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: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,139 in Santo Domingo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,775 in Santo Domingo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,410 in Santo Domingo.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 20% more expensive than in Santo Domingo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Santo Domingo is 17% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$10.24 DOP 601

-66.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$51.7 DOP 3,036

-29.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$7.58 DOP 445

-24.67%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$2.46 DOP 144

8.54%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$1.12 DOP 66.0

56.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$0.63 DOP 37.29

38.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$2.47 DOP 145

19.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$3.46 DOP 204

30.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.39 DOP 81.8

16.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.56 DOP 91.9

49.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$1.67 DOP 98.0

-33.53%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$2.41 DOP 142

-8.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

$7.61 DOP 447

132.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

$5.55 DOP 326

-26.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

$6.63 DOP 390

83.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$3.24 DOP 190

14.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$0.81 DOP 47.34

96.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$2.82 DOP 166

-19.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$1.84 DOP 108

5.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$2.02 DOP 119

-5.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$2.29 DOP 134

1.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$1.06 DOP 62.0

-4.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$1.02 DOP 59.7

-46.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$5.37 DOP 315

-58.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

$10.49 DOP 616

119.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

$2.60 DOP 153

-6.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

$3.08 DOP 181

-2.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

$0.61 DOP 36.10

-55.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

$18.37 DOP 1,080

-51.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$3.30 DOP 194

-85.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

$2.35 DOP 138

-81.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

$5.79 DOP 340

-2.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.36 DOP 80.1

-41.18%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

$24.1K DOP 1.4M

3.52%

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

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

$34.5K DOP 2.0M

-8.06%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$95.1 DOP 5,591

-14.38%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$32.26 DOP 1,896

-79.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$36.76 DOP 2,160

-48.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$30.52 DOP 1,793

86.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

$24.61 DOP 1,446

-23.89%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$7.72 DOP 454

-41.19%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$263 DOP 15.4K

82.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

$7,446 DOP 437.5K

-23.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

$46.94 DOP 2,758

-3.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

$48.16 DOP 2,830

-25.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$87.4 DOP 5,133

-7.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$128 DOP 7,534

-38.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$727 DOP 42.7K

53.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$359 DOP 21.1K

94.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

$1,460 DOP 85.8K

149.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$634 DOP 37.3K

173.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

$2,204 DOP 129.5K

26.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

$1,204 DOP 70.7K

90.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$606 DOP 35.6K

-72.29%

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: September 14, 2026

Last update for Santo Domingo: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $727 in Santo Domingo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santo Domingo pays 261% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $52.0 in Santo Domingo. Groceries flip the comparison at $295 vs $225, 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 20% in total monthly costs ($1,368 vs $1,139 including rent). Santo Domingo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 261% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $727 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 $52.0 versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,139 in Santo Domingo – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,139 in Santo Domingo versus $1,368 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 20% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.