Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenos Aires and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenos Aires and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,412 in Buenos Aires versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,197 in Buenos Aires versus $2,540 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,982 in Buenos Aires versus $3,660 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs are close between Buenos Aires and Ubud, Bali; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Buenos Aires 5% above, Ubud, Bali 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.09 ARS 21.7K

$3.56 Rp 64.2K

323.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.7 ARS 87.4K

$32.73 Rp 589.7K

85.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.89 ARS 17.1K

$4.95 Rp 89.2K

140.20%

Cappuccino

$4.01 ARS 5,777

$2.71 Rp 48.9K

47.97%

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

$2.09 ARS 3,005

$1.34 Rp 24.2K

55.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 ARS 2,135

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

111.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.58 ARS 5,161

$2.92 Rp 52.6K

22.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 ARS 5,873

$3.96 Rp 71.3K

3.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 ARS 2,298

$1.81 Rp 32.6K

-11.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 ARS 3,639

$2.52 Rp 45.3K

0.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 ARS 3,291

$1.16 Rp 20.9K

96.55%

Eggs

$3.32 ARS 4,785

$2.46 Rp 44.3K

34.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.15 ARS 17.5K

$14.71 Rp 265.1K

-17.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 ARS 11.3K

$4.32 Rp 77.8K

81.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.66 ARS 13.9K

$12.14 Rp 218.6K

-20.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.49 ARS 3,582

$3.84 Rp 69.2K

-35.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 ARS 2,966

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

32.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 ARS 1,822

$2.83 Rp 51.1K

-55.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 ARS 3,667

$2.33 Rp 41.9K

9.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 ARS 2,147

$1.91 Rp 34.5K

-21.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 ARS 2,114

$2.20 Rp 39.7K

-33.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 ARS 2,653

$1.01 Rp 18.3K

82.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 ARS 2,079

$0.78 Rp 14.0K

84.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.27 ARS 4,716

$3.32 Rp 59.7K

-1.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 ARS 8,280

$23.74 Rp 427.6K

-75.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 ARS 3,233

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

-19.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ARS 4,610

$2.86 Rp 51.6K

11.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 ARS 1,036

$0.27 Rp 4,842

166.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.12 ARS 23.2K

$8.03 Rp 144.6K

100.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.65 ARS 2,370

$0.46 Rp 8,222

258.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 ARS 1,306

$0.45 Rp 8,108

102.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.93 ARS 8,544

$6.10 Rp 109.8K

-2.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ARS 1,600

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

40.51%

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

$24.6K ARS 35.4M

$26.1K Rp 471.1M

-6.07%

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

$28.8K ARS 41.5M

$32.1K Rp 578.6M

-10.31%

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

$109 ARS 157.1K

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

36.44%

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

$21.60 ARS 31.1K

$4.06 Rp 73.2K

432.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.00 ARS 41.8K

$23.52 Rp 423.7K

23.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.80 ARS 61.7K

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

-56.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.76 ARS 16.9K

$6.63 Rp 119.4K

77.38%

Cinema Ticket

$9.01 ARS 13.0K

$4.15 Rp 74.7K

117.11%

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

$324 ARS 466.7K

$304 Rp 5.5M

6.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,180 ARS 7.5M

$6,613 Rp 119.1M

-21.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 ARS 156.4K

$55.5 Rp 1.0M

95.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$86.8 ARS 125.0K

$38.31 Rp 690.1K

126.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 ARS 178.1K

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

39.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 ARS 191.2K

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

70.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$658 ARS 948.2K

$1,006 Rp 18.1M

-34.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$447 ARS 644.5K

$675 Rp 12.2M

-33.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,155 ARS 1.7M

$3,442 Rp 62.0M

-66.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$811 ARS 1.2M

$2,039 Rp 36.7M

-60.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,627 ARS 3.8M

$2,841 Rp 51.2M

-7.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,830 ARS 2.6M

$2,264 Rp 40.8M

-19.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$820 ARS 1.2M

$165 Rp 3.0M

395.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

52.71

13.28

296.91%

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

Last update for Buenos Aires: June 1, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $658 in Buenos Aires and $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buenos Aires pays 396% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $61.0 in Buenos Aires vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $272 vs $302, with Buenos Aires 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

Buenos Aires vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Buenos Aires pays 396% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $658 in Buenos Aires versus $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $324 in Buenos Aires versus $304 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Buenos Aires – a meal for two runs $61.0 versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,412 in Buenos Aires versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Buenos Aires but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Buenos Aires 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, Buenos Aires and Ubud, Bali are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Buenos Aires wins on affordability, Ubud, Bali on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.