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Amsterdam vs Buenos Aires

Cost-of-living comparison and salary equivalence. Enter your current salary to see what you'd need to earn to live equally well.

Amsterdam, NL vs Buenos Aires, AR at a glance — Buenos Aires, AR is 58% cheaper than Amsterdam, NL overall. Median 1-bed rent runs about $500/mo versus $2,100/mo. Top income tax: 35% vs 49.5%.

$/ year

To keep the same standard of living in Buenos Aires, AR, you'd need

$31,412 / year

Buenos Aires, AR is 58% cheaper overall

Category breakdown (Buenos Aires, AR vs Amsterdam, NL)

  • Housing-72%
  • Food & groceries-51%
  • Transport-58%
  • Utilities-43%
  • Healthcare-45%
  • Goods & services-48%

◎ How Amsterdam, NL and Buenos Aires, AR compare

HousingFood & groceriesTransportUtilitiesHealthcareGoods & services
Amsterdam, NLBuenos Aires, AR

Index vs the US average — the line marks 100. Lower is cheaper.

▤ Full comparison

Amsterdam, NLBuenos Aires, AR
Cost of living
Overall cost index12753
Housing16546
Food11255
Transport9540
Utilities12270
Healthcare10055
Goods & services11660
Housing
Rent, 1-bed centre$2,100/mo$500/mo
Rent, 1-bed outside$1,500/mo$350/mo
Rent, 3-bed centre$4,000/mo$1,000/mo
Buy price / m² centre$9,000$2,500
Money & purchasing power
$1,000 goes as far as$787$1,880
Inexpensive meal$20$8
Monthly transit pass$100$15
Taxes
Income tax (top rate)49.5%35%
VAT / sales tax21%21%
Corporate tax25.8%35%
Economy & salaries
Avg net salary$3,100/mo$500/mo
Minimum wage$2,710/mo✓—
GDP per capita$73,684✓$14,898✓
Inflation (annual)3.3%✓—
Work & digital nomad
Digital-nomad visaNoYes
English proficiencyHighLow
Coworking spaces9045
Time zoneUTC+1UTC-3
Quality of life
Quality of life (overall)7558
Safety index6842
Healthcare index8068
Pollution index4050
Internet speed160 Mbps60 Mbps
Walkability9080
Public transport8872
Family-friendly7062
Tap waterSafe to drinkSafe to drink
Health insurance—$60/mo
Life expectancy82 yr✓78 yr✓
LGBTQ+ acceptanceHighHigh
Climate
January avg+4 °C+25 °C
July avg+18 °C+11 °C
Sunny days / year60180
Rainfall / year840 mm1,150 mm
Connectivity
Flight to nearest hub1 h3 h

Taxes & Economy & salaries: Netherlands vs Argentina. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.

✓ = official statistics (Eurostat 2026, World Bank 2025, World Bank 2024). Unmarked figures are CostTrek estimates. How we calculate these figures →

Cost of living: Amsterdam vs Buenos Aires — in your currency

AmsterdamBuenos Aires
1-bed rent, city centre$2,100$500
1-bed rent, outside centre$1,500$350
Inexpensive meal$20$8
Monthly transit pass$100$15
Utilities (monthly)$200$70

Converted from USD at approximate rates (2026-09).

Good to know before you move to Amsterdam

Compact, bike-first and very English-friendly — a favourite expat landing pad, if you can win the tight housing lottery.

Currency
Euro (€ EUR)
Languages
Dutch
Time zone
UTC+1
Internet
160 Mbps
English
Widely spoken
Safety
68/100
Climate
❄ 4°C · ☀ 18°C · 60 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
F · 230V
Driving
Right-hand side
Popular areas
Jordaan · De Pijp · Oost

Good to know before you move to Buenos Aires

European elegance at bargain prices — steak, tango and café culture, shadowed by chronic inflation.

Currency
Argentine peso ($ ARS)
Languages
Spanish
Time zone
UTC-3
Internet
60 Mbps
English
Rarely spoken
Safety
42/100
Climate
❄ 25°C · ☀ 11°C · 180 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
C/I · 220V
Driving
Right-hand side
Popular areas
Palermo · Recoleta · San Telmo

? Frequently asked questions

Moving from Amsterdam to Buenos Aires: cheaper or more expensive?

Moving from Amsterdam to Buenos Aires, your cost of living will be roughly 58% cheaper. Buenos Aires’s cost-of-living index is 53 versus 127 for Amsterdam (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.

Is Amsterdam cheaper than Buenos Aires?

Buenos Aires is about 58% cheaper than Amsterdam overall — its cost-of-living index is 53 versus 127 for Amsterdam.

Which is more expensive, Amsterdam or Buenos Aires?

Amsterdam is more expensive than Buenos Aires. Its cost-of-living index is 127 vs 53 (US = 100) — about 140% higher.

Is rent cheaper in Amsterdam or Buenos Aires?

Rent is cheaper in Buenos Aires — about $500/month for a one-bedroom in the city centre, vs $2,100 in Amsterdam.

How much do you need to earn in Buenos Aires to live like in Amsterdam?

To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Amsterdam is worth about $31,412 in Buenos Aires. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.

Which has lower taxes, Amsterdam or Buenos Aires?

Argentina has the lower top income-tax rate — 35% versus 49.5% in Netherlands.

◷ More comparisons from Amsterdam

How we calculate these figures →

Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.