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

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

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

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 64% more expensive than Mar del Plata, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 4% above, Mar del Plata is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$9.39 ARS 13.4K

-61.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$38.16 ARS 54.5K

-14.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$8.07 ARS 11.5K

-39.78%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$2.47 ARS 3,529

11.34%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$2.17 ARS 3,094

-39.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$2.12 ARS 3,033

-66.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$3.28 ARS 4,687

-11.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$3.30 ARS 4,721

14.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$1.06 ARS 1,510

61.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$1.43 ARS 2,049

72.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$2.16 ARS 3,082

-44.44%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$1.58 ARS 2,261

54.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$6.84 ARS 9,772

110.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$5.35 ARS 7,639

-19.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$7.74 ARS 11.1K

57.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$2.76 ARS 3,946

33.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$2.13 ARS 3,036

-27.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$1.50 ARS 2,140

86.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$2.53 ARS 3,618

-7.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$1.28 ARS 1,829

53.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$0.96 ARS 1,370

140.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.62 ARS 885

70.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$1.21 ARS 1,725

-39.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$3.49 ARS 4,979

-6.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$3.08 ARS 4,399

639.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$1.33 ARS 1,904

111.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$1.96 ARS 2,805

41.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

$0.75 ARS 1,076

-61.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

$9.94 ARS 14.2K

-18.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$1.46 ARS 2,089

-69.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$0.74 ARS 1,051

-39.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$7.84 ARS 11.2K

-20.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$1.10 ARS 1,570

-22.73%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$27.3K ARS 38.9M

-4.72%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$39.0K ARS 55.7M

-18.79%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$85.4 ARS 122.0K

-5.42%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$10.27 ARS 14.7K

-60.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$25.40 ARS 36.3K

-3.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

$17.28 ARS 24.7K

465.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

$7.86 ARS 11.2K

-17.94%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$3.98 ARS 5,686

1.51%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$162 ARS 232.1K

87.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$3,242 ARS 4.6M

104.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$56.5 ARS 80.7K

-3.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$62.4 ARS 89.1K

-37.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$64.2 ARS 91.7K

34.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$62.9 ARS 89.9K

21.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$285 ARS 406.9K

246.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

$206 ARS 294.8K

218.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

$718 ARS 1.0M

369.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

$582 ARS 831.8K

254.80%

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)

$163 Rp 2.9M

$618 ARS 882.5K

-73.55%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Mar del Plata: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $986 in Ubud, Bali and $285 in Mar del Plata. 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: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $38.00 in Mar del Plata. Groceries flip the comparison at $297 vs $195, 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 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.

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

All in, you'll spend $1,404 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $855 in Mar del Plata – 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, 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 64% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.