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: $1,392 in Buenos Aires versus $1,395 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,230 in Buenos Aires versus $2,559 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,068 in Buenos Aires versus $3,724 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 3% above, Ubud, Bali 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.18 ARS 20.8K

$3.48 Rp 59.7K

336.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.9 ARS 82.2K

$32.88 Rp 563.4K

82.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.81 ARS 16.2K

$5.09 Rp 87.2K

132.02%

Cappuccino

$4.03 ARS 5,533

$2.75 Rp 47.1K

46.55%

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

$2.10 ARS 2,885

$1.38 Rp 23.7K

52.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 ARS 2,102

$0.71 Rp 12.2K

115.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.66 ARS 5,031

$2.88 Rp 49.3K

27.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 ARS 5,507

$3.87 Rp 66.3K

3.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 ARS 2,193

$1.79 Rp 30.7K

-10.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 ARS 3,351

$2.45 Rp 41.9K

-0.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 ARS 3,035

$1.21 Rp 20.7K

82.64%

Eggs

$3.20 ARS 4,392

$2.39 Rp 40.9K

33.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.98 ARS 16.5K

$14.70 Rp 251.9K

-18.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.08 ARS 11.1K

$4.24 Rp 72.7K

90.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ARS 12.8K

$12.08 Rp 206.9K

-22.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 ARS 3,375

$3.66 Rp 62.8K

-32.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 ARS 2,808

$1.61 Rp 27.5K

27.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 ARS 1,805

$2.72 Rp 46.6K

-51.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 ARS 3,454

$2.27 Rp 38.9K

11.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 ARS 1,964

$1.90 Rp 32.6K

-24.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ARS 2,005

$2.30 Rp 39.4K

-36.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.85 ARS 2,538

$1.02 Rp 17.4K

81.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 ARS 1,962

$0.78 Rp 13.3K

83.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 ARS 4,518

$3.24 Rp 55.6K

1.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.59 ARS 9,042

$24.06 Rp 412.3K

-72.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 ARS 3,032

$2.84 Rp 48.7K

-22.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 ARS 4,328

$2.79 Rp 47.8K

12.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 ARS 980

$0.27 Rp 4,606

162.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.08 ARS 22.1K

$8.24 Rp 141.2K

95.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.56 ARS 2,140

$0.45 Rp 7,700

246.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 ARS 1,255

$0.43 Rp 7,298

111.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.93 ARS 8,139

$6.02 Rp 103.2K

-1.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ARS 1,544

$0.86 Rp 14.7K

31.40%

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

$25.4K ARS 34.9M

$26.1K Rp 446.6M

-2.43%

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

$29.1K ARS 39.9M

$31.7K Rp 543.2M

-8.25%

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

$113 ARS 155.1K

$78.3 Rp 1.3M

44.22%

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

$21.38 ARS 29.3K

$4.00 Rp 68.5K

434.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.06 ARS 39.9K

$24.35 Rp 417.3K

19.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.47 ARS 56.9K

$95.8 Rp 1.6M

-56.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.59 ARS 15.9K

$6.46 Rp 110.6K

79.41%

Cinema Ticket

$9.09 ARS 12.5K

$4.01 Rp 68.7K

126.68%

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

$326 ARS 447.1K

$302 Rp 5.2M

7.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,178 ARS 7.1M

$6,545 Rp 112.2M

-20.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 ARS 149.6K

$53.4 Rp 915.5K

103.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$87.0 ARS 119.4K

$38.55 Rp 660.6K

125.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 ARS 171.7K

$89.1 Rp 1.5M

40.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 ARS 177.2K

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

63.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$660 ARS 906.3K

$1,016 Rp 17.4M

-35.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 ARS 592.6K

$672 Rp 11.5M

-35.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,185 ARS 1.6M

$3,368 Rp 57.7M

-64.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$806 ARS 1.1M

$2,108 Rp 36.1M

-61.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,675 ARS 3.7M

$3,001 Rp 51.4M

-10.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,017 ARS 2.8M

$2,337 Rp 40.0M

-13.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$793 ARS 1.1M

$178 Rp 3.0M

346.48%

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: April 12, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $660 in Buenos Aires and $1,016 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buenos Aires pays 346% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $60 in Buenos Aires vs $33 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $271 vs $300, 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 346% 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: $660 in Buenos Aires versus $1,016 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $326 in Buenos Aires versus $302 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 $60.0 versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,392 in Buenos Aires versus $1,395 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.