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 $1,396 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $836 in Puerto Plata, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,299 in Puerto Plata, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,273 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,761 in Puerto Plata, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 67% more than Puerto Plata, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 2% above the global median, while Puerto Plata is 39% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 Rp 59.5K

$6.10 DOP 360

-44.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 680.4K

$38.74 DOP 2,286

-0.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 Rp 97.3K

$6.91 DOP 408

-20.12%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.6K

$1.24 DOP 73.0

112.90%

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

$1.67 Rp 29.5K

$0.50 DOP 29.47

234.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.64 DOP 37.53

20.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.4K

$2.51 DOP 148

4.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$3.38 DOP 199

26.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

$1.29 DOP 75.9

20.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.2K

$1.57 DOP 92.8

41.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 19.8K

$0.71 DOP 42.07

59.15%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 36.8K

$1.43 DOP 84.4

46.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 306.7K

$4.51 DOP 266

285.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.2K

$3.89 DOP 230

-0.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 221.3K

$3.42 DOP 202

266.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.8K

$1.33 DOP 78.5

172.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

$0.65 DOP 38.34

140.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.5K

$0.84 DOP 49.50

179.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.2K

$0.70 DOP 41.03

194.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.5K

$0.65 DOP 38.12

192.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$0.89 DOP 52.6

162.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

$0.62 DOP 36.61

66.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,781

$0.98 DOP 57.8

-43.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 39.7K

$2.51 DOP 148

-10.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 419.8K

$8.71 DOP 514

173.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 40.8K

$2.31 DOP 136

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.4K

$3.07 DOP 181

-8.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,803

$1.05 DOP 61.8

-74.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 152.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,490

$3.47 DOP 205

-86.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,865

$2.33 DOP 137

-80.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 100.8K

$5.78 DOP 341

-1.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$1.23 DOP 72.4

-38.21%

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

$24.5K Rp 431.7M

$24.0K DOP 1.4M

2.18%

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

$32.1K Rp 566.4M

$34.7K DOP 2.0M

-7.48%

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$93.3 DOP 5,501

-10.40%

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

$6.46 Rp 113.8K

$17.30 DOP 1,021

-62.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 334.9K

$37.20 DOP 2,195

-48.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 987.0K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 328.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$7.65 DOP 452

-44.05%

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

$255 DOP 15.1K

90.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 103.3M

$7,105 DOP 419.2K

-17.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 Rp 803.3K

$18.45 DOP 1,088

146.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 Rp 641.5K

$13.35 DOP 788

172.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

$87.5 DOP 5,164

-6.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$126 DOP 7,444

-36.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

$419 DOP 24.7K

166.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Rp 12.4M

$298 DOP 17.6K

135.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.4M

$1,010 DOP 59.6K

250.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 Rp 31.1M

$552 DOP 32.6K

219.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 49.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

13.56

1.62%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for Puerto Plata: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,117 in Ubud, Bali versus $419 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 $39.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $39.00 in Puerto Plata. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Ubud, Bali vs $151 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 67%, 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 $2,095 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,255 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali and $39.00 in Puerto Plata. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 94% more in Ubud, Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Puerto Plata, where all-in costs run around $836, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,396. 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.