Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Villa María Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Villa María

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $979 in Villa María.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,557 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,584 in Villa María.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,723 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,188 in Villa María.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 42% more expensive than in Villa María, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Villa María is 26% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Villa María
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.57 Rp 64.5K
$10.41 ARS 15.5K
-65.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.32 Rp 583.4K
$33.73 ARS 50.1K
-4.18%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.01 Rp 90.4K
$9.19 ARS 13.6K
-45.48%
Cappuccino
$2.82 Rp 51.0K
$2.68 ARS 3,975
5.22%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35 Rp 24.4K
$1.64 ARS 2,429
-17.68%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73 Rp 13.2K
$1.50 ARS 2,229
-51.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.93 Rp 53.0K
$2.08 ARS 3,089
40.87%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.94 Rp 71.1K
$3.06 ARS 4,548
28.76%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Villa María
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.78 Rp 32.1K
$1.30 ARS 1,937
36.92%
White Bread (500g)
$2.45 Rp 44.2K
$1.62 ARS 2,404
51.23%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.15 Rp 20.7K
$2.04 ARS 3,035
-43.63%
Eggs
$2.41 Rp 43.6K
$2.27 ARS 3,378
6.17%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.33 Rp 258.7K
$10.21 ARS 15.2K
40.35%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.19 Rp 75.6K
$6.09 ARS 9,037
-31.20%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.06 Rp 217.7K
$9.28 ARS 13.8K
29.96%
Apples (1kg)
$3.64 Rp 65.7K
$1.94 ARS 2,874
87.63%
Banana (1kg)
$1.57 Rp 28.3K
$2.15 ARS 3,191
-26.98%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.79 Rp 50.3K
$1.31 ARS 1,950
112.98%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.24 Rp 40.5K
$2.53 ARS 3,760
-11.46%
Potato (1kg)
$1.98 Rp 35.7K
$1.18 ARS 1,751
67.80%
Onion (1kg)
$2.28 Rp 41.1K
$1.20 ARS 1,776
90.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.05 Rp 19.0K
$1.31 ARS 1,951
-19.85%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.79 Rp 14.2K
$1.43 ARS 2,126
-44.76%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.19 Rp 57.6K
$3.06 ARS 4,546
4.25%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.49 Rp 424.1K
$4.69 ARS 6,958
400.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.90 Rp 52.3K
$2.00 ARS 2,967
45.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76 Rp 49.7K
$3.10 ARS 4,597
-10.97%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Villa María
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.27 Rp 4,813
$0.83 ARS 1,235
-67.47%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.37 Rp 151.1K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.45 Rp 8,167
$1.47 ARS 2,178
-69.39%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.46 Rp 8,298
$0.87 ARS 1,291
-47.13%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.07 Rp 109.6K
$5.83 ARS 8,660
4.12%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.86 Rp 15.6K
$1.11 ARS 1,644
-22.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6K Rp 480.0M
$27.7K ARS 41.1M
-3.98%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.5K Rp 587.6M
$30.6K ARS 45.5M
6.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Villa María
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$79.0 Rp 1.4M
$66.3 ARS 98.4K
19.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.09 Rp 73.9K
$17.42 ARS 25.9K
-76.52%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.85 Rp 430.5K
$22.21 ARS 33.0K
7.38%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Villa María
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$98.8 Rp 1.8M
$26.01 ARS 38.6K
279.78%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.35 Rp 114.7K
$13.72 ARS 20.4K
-53.72%
Cinema Ticket
$4.01 Rp 72.3K
$6.14 ARS 9,123
-34.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Villa María
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$297 Rp 5.4M
$216 ARS 321.4K
37.34%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,602 Rp 119.2M
$2,696 ARS 4.0M
144.85%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Villa María
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.4 Rp 964.5K
$74.2 ARS 110.2K
-28.02%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.11 Rp 688.1K
$70.5 ARS 104.7K
-45.93%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$88.7 Rp 1.6M
$115 ARS 170.1K
-22.60%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$76.6 Rp 1.4M
$111 ARS 165.3K
-31.15%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Villa María
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,020 Rp 18.4M
$333 ARS 494.6K
206.17%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$680 Rp 12.3M
$233 ARS 345.6K
192.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,469 Rp 62.6M
$694 ARS 1.0M
399.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,090 Rp 37.7M
$545 ARS 809.9K
283.19%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,729 Rp 49.3M
$2,315 ARS 3.4M
17.87%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,295 Rp 41.4M
$1,515 ARS 2.3M
51.48%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Villa María
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$164 Rp 3.0M
$476 ARS 707.5K
-65.64%
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 Villa María: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali and $333 in Villa María. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Villa María pays 191% 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 $34.00 in Villa María. Groceries flip the comparison at $298 vs $230, with Villa María 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 Villa María: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Ubud, Bali or Villa María?
Villa María wins on cost – living expenses run 42% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Villa María the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Ubud, Bali or in Villa María?
On paper, salaries run 191% lower in Villa María. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Ubud, Bali compared to Villa María?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $333 in Villa María. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Ubud, Bali or in Villa María?
Supermarket bills run roughly 30% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Ubud, Bali compared to Villa María?
All in, you'll spend $1,392 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $979 in Villa María – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Ubud, Bali or in Villa María?
At $979 in Villa María versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Villa María but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Villa María the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Ubud, Bali or Villa María?
Both work as nomad bases, but Villa María delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $979 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Villa María hard to pass up.
How safe is Ubud, Bali compared to Villa María?
Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Villa María are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Villa María gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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