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: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,204 in Santiago del Estero.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,988 in Santiago del Estero.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,772 in Santiago del Estero.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 14% more expensive than in Santiago del Estero, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Santiago del Estero is 13% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.3K

$15.42 ARS 23.3K

-78.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 626.9K

$53.1 ARS 80.4K

-32.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 98.5K

$13.16 ARS 19.9K

-57.22%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.4K

$3.83 ARS 5,791

-26.37%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.6K

$2.15 ARS 3,253

-18.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$1.68 ARS 2,539

-52.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.3K

$3.65 ARS 5,523

-16.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.2K

$3.63 ARS 5,497

18.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.2K

$1.38 ARS 2,091

16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.7K

$2.11 ARS 3,191

7.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.5K

$1.52 ARS 2,295

-23.03%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.0K

$2.49 ARS 3,764

-12.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 308.6K

$10.09 ARS 15.3K

74.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 70.9K

$6.31 ARS 9,545

-35.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 213.2K

$11.63 ARS 17.6K

4.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.3K

$2.31 ARS 3,492

56.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.6K

$2.23 ARS 3,371

-26.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.3K

$1.36 ARS 2,057

69.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.3K

$2.14 ARS 3,240

-8.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.3K

$1.10 ARS 1,666

67.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.5K

$0.97 ARS 1,470

144.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.4K

$1.56 ARS 2,360

-32.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,502

$1.66 ARS 2,518

-67.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.3K

$3.28 ARS 4,962

-29.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 403.9K

$4.86 ARS 7,351

374.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 40.9K

$2.04 ARS 3,088

14.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 53.7K

$2.80 ARS 4,243

9.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,338

$0.98 ARS 1,476

-74.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 164.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,579

$1.56 ARS 2,366

-68.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,299

$0.98 ARS 1,481

-52.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.1K

$7.41 ARS 11.2K

-24.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.1K

$1.20 ARS 1,813

-32.50%

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

$25.0K Rp 437.7M

$27.9K ARS 42.2M

-10.34%

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

$31.1K Rp 543.7M

$33.9K ARS 51.4M

-8.44%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.4M

$85.0 ARS 128.7K

-2.73%

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

$6.49 Rp 113.5K

$17.24 ARS 26.1K

-62.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 328.8K

$26.96 ARS 40.8K

-30.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 966.8K

$30.73 ARS 46.5K

79.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 318.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.2K

$8.65 ARS 13.1K

-50.29%

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

$494 Rp 8.6M

$303 ARS 458.9K

63.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 103.6M

$4,149 ARS 6.3M

42.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 809.9K

$109 ARS 164.7K

-57.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 637.7K

$76.8 ARS 116.2K

-52.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$117 ARS 176.5K

-30.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$124 ARS 187.4K

-36.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.5M

$473 ARS 715.7K

135.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.1M

$311 ARS 470.1K

123.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 63.7M

$1,006 ARS 1.5M

261.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.0M

$762 ARS 1.2M

124.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.3M

$2,357 ARS 3.6M

17.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

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 Santiago del Estero: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali and $473 in Santiago del Estero. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $53.0 in Santiago del Estero. Groceries flip the comparison at $294 vs $246, 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 14% in total monthly costs ($1,378 vs $1,204 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 $2,067 in Ubud, Bali and $1,806 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: $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $473 in Santiago del Estero. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $494 in Ubud, Bali versus $303 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 $53.0 versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,204 in Santiago del Estero versus $1,378 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 14% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.