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: $1,632 in Buenos Aires versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,712 in Buenos Aires versus $2,334 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,793 in Buenos Aires versus $3,273 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Buenos Aires is roughly 17% more expensive than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Buenos Aires 19% above, Ubud, Bali 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.34 ARS 29.2K

$3.37 Rp 59.5K

473.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.9 ARS 106.9K

$38.59 Rp 680.3K

83.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.81 ARS 19.3K

$5.52 Rp 97.3K

132.07%

Cappuccino

$4.00 ARS 6,028

$2.64 Rp 46.6K

51.52%

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

$2.06 ARS 3,106

$1.67 Rp 29.5K

23.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ARS 2,493

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

114.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.67 ARS 5,532

$2.63 Rp 46.4K

39.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 ARS 6,687

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

3.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 ARS 2,164

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

-7.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.51 ARS 3,779

$2.22 Rp 39.2K

13.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 ARS 2,278

$1.13 Rp 19.8K

33.63%

Eggs

$2.71 ARS 4,092

$2.09 Rp 36.8K

29.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.12 ARS 15.3K

$17.39 Rp 306.6K

-41.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.98 ARS 15.1K

$3.87 Rp 68.2K

157.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.85 ARS 20.9K

$12.55 Rp 221.2K

10.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.74 ARS 4,134

$3.62 Rp 63.8K

-24.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 ARS 3,033

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

28.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 ARS 2,055

$2.35 Rp 41.5K

-42.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 ARS 3,188

$2.06 Rp 36.2K

2.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 ARS 1,727

$1.90 Rp 33.5K

-40.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ARS 1,745

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

-50.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.75 ARS 2,638

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

69.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ARS 2,620

$0.55 Rp 9,779

216.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 ARS 6,574

$2.25 Rp 39.7K

93.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 ARS 8,558

$23.81 Rp 419.7K

-76.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 ARS 3,161

$2.31 Rp 40.8K

-9.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ARS 4,046

$2.80 Rp 49.4K

-4.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 ARS 1,124

$0.27 Rp 4,802

177.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.38 ARS 41.3K

$8.66 Rp 152.7K

216.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.56 ARS 2,352

$0.48 Rp 8,489

225.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 ARS 1,483

$0.45 Rp 7,863

117.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.59 ARS 11.4K

$5.72 Rp 100.8K

32.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ARS 2,035

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

77.63%

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

$28.8K ARS 43.5M

$24.5K Rp 431.6M

17.78%

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

$33.2K ARS 50.0M

$32.1K Rp 566.3M

3.24%

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

$208 ARS 313.6K

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

148.81%

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

$24.04 ARS 36.3K

$6.46 Rp 113.8K

272.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.70 ARS 46.3K

$18.99 Rp 334.8K

61.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.9 ARS 76.7K

$56.0 Rp 986.8K

-9.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.96 ARS 25.6K

$18.62 Rp 328.2K

-8.92%

Cinema Ticket

$10.94 ARS 16.5K

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

155.61%

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

$461 ARS 695.1K

$487 Rp 8.6M

-5.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,744 ARS 13.2M

$5,856 Rp 103.2M

49.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$114 ARS 171.3K

$45.56 Rp 803.2K

149.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$93.6 ARS 141.2K

$36.38 Rp 641.4K

157.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ARS 177.4K

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

43.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 ARS 205.6K

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

69.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$735 ARS 1.1M

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

-34.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$514 ARS 774.9K

$701 Rp 12.4M

-26.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,680 ARS 2.5M

$3,537 Rp 62.4M

-52.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 ARS 2.0M

$1,762 Rp 31.1M

-26.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,679 ARS 4.0M

$2,826 Rp 49.8M

-5.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,895 ARS 2.9M

$2,292 Rp 40.4M

-17.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$901 ARS 1.4M

$170 Rp 3.0M

430.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

56.56

13.78

310.45%

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

Last update for Buenos Aires: August 30, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $735 in Buenos Aires and $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buenos Aires pays 431% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $71.0 in Buenos Aires vs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $281 vs $293, 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 and Ubud, Bali differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($1,632 vs $1,396 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 431% higher in Buenos Aires, 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: $735 in Buenos Aires versus $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $461 in Buenos Aires versus $487 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Buenos Aires pay roughly 4% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,396 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,632 in Buenos Aires, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Buenos Aires. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali 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.

Expats usually find Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Buenos Aires. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.