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Buenos Aires vs Lisbon

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

Buenos Aires, AR vs Lisbon, PT at a glance — Lisbon, PT is 82% more expensive than Buenos Aires, AR overall. Median 1-bed rent runs about $1,300/mo versus $500/mo. Top income tax: 48% vs 35%.

$/ year

To keep the same standard of living in Lisbon, PT, you'd need

$136,198 / year

Lisbon, PT is 82% more expensive overall

Category breakdown (Lisbon, PT vs Buenos Aires, AR)

  • Housing+157%
  • Food & groceries+67%
  • Transport+75%
  • Utilities+43%
  • Healthcare+36%
  • Goods & services+53%

◎ How Buenos Aires, AR and Lisbon, PT compare

HousingFood & groceriesTransportUtilitiesHealthcareGoods & services
Buenos Aires, ARLisbon, PT

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

▤ Full comparison

Buenos Aires, ARLisbon, PT
Cost of living
Overall cost index5397
Housing46118
Food5592
Transport4070
Utilities70100
Healthcare5575
Goods & services6092
Housing
Rent, 1-bed centre$500/mo$1,300/mo
Rent, 1-bed outside$350/mo$950/mo
Rent, 3-bed centre$1,000/mo$2,400/mo
Buy price / m² centre$2,500$6,000
Money & purchasing power
$1,000 goes as far as$1,880$1,035
Inexpensive meal$8$12
Monthly transit pass$15$45
Taxes
Income tax (top rate)35%48%
VAT / sales tax21%23%
Corporate tax35%21%
Capital gains—28%
Economy & salaries
Avg net salary$500/mo$1,300/mo
Minimum wage—$1,244/mo✓
GDP per capita$14,898✓$32,082✓
Inflation (annual)—2.3%✓
Work & digital nomad
Digital-nomad visaYesYes
English proficiencyLowModerate
Coworking spaces4560
Time zoneUTC-3UTC+0
Quality of life
Quality of life (overall)5875
Safety index4268
Healthcare index6876
Pollution index5040
Internet speed60 Mbps200 Mbps
Walkability8082
Public transport7278
Family-friendly6266
Tap waterSafe to drinkSafe to drink
Health insurance$60/mo—
Life expectancy78 yr✓82 yr✓
LGBTQ+ acceptanceHighHigh
Climate
January avg+25 °C+11 °C
July avg+11 °C+23 °C
Sunny days / year180260
Rainfall / year1,150 mm725 mm
Connectivity
Flight to nearest hub3 h1 h

Taxes & Economy & salaries: Argentina vs Portugal. 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: Buenos Aires vs Lisbon — in your currency

Buenos AiresLisbon
1-bed rent, city centre$500$1,300
1-bed rent, outside centre$350$950
Inexpensive meal$8$12
Monthly transit pass$15$45
Utilities (monthly)$70$120

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

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

Good to know before you move to Lisbon

Sunny, hilly and the poster child for the digital-nomad wave — locals feel priced out as rents climb.

Currency
Euro (€ EUR)
Languages
Portuguese
Time zone
UTC+0
Internet
200 Mbps
English
Fairly common
Safety
68/100
Climate
❄ 11°C · ☀ 23°C · 260 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
F · 230V
Driving
Right-hand side
Popular areas
Alfama · Príncipe Real · Alcântara

? Frequently asked questions

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

Moving from Buenos Aires to Lisbon, your cost of living will be roughly 82% more expensive. Lisbon’s cost-of-living index is 97 versus 53 for Buenos Aires (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.

Is Buenos Aires cheaper than Lisbon?

Lisbon is about 82% more expensive than Buenos Aires overall — its cost-of-living index is 97 versus 53 for Buenos Aires.

Which is more expensive, Buenos Aires or Lisbon?

Lisbon is more expensive than Buenos Aires. Its cost-of-living index is 97 vs 53 (US = 100) — about 83% higher.

Is rent cheaper in Buenos Aires or Lisbon?

Rent is cheaper in Buenos Aires — about $500/month for a one-bedroom in the city centre, vs $1,300 in Lisbon.

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

To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Buenos Aires is worth about $136,198 in Lisbon. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.

Which has lower taxes, Buenos Aires or Lisbon?

Argentina has the lower top income-tax rate — 35% versus 48% in Portugal.

◷ More comparisons from Buenos Aires

How we calculate these figures →

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