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: $855 in Mar del Plata versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,426 in Mar del Plata versus $2,549 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,997 in Mar del Plata versus $3,694 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 36% below, Ubud, Bali is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.39 ARS 13.4K

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

163.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.16 ARS 54.5K

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

17.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.07 ARS 11.5K

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

66.05%

Cappuccino

$2.47 ARS 3,529

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

-10.18%

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

$2.17 ARS 3,094

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

64.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ARS 3,033

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

202.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ARS 4,687

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

12.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ARS 4,721

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

-12.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 ARS 1,510

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

-38.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ARS 2,049

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

-42.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 ARS 3,082

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

80.00%

Eggs

$1.58 ARS 2,261

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

-35.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.84 ARS 9,772

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

-52.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.35 ARS 7,639

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

24.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.74 ARS 11.1K

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

-36.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ARS 3,946

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

-25.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 ARS 3,036

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

37.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ARS 2,140

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

-46.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.53 ARS 3,618

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

8.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ARS 1,829

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

-35.03%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 ARS 1,370

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

-58.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ARS 885

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

-41.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ARS 1,725

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

65.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.49 ARS 4,979

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

6.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.08 ARS 4,399

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

-86.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 ARS 1,904

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

-52.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 ARS 2,805

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

-29.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 ARS 1,076

$0.29 Rp 5,217

158.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.94 ARS 14.2K

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

23.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 ARS 2,089

$0.45 Rp 8,047

224.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 ARS 1,051

$0.45 Rp 8,094

64.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ARS 11.2K

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

25.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ARS 1,570

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

29.41%

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

$27.3K ARS 38.9M

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

4.95%

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

$39.0K ARS 55.7M

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

23.14%

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

$85.4 ARS 122.0K

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

5.73%

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

$10.27 ARS 14.7K

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

152.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.40 ARS 36.3K

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

4.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.28 ARS 24.7K

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

-82.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.86 ARS 11.2K

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

21.86%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 ARS 5,686

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

-1.49%

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

$162 ARS 232.1K

$304 Rp 5.4M

-46.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,242 ARS 4.6M

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

-51.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.5 ARS 80.7K

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

4.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.4 ARS 89.1K

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

60.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.2 ARS 91.7K

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

-25.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.9 ARS 89.9K

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

-17.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$285 ARS 406.9K

$986 Rp 17.7M

-71.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$206 ARS 294.8K

$658 Rp 11.8M

-68.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$718 ARS 1.0M

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

-78.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$582 ARS 831.8K

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

-71.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$618 ARS 882.5K

$163 Rp 2.9M

278.01%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $285 in Mar del Plata and $986 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mar del Plata pays 278% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $38.00 in Mar del Plata vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $195 vs $297, 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 64% 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.

Mar del Plata pays 278% 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: $285 in Mar del Plata versus $986 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $855 per month in Mar del Plata versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali – a 64% 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 23% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $855 in Mar del Plata versus $1,404 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 $855 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 64% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.