K

$0.99 DOP 59.1

22.22%

Eggs

$2.39 Rp 40.9K

$1.45 DOP 86.7

64.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.70 Rp 252.1K

$3.02 DOP 181

386.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.24 Rp 72.7K

$4.31 DOP 259

-1.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.08 Rp 207.1K

$3.64 DOP 218

231.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 Rp 62.9K

$3.23 DOP 194

13.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.6K

$0.86 DOP 51.7

87.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 Rp 46.6K

$2.91 DOP 174

-6.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 Rp 39.0K

$1.99 DOP 119

14.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 32.6K

$1.84 DOP 111

3.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 Rp 39.4K

$2.38 DOP 142

-3.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 Rp 17.4K

$1.10 DOP 65.7

-7.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.4K

$0.17 DOP 10.42

358.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.24 Rp 55.7K

$3.42 DOP 205

-5.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.06 Rp 412.7K

$8.51 DOP 510

182.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 Rp 48.7K

$2.62 DOP 157

8.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 47.8K

$3.19 DOP 191

-12.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,610

$0.49 DOP 29.10

-44.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.24 Rp 141.4K

$30.72 DOP 1,841

-73.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,708

$3.46 DOP 207

-86.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,305

$2.21 DOP 132

-80.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.02 Rp 103.3K

$2.51 DOP 151

139.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 14.7K

$1.26 DOP 75.7

-31.75%

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

$26.1K Rp 447.1M

$26.4K DOP 1.6M

-1.31%

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

$31.7K Rp 543.7M

$31.1K DOP 1.9M

1.82%

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

$78.3 Rp 1.3M

$51.3 DOP 3,077

52.65%

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

$4.00 Rp 68.5K

$25.00 DOP 1,499

-84.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.35 Rp 417.7K

$35.61 DOP 2,135

-31.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.8 Rp 1.6M

$8.66 DOP 519

1005.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.46 Rp 110.7K

$8.54 DOP 512

-24.36%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 68.7K

$4.84 DOP 290

-17.15%

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

$302 Rp 5.2M

$268 DOP 16.1K

12.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,545 Rp 112.3M

$1,025 DOP 61.4K

538.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 916.3K

$46.69 DOP 2,799

14.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.55 Rp 661.2K

$42.88 DOP 2,571

-10.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.1 Rp 1.5M

$87.8 DOP 5,263

1.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$64.6 DOP 3,870

22.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,016 Rp 17.4M

$352 DOP 21.1K

188.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$672 Rp 11.5M

$267 DOP 16.0K

152.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,368 Rp 57.8M

$812 DOP 48.7K

314.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,108 Rp 36.2M

$414 DOP 24.8K

408.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,001 Rp 51.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,337 Rp 40.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$178 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: April 12, 2026

Last update for Puerto Plata: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,016 in Ubud, Bali versus $352 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 $33 in Ubud, Bali versus $38 in Puerto Plata. Groceries tell a different story – $300 in Ubud, Bali vs $175 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 $2,092 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,262 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 273% less in Puerto Plata. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $302 per month in Ubud, Bali and $268 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 $842, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,395. 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.