Cost of Living Comparison Between Santiago del Estero and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Santiago del Estero and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $956 in Santiago del Estero versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,556 in Santiago del Estero versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,156 in Santiago del Estero versus $3,763 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Santiago del Estero costs roughly 32% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Santiago del Estero is 28% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.70 ARS 15.8K

$3.45 Rp 62.0K

210.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.80 ARS 49.9K

$32.34 Rp 580.1K

4.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.08 ARS 13.4K

$4.84 Rp 86.9K

87.60%

Cappuccino

$2.74 ARS 4,045

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

-0.36%

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

$1.66 ARS 2,453

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

20.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 ARS 2,190

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

97.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 ARS 3,065

$2.99 Rp 53.7K

-30.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 ARS 4,308

$3.85 Rp 69.1K

-24.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 ARS 1,919

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

-25.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 ARS 2,423

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

-33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 ARS 2,888

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

66.67%

Eggs

$2.20 ARS 3,255

$2.43 Rp 43.6K

-9.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.25 ARS 15.2K

$14.50 Rp 260.2K

-29.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.29 ARS 9,303

$4.35 Rp 78.0K

44.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.12 ARS 13.5K

$11.98 Rp 214.9K

-23.87%

Apples (1kg)

$1.94 ARS 2,862

$3.72 Rp 66.7K

-47.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 ARS 3,170

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

31.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ARS 1,927

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

-52.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 ARS 3,909

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

17.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 ARS 1,665

$1.92 Rp 34.4K

-41.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ARS 1,758

$2.28 Rp 40.8K

-47.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 ARS 1,858

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

18.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 ARS 2,095

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

97.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 ARS 4,605

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

-5.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.20 ARS 7,683

$23.19 Rp 416.1K

-77.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 ARS 3,047

$2.78 Rp 49.8K

-25.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 ARS 4,480

$2.73 Rp 49.0K

10.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 ARS 1,160

$0.27 Rp 4,778

188.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 ARS 2,178

$0.48 Rp 8,659

206.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 ARS 1,341

$0.42 Rp 7,532

116.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.87 ARS 8,673

$6.22 Rp 111.6K

-5.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 ARS 1,570

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

30.86%

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

$27.9K ARS 41.2M

$26.6K Rp 477.4M

4.73%

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

$30.5K ARS 45.0M

$32.2K Rp 577.4M

-5.36%

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

$67.2 ARS 99.3K

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

-14.29%

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

$17.49 ARS 25.8K

$4.07 Rp 73.0K

329.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.75 ARS 33.6K

$24.33 Rp 436.4K

-6.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.32 ARS 38.9K

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

-73.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.62 ARS 20.1K

$6.34 Rp 113.7K

114.83%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 ARS 9,309

$3.99 Rp 71.5K

57.89%

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

$223 ARS 329.3K

$305 Rp 5.5M

-26.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,651 ARS 3.9M

$6,642 Rp 119.2M

-60.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.4 ARS 109.9K

$54.1 Rp 971.2K

37.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.6 ARS 104.4K

$37.81 Rp 678.2K

86.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ARS 169.8K

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

32.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ARS 168.1K

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

49.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$332 ARS 490.6K

$992 Rp 17.8M

-66.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ARS 353.8K

$673 Rp 12.1M

-64.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$682 ARS 1.0M

$3,375 Rp 60.5M

-79.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$540 ARS 797.5K

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

-73.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,270 ARS 3.4M

$2,805 Rp 50.3M

-19.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,769 ARS 2.6M

$2,227 Rp 39.9M

-20.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

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 Santiago del Estero: July 14, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $332 in Santiago del Estero and $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $34.00 in Santiago del Estero vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $231 vs $297, with Santiago del Estero 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

Santiago del Estero vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santiago del Estero and Ubud, Bali differ by about 47% in total monthly costs ($956 vs $1,408 including rent). Santiago del Estero is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,434 in Santiago del Estero and $2,112 in Ubud, Bali to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $332 in Santiago del Estero versus $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $223 in Santiago del Estero versus $305 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 Santiago del Estero – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $956 in Santiago del Estero versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Santiago del Estero but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Santiago del Estero 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, Santiago del Estero 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 Santiago del Estero gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.