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Buenos Aires vs New York

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 New York, NY at a glance — New York, NY is 112% more expensive than Buenos Aires, AR overall. Median 1-bed rent runs about $3,800/mo versus $500/mo. Top income tax: 37% vs 35%.

$/ year

To keep the same standard of living in New York, NY, you'd need

$158,980 / year

New York, NY is 112% more expensive overall

Category breakdown (New York, NY vs Buenos Aires, AR)

  • Housing+270%
  • Food & groceries+56%
  • Transport+123%
  • Utilities+13%
  • Healthcare+40%
  • Goods & services+57%

◎ How Buenos Aires, AR and New York, NY compare

HousingFood & groceriesTransportUtilitiesHealthcareGoods & services
Buenos Aires, ARNew York, NY

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

▤ Full comparison

Buenos Aires, ARNew York, NY
Cost of living
Overall cost index53113
Housing46170
Food5586
Transport4089
Utilities7079
Healthcare5577
Goods & services6094
Housing
Rent, 1-bed centre$500/mo$3,800/mo
Rent, 1-bed outside$350/mo$2,600/mo
Rent, 3-bed centre$1,000/mo$7,500/mo
Buy price / m² centre$2,500$15,000
Money & purchasing power
$1,000 goes as far as$1,880$887
Inexpensive meal$8$25
Monthly transit pass$15$132
Taxes
Income tax (top rate)35%37%
VAT / sales tax21%0%
Social security (employee)—7.7%
Corporate tax35%21%
Capital gains—20%
Economy & salaries
Avg net salary$500/mo$4,300/mo
Minimum wage—$1,257/mo✓
GDP per capita$14,898✓$90,027✓
Work & digital nomad
Digital-nomad visaYesNo
English proficiencyLowNative
Coworking spaces45200
Time zoneUTC-3UTC-5
Quality of life
Quality of life (overall)5869
Safety index4255
Healthcare index6878
Pollution index5055
Internet speed60 Mbps200 Mbps
Walkability8090
Public transport7285
Family-friendly6255
Tap waterSafe to drinkSafe to drink
Health insurance$60/mo$500/mo
Life expectancy78 yr✓79 yr✓
LGBTQ+ acceptanceHighHigh
Climate
January avg+25 °C0 °C
July avg+11 °C+25 °C
Sunny days / year180234
Rainfall / year1,150 mm1,200 mm
Connectivity
Flight to nearest hub3 h1 h

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

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

Cost of living: Buenos Aires vs New York — in your currency

Buenos AiresNew York
1-bed rent, city centre$500$3,800
1-bed rent, outside centre$350$2,600
Inexpensive meal$8$25
Monthly transit pass$15$132
Utilities (monthly)$70$180

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 New York

The benchmark against which everywhere else feels cheap. World-class salaries and everything else, offset by the highest rents in the dataset.

Currency
US dollar ($ USD)
Languages
English
Time zone
UTC-5
Internet
200 Mbps
English
Native language
Safety
55/100
Climate
❄ 0°C · ☀ 25°C · 234 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
A/B · 120V
Driving
Right-hand side
Popular areas
Manhattan · Brooklyn · Queens

? Frequently asked questions

Moving from Buenos Aires to New York: cheaper or more expensive?

Moving from Buenos Aires to New York, your cost of living will be roughly 112% more expensive. New York’s cost-of-living index is 113 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 New York?

New York is about 112% more expensive than Buenos Aires overall — its cost-of-living index is 113 versus 53 for Buenos Aires.

Which is more expensive, Buenos Aires or New York?

New York is more expensive than Buenos Aires. Its cost-of-living index is 113 vs 53 (US = 100) — about 113% higher.

Is rent cheaper in Buenos Aires or New York?

Rent is cheaper in Buenos Aires — about $500/month for a one-bedroom in the city centre, vs $3,800 in New York.

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

To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Buenos Aires is worth about $158,980 in New York. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.

Which has lower taxes, Buenos Aires or New York?

Argentina has the lower top income-tax rate — 35% versus 37% in United States.

◷ 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.