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: $1,393 in Buenos Aires versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,191 in Buenos Aires versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,988 in Buenos Aires versus $3,763 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Buenos Aires costs roughly 1% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Buenos Aires 4% above, Ubud, Bali 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.82 ARS 21.9K

$3.45 Rp 61.8K

329.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.1 ARS 88.8K

$32.34 Rp 579.0K

85.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.97 ARS 17.7K

$4.84 Rp 86.7K

147.31%

Cappuccino

$3.99 ARS 5,896

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

45.09%

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

$2.17 ARS 3,206

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

57.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 ARS 2,168

$0.75 Rp 13.4K

96.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.68 ARS 5,438

$2.99 Rp 53.6K

23.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ARS 5,759

$3.85 Rp 68.9K

1.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 ARS 2,371

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

-8.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 ARS 3,737

$2.46 Rp 44.0K

2.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 ARS 3,278

$1.17 Rp 20.9K

89.74%

Eggs

$3.17 ARS 4,681

$2.43 Rp 43.5K

30.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.03 ARS 17.8K

$14.50 Rp 259.7K

-17.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.84 ARS 11.6K

$4.35 Rp 77.9K

80.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.25 ARS 13.7K

$11.98 Rp 214.5K

-22.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 ARS 3,623

$3.72 Rp 66.6K

-34.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 ARS 3,011

$1.63 Rp 29.1K

25.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 ARS 1,931

$2.74 Rp 49.1K

-52.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.53 ARS 3,743

$2.24 Rp 40.1K

12.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 ARS 2,149

$1.92 Rp 34.3K

-24.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ARS 2,190

$2.28 Rp 40.7K

-35.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.79 ARS 2,642

$1.06 Rp 19.0K

68.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 ARS 2,141

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

101.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 ARS 4,695

$3.29 Rp 58.8K

-3.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.83 ARS 8,619

$23.19 Rp 415.3K

-74.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 ARS 3,276

$2.78 Rp 49.7K

-20.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 ARS 4,533

$2.73 Rp 48.9K

12.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 ARS 988

$0.27 Rp 4,768

148.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.26 ARS 24.0K

$8.11 Rp 145.1K

100.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 ARS 2,332

$0.48 Rp 8,643

229.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 ARS 1,266

$0.42 Rp 7,517

104.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 ARS 8,823

$6.22 Rp 111.4K

-4.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ARS 1,652

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

38.27%

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

$24.8K ARS 36.6M

$26.6K Rp 476.4M

-6.87%

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

$29.2K ARS 43.2M

$32.2K Rp 576.3M

-9.18%

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

$109 ARS 160.9K

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

39.03%

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

$21.47 ARS 31.7K

$4.07 Rp 72.8K

427.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.58 ARS 42.2K

$24.33 Rp 435.5K

17.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.73 ARS 61.6K

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

-57.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.77 ARS 17.4K

$6.34 Rp 113.4K

85.65%

Cinema Ticket

$9.25 ARS 13.7K

$3.99 Rp 71.4K

131.83%

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

$325 ARS 479.5K

$305 Rp 5.5M

6.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,275 ARS 7.8M

$6,642 Rp 118.9M

-20.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 ARS 165.0K

$54.1 Rp 969.3K

106.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$85.9 ARS 127.0K

$37.81 Rp 676.9K

127.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 ARS 181.5K

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

41.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 ARS 190.6K

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

68.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 ARS 970.3K

$992 Rp 17.8M

-33.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ARS 661.4K

$673 Rp 12.0M

-33.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,150 ARS 1.7M

$3,375 Rp 60.4M

-65.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$814 ARS 1.2M

$2,050 Rp 36.7M

-60.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,577 ARS 3.8M

$2,805 Rp 50.2M

-8.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,844 ARS 2.7M

$2,227 Rp 39.9M

-17.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$842 ARS 1.2M

$167 Rp 3.0M

404.07%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $657 in Buenos Aires and $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buenos Aires pays 404% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $60.0 in Buenos Aires vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $269 vs $297, 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 1% in total monthly costs ($1,393 vs $1,408 including rent). Buenos Aires is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 404% 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: $657 in Buenos Aires versus $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $325 in Buenos Aires versus $305 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,393 in Buenos Aires versus $1,408 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.

Expats usually find Buenos Aires gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.