Cost of Living Comparison Between Mar del Plata and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Mar del Plata and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $844 in Mar del Plata versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,417 in Mar del Plata versus $2,557 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,991 in Mar del Plata versus $3,723 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Mar del Plata costs roughly 39% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mar del Plata is 37% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.53 ARS 14.1K

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

166.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.25 ARS 55.3K

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

15.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.17 ARS 12.1K

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

63.07%

Cappuccino

$2.41 ARS 3,579

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

-14.54%

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

$2.18 ARS 3,238

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

61.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ARS 3,051

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

180.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.34 ARS 4,959

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

13.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 ARS 4,732

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

-19.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 ARS 1,559

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

-41.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 ARS 2,050

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

-43.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 ARS 3,064

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

79.13%

Eggs

$1.52 ARS 2,264

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

-36.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.93 ARS 10.3K

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

-51.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.22 ARS 7,758

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

24.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.47 ARS 11.1K

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

-38.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.74 ARS 4,063

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

-24.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 ARS 3,222

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

38.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 ARS 2,302

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

-44.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 ARS 3,637

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

9.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 ARS 1,815

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

-38.38%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 ARS 1,408

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

-58.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ARS 939

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

-40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ARS 1,784

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

51.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.48 ARS 5,166

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

9.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.95 ARS 4,377

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

-87.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 ARS 2,068

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

-52.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ARS 2,947

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

-28.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 ARS 1,129

$0.27 Rp 4,813

181.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.94 ARS 14.8K

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

18.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ARS 2,212

$0.45 Rp 8,167

231.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 ARS 1,129

$0.46 Rp 8,298

65.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.18 ARS 12.1K

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

34.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ARS 1,710

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

33.72%

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

$28.2K ARS 41.9M

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

6.25%

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

$38.9K ARS 57.8M

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

19.60%

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

$85.2 ARS 126.6K

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

7.86%

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

$10.11 ARS 15.0K

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

147.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.00 ARS 37.1K

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

4.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.57 ARS 26.1K

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

-82.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.84 ARS 11.6K

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

23.46%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 ARS 6,083

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

2.24%

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

$159 ARS 236.8K

$297 Rp 5.4M

-46.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,177 ARS 4.7M

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

-51.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 ARS 84.2K

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

6.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.5 ARS 91.3K

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

61.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.0 ARS 96.5K

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

-26.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.7 ARS 93.1K

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

-18.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$283 ARS 419.6K

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

-72.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$202 ARS 299.3K

$680 Rp 12.3M

-70.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$726 ARS 1.1M

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

-79.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$585 ARS 868.7K

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

-72.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$616 ARS 915.1K

$164 Rp 3.0M

276.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

58.5

13.28

340.51%

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

Last update for Mar del Plata: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $283 in Mar del Plata and $1,020 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mar del Plata pays 276% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $37.00 in Mar del Plata vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $192 vs $298, with Mar del Plata 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

Mar del Plata vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mar del Plata wins on cost – living expenses run 65% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mar del Plata the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 276% higher in Mar del Plata, 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: $283 in Mar del Plata versus $1,020 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $844 per month in Mar del Plata versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali – a 65% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mar del Plata runs roughly 19% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $844 in Mar del Plata versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mar del Plata but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Mar del Plata the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Mar del Plata delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $844 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mar del Plata hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Mar del Plata 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 Mar del Plata gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.