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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $956 in Santiago del Estero.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,566 in Santiago del Estero.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,176 in Santiago del Estero.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 48% more expensive than Santiago del Estero, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Santiago del Estero is 29% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

$10.64 ARS 15.2K

-66.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

$33.17 ARS 47.3K

-1.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

$9.26 ARS 13.2K

-46.54%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$2.80 ARS 3,994

-3.21%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

$1.73 ARS 2,467

-22.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$1.53 ARS 2,184

-54.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

$2.17 ARS 3,097

34.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

$3.02 ARS 4,310

31.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$1.32 ARS 1,881

37.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$1.62 ARS 2,317

55.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$2.04 ARS 2,903

-43.14%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$2.24 ARS 3,192

9.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

$10.23 ARS 14.6K

43.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

$6.03 ARS 8,608

-28.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

$9.44 ARS 13.5K

28.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

$1.94 ARS 2,772

97.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

$2.12 ARS 3,022

-26.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$1.32 ARS 1,880

114.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$2.66 ARS 3,790

-12.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

$1.19 ARS 1,702

60.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$1.25 ARS 1,787

76.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$1.26 ARS 1,792

-19.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$1.42 ARS 2,033

-45.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

$3.06 ARS 4,366

8.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

$4.57 ARS 6,517

419.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

$2.04 ARS 2,917

36.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

$3.19 ARS 4,554

-10.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,800

$0.77 ARS 1,095

-64.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,150

$1.47 ARS 2,099

-68.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,037

$0.85 ARS 1,214

-47.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

$6.08 ARS 8,669

0.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.07 ARS 1,522

-26.17%

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

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

$27.5K ARS 39.3M

-5.01%

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

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

$29.9K ARS 42.6M

7.54%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$67.5 ARS 96.4K

18.36%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

$17.26 ARS 24.6K

-76.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

$22.92 ARS 32.7K

2.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$26.07 ARS 37.2K

278.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

$14.01 ARS 20.0K

-52.68%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

$6.13 ARS 8,750

-32.30%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$222 ARS 317.0K

36.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

$2,647 ARS 3.8M

149.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

$73.5 ARS 104.9K

-24.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

$68.3 ARS 97.5K

-43.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$114 ARS 162.8K

-22.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$110 ARS 157.0K

-29.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$338 ARS 482.0K

197.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$239 ARS 341.5K

182.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

$681 ARS 971.3K

405.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

$529 ARS 754.8K

285.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

$2,053 ARS 2.9M

38.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

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 1, 2026

Last update for Santiago del Estero: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $338 in Santiago del Estero. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $33.00 in Santiago del Estero. Groceries flip the comparison at $302 vs $231, 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

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

Ubud, Bali and Santiago del Estero differ by about 48% in total monthly costs ($1,419 vs $956 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 $2,129 in Ubud, Bali and $1,434 in Santiago del Estero 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: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $338 in Santiago del Estero. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $304 in Ubud, Bali versus $222 in Santiago del Estero. 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 $33.00 versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $956 in Santiago del Estero versus $1,419 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, Ubud, Bali and Santiago del Estero 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 48% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.