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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 65% more expensive than in Mar del Plata, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

$9.53 ARS 14.1K

-62.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

$37.25 ARS 55.3K

-13.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

$8.17 ARS 12.1K

-38.68%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

$2.41 ARS 3,579

17.01%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$2.18 ARS 3,238

-38.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$2.05 ARS 3,051

-64.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$3.34 ARS 4,959

-12.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

$3.19 ARS 4,732

23.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$1.05 ARS 1,559

69.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

$1.38 ARS 2,050

77.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$2.06 ARS 3,064

-44.17%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$1.52 ARS 2,264

58.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

$6.93 ARS 10.3K

106.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$5.22 ARS 7,758

-19.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

$7.47 ARS 11.1K

61.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

$2.74 ARS 4,063

32.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$2.17 ARS 3,222

-27.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$1.55 ARS 2,302

80.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$2.45 ARS 3,637

-8.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$1.22 ARS 1,815

62.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$0.95 ARS 1,408

140.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$0.63 ARS 939

66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.20 ARS 1,784

-34.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

$3.48 ARS 5,166

-8.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

$2.95 ARS 4,377

696.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

$1.39 ARS 2,068

108.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

$1.98 ARS 2,947

39.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

$0.76 ARS 1,129

-64.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

$9.94 ARS 14.8K

-15.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,167

$1.49 ARS 2,212

-69.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,298

$0.76 ARS 1,129

-39.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

$8.18 ARS 12.1K

-25.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$1.15 ARS 1,710

-25.22%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

$28.2K ARS 41.9M

-5.88%

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

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

$38.9K ARS 57.8M

-16.39%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$85.2 ARS 126.6K

-7.29%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

$10.11 ARS 15.0K

-59.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

$25.00 ARS 37.1K

-4.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$17.57 ARS 26.1K

462.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

$7.84 ARS 11.6K

-19.01%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

$4.10 ARS 6,083

-2.20%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$159 ARS 236.8K

86.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

$3,177 ARS 4.7M

107.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

$56.7 ARS 84.2K

-5.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

$61.5 ARS 91.3K

-38.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$65.0 ARS 96.5K

36.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$62.7 ARS 93.1K

22.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$283 ARS 419.6K

260.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

$202 ARS 299.3K

237.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

$726 ARS 1.1M

377.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

$585 ARS 868.7K

257.28%

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)

$164 Rp 3.0M

$616 ARS 915.1K

-73.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

58.5

-77.30%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Last update for Mar del Plata: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali and $283 in Mar del Plata. 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: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $37.00 in Mar del Plata. Groceries flip the comparison at $298 vs $192, 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

Ubud, Bali vs Mar del Plata: 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.

On paper, salaries run 276% lower in Mar del Plata. 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: $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $283 in Mar del Plata. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,392 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $844 in Mar del Plata – 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, Ubud, Bali and Mar del Plata 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.