Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Buenos Aires

For one person, living is cheaper in Ubud, Bali: $1,349 a month against $1,633 in Buenos Aires, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 less a year. The total is higher in Buenos Aires despite lower rent and utilities.

Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,349
/mo nomad
Buenos Aires
🇦🇷 Argentina
$1,633
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ubud, Bali and in Buenos Aires

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ubud, Bali and in Buenos Aires actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,349 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,633 in Buenos Aires.

  • Ubud, Bali $1,349
  • Buenos Aires $1,633

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,305 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,640 in Buenos Aires.

  • Ubud, Bali $2,305
  • Buenos Aires $2,640

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,261 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,646 in Buenos Aires.

  • Ubud, Bali $3,261
  • Buenos Aires $3,646

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 17% less than in Buenos Aires, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Buenos Aires
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.32 Rp 59.9K
$18.24 ARS 28.1K
-81.80%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.64 Rp 642.4K
$66.3 ARS 101.9K
-46.20%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.53 Rp 99.7K
$12.96 ARS 19.9K
-57.33%
Cappuccino
$2.72 Rp 49.0K
$3.73 ARS 5,742
-27.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.70 Rp 30.7K
$2.03 ARS 3,128
-16.26%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.76 Rp 13.7K
$1.70 ARS 2,612
-55.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.65 Rp 47.8K
$4.06 ARS 6,243
-34.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.38 Rp 79.0K
$4.75 ARS 7,301
-7.79%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Buenos Aires
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.49 Rp 26.9K
$1.46 ARS 2,249
2.05%
White Bread (500g)
$2.28 Rp 41.0K
$2.54 ARS 3,904
-10.24%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.19 Rp 21.5K
$1.58 ARS 2,434
-24.68%
Eggs
$2.04 Rp 36.7K
$2.68 ARS 4,123
-23.88%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.70 Rp 319.1K
$11.14 ARS 17.1K
58.89%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.96 Rp 71.4K
$10.08 ARS 15.5K
-60.71%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.19 Rp 219.7K
$13.18 ARS 20.3K
-7.51%
Apples (1kg)
$3.66 Rp 65.9K
$2.76 ARS 4,250
32.61%
Banana (1kg)
$1.52 Rp 27.4K
$2.20 ARS 3,384
-30.91%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.23 Rp 40.2K
$1.40 ARS 2,148
59.29%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.97 Rp 35.6K
$1.99 ARS 3,055
-1.01%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 Rp 33.3K
$1.20 ARS 1,845
54.17%
Onion (1kg)
$2.42 Rp 43.7K
$1.15 ARS 1,774
110.43%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.99 Rp 17.8K
$1.63 ARS 2,500
-39.26%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 Rp 9,255
$1.80 ARS 2,769
-71.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.22 Rp 40.0K
$4.21 ARS 6,478
-47.27%
Wine (Bottle)
$22.24 Rp 400.9K
$5.51 ARS 8,480
303.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.26 Rp 40.7K
$2.07 ARS 3,177
9.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97 Rp 53.5K
$2.77 ARS 4,254
7.22%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Buenos Aires
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.25 Rp 4,525
$0.74 ARS 1,143
-66.22%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$7.82 Rp 141.0K
$29.83 ARS 45.9K
-73.78%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.44 Rp 7,923
$1.61 ARS 2,481
-72.67%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.43 Rp 7,753
$0.97 ARS 1,497
-55.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.41 Rp 97.5K
$8.15 ARS 12.5K
-33.62%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.82 Rp 14.9K
$1.40 ARS 2,160
-41.43%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.8K Rp 429.7M
$23.2K ARS 35.7M
2.76%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.7K Rp 572.3M
$32.8K ARS 50.5M
-3.34%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Buenos Aires
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$79.1 Rp 1.4M
$196 ARS 301.9K
-59.72%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.45 Rp 116.2K
$23.91 ARS 36.8K
-73.02%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.58 Rp 334.9K
$31.50 ARS 48.5K
-41.02%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Buenos Aires
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.48 Rp 892.0K
$48.01 ARS 73.8K
3.06%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.65 Rp 318.1K
$16.62 ARS 25.6K
6.20%
Cinema Ticket
$4.27 Rp 77.0K
$10.57 ARS 16.3K
-59.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Buenos Aires
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$491 Rp 8.8M
$501 ARS 770.1K
-2.02%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,674 Rp 102.3M
$8,870 ARS 13.6M
-36.03%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Buenos Aires
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.64 Rp 804.7K
$121 ARS 186.8K
-63.24%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.95 Rp 630.1K
$95.6 ARS 147.0K
-63.43%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.9 Rp 1.4M
$116 ARS 178.5K
-31.16%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.4 Rp 1.4M
$139 ARS 213.2K
-42.70%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Buenos Aires
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,125 Rp 20.3M
$731 ARS 1.1M
53.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$671 Rp 12.1M
$503 ARS 773.8K
33.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,565 Rp 64.3M
$1,477 ARS 2.3M
141.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,723 Rp 31.1M
$1,119 ARS 1.7M
53.95%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,732 Rp 49.2M
$2,703 ARS 4.2M
1.07%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,284 Rp 41.2M
$1,940 ARS 3.0M
17.75%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Buenos Aires
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$164 Rp 3.0M
$921 ARS 1.4M
-82.21%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.78
57.25
-75.93%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 25, 2026

Last update for Buenos Aires: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
$672
Buenos Aires
$503 25.1% $168
Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
$288
Buenos Aires
$284 1.6% $4.6
Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
$108
Buenos Aires
$274 155% $167
Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
$108
Buenos Aires
$212 97.4% $105
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
$104
Buenos Aires
$252 142% $148
Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
$58
Buenos Aires
$69 19.1% $11
Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
$11
Buenos Aires
$39 244% $28

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,125 in Ubud, Bali and $731 in Buenos Aires. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buenos Aires pays about 5.6 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $36 in Ubud, Bali vs $66 in Buenos Aires. Groceries flip the comparison at $288 vs $284, with Buenos Aires cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🇦🇷 Buenos Aires
🕒 Local time
22:06 10:06 PM
11:06 11:06 AM
11 h behind Ubud, Bali
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
74,800
2,891,082 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

ARS, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18,025 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.55 USD). 1 EUR = 20,061 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.98 EUR).

Argentine Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1,538 ARS (10,000 ARS = 6.5 USD). 1 EUR = 1,712 ARS (10,000 ARS = 5.84 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ubud, Bali Buenos Aires 15,180 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ubud, Bali
  • Buenos Aires

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
What is the total cost difference between living in Ubud, Bali and in Buenos Aires?
Ubud, Bali and Buenos Aires differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($1,349 vs $1,633 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 82% lower in Ubud, Bali. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Ubud, Bali and in Buenos Aires?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,125 in Ubud, Bali versus $731 in Buenos Aires. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Ubud, Bali and Buenos Aires?
Childcare runs $491 in Ubud, Bali versus $501 in Buenos Aires. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Ubud, Bali – a meal for two runs $36 versus $66 in Buenos Aires. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is feasible on a $1,000 budget?
Both cities are expensive relative to $1,000. Ubud, Bali is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
How does quality of life compare between Ubud, Bali and Buenos Aires?
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.
Is Ubud, Bali or Buenos Aires safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Ubud, Bali and Buenos Aires?
It comes down to priorities – Ubud, Bali wins on affordability, Buenos Aires on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

Ubud, Bali vs other spots: cost of living compared

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