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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,096 in Santo Domingo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,824 in Santo Domingo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,552 in Santo Domingo.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 29% more expensive than in Santo Domingo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Santo Domingo is 18% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Santo Domingo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.45 Rp 61.8K
$8.66 DOP 504
-60.16%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.34 Rp 578.5K
$50.9 DOP 2,961
-36.40%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.84 Rp 86.7K
$7.23 DOP 421
-33.06%
Cappuccino
$2.75 Rp 49.1K
$2.63 DOP 153
4.56%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 Rp 24.8K
$0.99 DOP 57.4
39.39%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.75 Rp 13.4K
$0.82 DOP 48.02
-8.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.99 Rp 53.5K
$2.57 DOP 150
16.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.85 Rp 68.9K
$4.99 DOP 291
-22.85%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Santo Domingo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 Rp 31.1K
$1.34 DOP 78.0
29.85%
White Bread (500g)
$2.46 Rp 44.0K
$1.71 DOP 99.6
43.86%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.17 Rp 20.9K
$1.50 DOP 87.4
-22.00%
Eggs
$2.43 Rp 43.5K
$2.27 DOP 132
7.05%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.50 Rp 259.5K
$7.18 DOP 418
101.95%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.35 Rp 77.8K
$6.29 DOP 366
-30.84%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.98 Rp 214.3K
$11.19 DOP 652
7.06%
Apples (1kg)
$3.72 Rp 66.5K
$3.21 DOP 187
15.89%
Banana (1kg)
$1.63 Rp 29.1K
$0.86 DOP 49.84
89.53%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.74 Rp 49.1K
$2.88 DOP 168
-4.86%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.24 Rp 40.1K
$1.93 DOP 112
16.06%
Potato (1kg)
$1.92 Rp 34.3K
$2.52 DOP 147
-23.81%
Onion (1kg)
$2.28 Rp 40.7K
$2.36 DOP 138
-3.39%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.06 Rp 19.0K
$1.09 DOP 63.5
-2.75%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 Rp 12.9K
$0.90 DOP 52.3
-20.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.29 Rp 58.8K
$5.78 DOP 337
-43.08%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.19 Rp 414.9K
$10.70 DOP 623
116.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.78 Rp 49.7K
$2.63 DOP 153
5.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.73 Rp 48.9K
$3.20 DOP 186
-14.69%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Santo Domingo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.27 Rp 4,765
$0.57 DOP 33.26
-52.63%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.11 Rp 145.0K
$68.7 DOP 4,000
-88.19%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.48 Rp 8,636
$3.36 DOP 196
-85.71%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.42 Rp 7,511
$2.19 DOP 128
-80.82%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.22 Rp 111.3K
$5.98 DOP 348
4.01%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.81 Rp 14.6K
$1.33 DOP 77.2
-39.10%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6K Rp 476.1M
$26.1K DOP 1.5M
1.83%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.2K Rp 575.9M
$32.3K DOP 1.9M
-0.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Santo Domingo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$78.4 Rp 1.4M
$75.6 DOP 4,403
3.64%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.07 Rp 72.8K
$25.29 DOP 1,473
-83.91%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.33 Rp 435.2K
$35.48 DOP 2,066
-31.43%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Santo Domingo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$98.6 Rp 1.8M
$36.45 DOP 2,123
170.53%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.34 Rp 113.3K
$14.32 DOP 834
-55.73%
Cinema Ticket
$3.99 Rp 71.3K
$6.76 DOP 394
-40.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Santo Domingo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$305 Rp 5.5M
$263 DOP 15.3K
15.90%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,642 Rp 118.8M
$8,020 DOP 467.1K
-17.18%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Santo Domingo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.1 Rp 968.6K
$60.3 DOP 3,513
-10.25%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.81 Rp 676.3K
$52.0 DOP 3,027
-27.25%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$86.8 Rp 1.6M
$96.9 DOP 5,641
-10.34%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$76.4 Rp 1.4M
$114 DOP 6,656
-33.19%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Santo Domingo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$992 Rp 17.7M
$564 DOP 32.9K
75.82%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$673 Rp 12.0M
$285 DOP 16.6K
135.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,375 Rp 60.4M
$1,175 DOP 68.4K
187.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,050 Rp 36.7M
$685 DOP 39.9K
199.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,805 Rp 50.2M
$2,168 DOP 126.2K
29.38%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,227 Rp 39.8M
$1,179 DOP 68.7K
88.90%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Santo Domingo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$167 Rp 3.0M
$621 DOP 36.2K
-73.12%
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: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $564 in Santo Domingo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santo Domingo pays 272% 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 $51.0 in Santo Domingo. Groceries flip the comparison at $297 vs $243, with Santo Domingo 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: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Ubud, Bali and in Santo Domingo?
Ubud, Bali and Santo Domingo differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($1,408 vs $1,096 including rent). Santo Domingo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 272% lower in Santo Domingo. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Ubud, Bali and in Santo Domingo?
Rent for a central apartment: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $564 in Santo Domingo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Santo Domingo – a meal for two runs $51.0 versus $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Ubud, Bali or Santo Domingo?
All in, you'll spend $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,096 in Santo Domingo – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,096 in Santo Domingo versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Santo Domingo but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Santo Domingo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Ubud, Bali and Santo Domingo?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Ubud, Bali or Santo Domingo safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Santo Domingo are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Ubud, Bali or Santo Domingo?
Expats usually find Santo Domingo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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