Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Santo Domingo Este Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Santo Domingo Este

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $792 in Santo Domingo Este.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,354 in Santo Domingo Este.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,916 in Santo Domingo Este.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 78% more expensive than in Santo Domingo Este, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Santo Domingo Este is 41% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$8.60 DOP 501

-59.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$43.02 DOP 2,506

-24.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$7.59 DOP 442

-36.23%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$1.28 DOP 74.3

114.84%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$1.00 DOP 58.2

38.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.50 DOP 29.12

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$2.57 DOP 150

16.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

$3.44 DOP 201

11.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$1.22 DOP 71.2

42.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$1.71 DOP 99.5

43.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.57 DOP 91.7

-25.48%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$1.69 DOP 98.7

43.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$7.28 DOP 424

99.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$3.62 DOP 211

20.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$6.66 DOP 388

79.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$3.31 DOP 193

12.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$0.74 DOP 42.93

120.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$1.93 DOP 112

41.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$1.33 DOP 77.4

68.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$0.94 DOP 54.8

104.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$1.75 DOP 102

30.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.10 DOP 63.9

-3.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.90 DOP 52.7

-20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$5.70 DOP 332

-42.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

$10.80 DOP 629

114.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$1.66 DOP 96.9

67.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$2.36 DOP 137

15.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$0.82 DOP 48.00

-67.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

$33.34 DOP 1,942

-75.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$3.42 DOP 199

-85.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$2.12 DOP 123

-80.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$6.07 DOP 353

2.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.23 DOP 71.5

-34.15%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$27.0K DOP 1.6M

-1.32%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$31.3K DOP 1.8M

2.96%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$40.76 DOP 2,375

92.22%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$17.60 DOP 1,025

-76.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$35.67 DOP 2,078

-31.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$28.03 DOP 1,633

251.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

$8.44 DOP 492

-24.88%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$5.89 DOP 343

-32.26%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$268 DOP 15.6K

13.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$5,898 DOP 343.6K

12.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$41.90 DOP 2,441

29.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$51.1 DOP 2,976

-26.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$65.9 DOP 3,840

31.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$58.7 DOP 3,421

30.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$454 DOP 26.5K

118.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$169 DOP 9,825

298.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

$1,070 DOP 62.3K

215.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$473 DOP 27.5K

333.51%

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

$599 DOP 34.9K

-72.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

12.9

2.95%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Santo Domingo Este: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $454 in Santo Domingo Este. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santo Domingo Este pays 259% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $43.00 in Santo Domingo Este. Groceries flip the comparison at $297 vs $194, with Santo Domingo Este cheaper for home cooking.

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 Santo Domingo Este: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santo Domingo Este wins on cost – living expenses run 78% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Santo Domingo Este the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 259% lower in Santo Domingo Este. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $454 in Santo Domingo Este. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Santo Domingo Este runs roughly 311% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $305 in Ubud, Bali versus $268 in Santo Domingo Este. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $792 in Santo Domingo Este versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Santo Domingo Este but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Santo Domingo Este the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Santo Domingo Este delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $792 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Santo Domingo Este hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Santo Domingo Este are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Santo Domingo Este gentler on the wallet – expenses run 78% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.