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: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,090 in Santo Domingo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,825 in Santo Domingo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,559 in Santo Domingo.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 30% more expensive than Santo Domingo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Santo Domingo is 19% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

$8.65 DOP 505

-58.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

$50.1 DOP 2,922

-34.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

$7.18 DOP 419

-31.06%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$2.73 DOP 159

-0.73%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

$0.99 DOP 58.0

35.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.83 DOP 48.30

-15.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

$2.60 DOP 152

12.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

$5.10 DOP 298

-22.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$1.40 DOP 81.4

29.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$1.80 DOP 105

40.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$1.52 DOP 88.6

-23.68%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$2.26 DOP 132

8.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

$7.33 DOP 428

100.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

$6.43 DOP 375

-32.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

$10.86 DOP 633

11.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

$3.34 DOP 195

14.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

$0.91 DOP 53.0

71.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$2.96 DOP 173

-4.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$1.99 DOP 116

17.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

$2.43 DOP 142

-21.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$2.33 DOP 136

-5.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$1.13 DOP 65.9

-10.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$0.89 DOP 51.8

-12.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

$5.74 DOP 335

-42.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

$10.80 DOP 630

119.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

$2.66 DOP 155

4.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

$3.23 DOP 189

-11.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,800

$0.57 DOP 33.23

-52.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

$67.9 DOP 3,962

-88.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,150

$3.33 DOP 194

-86.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,037

$2.13 DOP 124

-78.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

$5.79 DOP 338

5.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.33 DOP 77.7

-40.60%

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

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

$26.2K DOP 1.5M

-0.11%

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

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

$31.2K DOP 1.8M

3.04%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$77.6 DOP 4,527

3.00%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

$25.52 DOP 1,488

-84.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

$35.50 DOP 2,071

-33.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$35.44 DOP 2,067

178.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

$14.29 DOP 834

-53.60%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

$6.88 DOP 402

-39.68%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$271 DOP 15.8K

12.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

$8,089 DOP 471.9K

-18.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

$60.3 DOP 3,519

-7.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

$52.0 DOP 3,031

-26.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$96.0 DOP 5,600

-7.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$115 DOP 6,728

-32.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$562 DOP 32.8K

79.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$289 DOP 16.9K

133.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

$1,192 DOP 69.5K

188.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

$676 DOP 39.4K

201.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

$2,192 DOP 127.9K

29.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

$1,219 DOP 71.1K

85.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$638 DOP 37.2K

-74.09%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Santo Domingo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $562 in Santo Domingo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santo Domingo pays 286% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $50.0 in Santo Domingo. Groceries flip the comparison at $302 vs $246, 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

Ubud, Bali and Santo Domingo differ by about 30% in total monthly costs ($1,419 vs $1,090 including rent). Santo Domingo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Santo Domingo earns 286% less. 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: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $562 in Santo Domingo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Santo Domingo – a meal for two runs $50.0 versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,090 in Santo Domingo – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,090 in Santo Domingo versus $1,419 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.

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.

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.

Expats usually find Santo Domingo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.