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 $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $830 in Puerto Plata, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,540 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,281 in Puerto Plata, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,660 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,733 in Puerto Plata, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 71% more than Puerto Plata, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 6% above the global median, while Puerto Plata is 38% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 64.3K

$5.00 DOP 291

-28.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 590.3K

$37.71 DOP 2,195

-13.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 89.2K

$7.28 DOP 424

-32.01%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.9K

$1.31 DOP 76.1

106.87%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.2K

$0.89 DOP 51.9

50.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.72 DOP 42.12

-2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.7K

$2.41 DOP 141

21.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 71.4K

$3.90 DOP 227

1.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.6K

$0.99 DOP 57.7

82.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.4K

$1.81 DOP 105

39.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.9K

$1.04 DOP 60.5

11.54%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.4K

$1.41 DOP 82.2

74.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 265.3K

$3.06 DOP 178

380.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.9K

$4.15 DOP 242

4.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 218.9K

$3.71 DOP 216

227.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 69.3K

$3.34 DOP 195

14.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

$0.93 DOP 53.9

67.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 51.1K

$2.93 DOP 171

-3.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.9K

$1.96 DOP 114

18.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.5K

$1.89 DOP 110

1.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.7K

$2.36 DOP 137

-6.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.3K

$1.13 DOP 65.6

-10.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 14.0K

$0.15 DOP 8.71

420.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.8K

$3.36 DOP 195

-1.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 428.0K

$8.35 DOP 486

184.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$2.63 DOP 153

6.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.6K

$3.17 DOP 184

-9.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,848

$0.50 DOP 28.90

-46.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 144.8K

$30.04 DOP 1,749

-73.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,230

$3.30 DOP 192

-86.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,116

$2.12 DOP 123

-78.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.9K

$2.51 DOP 146

143.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

$1.26 DOP 73.5

-37.30%

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

$26.1K Rp 471.6M

$26.6K DOP 1.5M

-1.73%

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

$32.1K Rp 579.2M

$31.2K DOP 1.8M

2.87%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$51.6 DOP 3,004

54.89%

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

$4.06 Rp 73.3K

$24.92 DOP 1,451

-83.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 424.1K

$36.22 DOP 2,109

-35.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$8.34 DOP 485

1083.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 119.6K

$8.60 DOP 500

-22.91%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.8K

$4.69 DOP 273

-11.51%

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

$304 Rp 5.5M

$269 DOP 15.7K

12.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 119.3M

$1,037 DOP 60.4K

537.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 1.0M

$45.63 DOP 2,656

21.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 690.9K

$44.35 DOP 2,581

-13.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$87.6 DOP 5,096

1.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$62.6 DOP 3,644

24.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.1M

$354 DOP 20.6K

184.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.2M

$276 DOP 16.0K

144.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 62.1M

$825 DOP 48.0K

317.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.8M

$416 DOP 24.2K

390.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 51.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.8M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Puerto Plata: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $354 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $38.00 in Puerto Plata. Groceries tell a different story – $302 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 71%, 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 $2,129 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,245 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 274% less in Puerto Plata. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $304 per month in Ubud, Bali and $269 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 $830, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,419. 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.