Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Buenos Aires Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Buenos Aires

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,633 in Buenos Aires.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,744 in Buenos Aires.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,855 in Buenos Aires.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 16% less than in Buenos Aires, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 0% above, Buenos Aires 18% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$18.99 ARS 28.6K

-82.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$69.7 ARS 105.1K

-48.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$12.75 ARS 19.2K

-55.84%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$3.81 ARS 5,755

-25.98%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$2.16 ARS 3,262

-18.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$1.70 ARS 2,566

-52.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$3.61 ARS 5,452

-15.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$4.55 ARS 6,865

-5.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$1.41 ARS 2,132

14.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$2.46 ARS 3,717

-7.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$1.58 ARS 2,390

-25.95%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$2.79 ARS 4,212

-22.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$10.16 ARS 15.3K

73.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$10.03 ARS 15.1K

-59.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$13.76 ARS 20.8K

-11.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$2.78 ARS 4,194

30.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$2.07 ARS 3,125

-20.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$1.42 ARS 2,142

62.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$2.06 ARS 3,100

-4.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$1.19 ARS 1,796

54.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$1.15 ARS 1,728

106.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$1.75 ARS 2,634

-40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$1.74 ARS 2,626

-68.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$4.27 ARS 6,436

-46.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

$5.65 ARS 8,528

308.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$2.21 ARS 3,336

5.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$2.69 ARS 4,052

14.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

$0.72 ARS 1,093

-65.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

$27.88 ARS 42.1K

-66.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$1.62 ARS 2,443

-69.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$1.02 ARS 1,546

-53.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$7.61 ARS 11.5K

-26.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$1.34 ARS 2,024

-39.55%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$28.8K ARS 43.4M

-13.11%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

$34.2K ARS 51.6M

-9.20%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$202 ARS 305.1K

-59.10%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$23.17 ARS 35.0K

-71.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$31.01 ARS 46.8K

-39.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

$51.1 ARS 77.1K

8.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

$17.08 ARS 25.8K

6.62%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$10.99 ARS 16.6K

-60.87%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$459 ARS 692.9K

7.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$8,949 ARS 13.5M

-33.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$113 ARS 170.6K

-59.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$91.7 ARS 138.4K

-60.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$116 ARS 175.5K

-30.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$135 ARS 203.0K

-41.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$714 ARS 1.1M

55.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$506 ARS 763.5K

36.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$1,622 ARS 2.4M

124.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

$1,288 ARS 1.9M

32.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

$2,636 ARS 4.0M

4.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

$1,847 ARS 2.8M

24.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

$907 ARS 1.4M

-81.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

56.56

-75.64%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Buenos Aires: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali and $714 in Buenos Aires. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buenos Aires pays 443% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $70.0 in Buenos Aires. Groceries flip the comparison at $294 vs $282, 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

Ubud, Bali vs Buenos Aires: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Buenos Aires differ by about 19% in total monthly costs ($1,378 vs $1,633 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 443% lower in Buenos Aires. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $714 in Buenos Aires. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $494 in Ubud, Bali versus $459 in Buenos Aires. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Buenos Aires pay roughly 4% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,633 in Buenos Aires, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Buenos Aires. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali 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, Ubud, Bali and Buenos Aires 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 Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Buenos Aires. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.