✦ Cost of living
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires, Argentina
US = 100
In plain terms: Buenos Aires is about 47% cheaper than a typical US city. A one-bedroom in the centre runs around $500/month.
▤ Category breakdown
Index vs the US average — the line marks 100. Lower is cheaper.
- Housing46−54%
- Food & groceries55−45%
- Transport40−60%
- Utilities70−30%
- Healthcare55−45%
- Goods & services60−40%
Is Buenos Aires expensive?
No — Buenos Aires is one of the cheap ones, indexing at 53 against a US average of 100: roughly 47% below a typical US city. The trade-offs usually show up in local wages, healthcare or infrastructure rather than in prices.
Of the 87 cities we track, Buenos Aires ranks #77 by overall cost — 10 of them are cheaper.
What a month in Buenos Aires costs
One person
$1,340/mo
A one-bedroom outside the centre, modest everyday spending.
Couple
$1,970/mo
A one-bedroom in the centre, two adults sharing the bills.
Family of four
$3,460/mo
A three-bedroom in the centre, two adults and two children.
| Monthly line | One person | Couple | Family of four |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | $350 | $500 | $1,000 |
| Food & groceries | $250 | $370 | $620 |
| Transport | $240 | $350 | $590 |
| Utilities | $140 | $210 | $350 |
| Healthcare | $150 | $230 | $380 |
| Goods & services | $210 | $310 | $520 |
| Total per month | $1,340 | $1,970 | $3,460 |
Estimates, not quotes. Rent comes from this city's own figures; every other line is a US-average household basket (shaped by the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey) scaled by this city's category index. Your own total moves with the neighbourhood, your habits and whether you run a car. How we calculate these figures →
Good to know before you move to Buenos Aires
European elegance at bargain prices — steak, tango and café culture, shadowed by chronic inflation.
- Currency
- Argentine peso ($ 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
About
“The Paris of South America”
European elegance at bargain prices — steak, tango and café culture, shadowed by chronic inflation.
- Currency
- Argentine peso · ARS
- Languages
- Spanish
- Coordinates
- -34.60, -58.38
- Emergency
- 911
What things cost
Housing
Taxes
35%
Income tax
progressive
21%
VAT / sales
35%
Corporate
$500
Avg net salary
per month
High inflation; figures move fast.
Visas & residency
Rentista and digital-nomad routes; a relatively open path to residency.
✈ 90-day tourist entry for many passports.
Max stay: 6 months
Permanent residence after ~3 yrs. Citizenship after ~2 yrs.
Quality of life
Quality of life
58/100
Safety
42/100
Healthcare
68/100
Pollution
50/100
Internet
60 Mbps
Jan avg
+25 °C
Jul avg
+11 °C
Sunny days
180/yr
Walkability
80/100
Public transit
72/100
Family-friendly
62/100
Living there
- English spoken
- Low
- Expat community
- Medium
- Coworking spaces
- 45
- Tap water
- Safe to drink
- Private health insurance
- $60/mo
Popular areas
Relocation & documents
Where to look
Updated: · Sources: Cost/quality survey (placeholder) · Economy: World Bank Open Data (GDP per capita, life expectancy, inflation) · Minimum wage (EU + Türkiye): Eurostat earn_mw_cur, 2026-S2 · Taxes: national tax authority / OECD (headline figures)
Can you live in Buenos Aires without a car?
77/100
Car-free score
80/100
Walkability
72/100
Public transport
Yes — Buenos Aires scores 77/100 on our car-free score, so commuting, errands and nights out all work on foot or by public transport. Most residents here can skip car ownership entirely, and the savings go straight into the rest of the budget.
Transport in Buenos Aires indexes at 40 against a US average of 100 — about 60% cheaper than a typical US city. That line covers fares, fuel and running a vehicle, so it is the one that moves most when you drop the car.
Buenos Aires ranks #26 of 87 cities we track for walkability. See the most walkable cities →
The car-free score is our own composite: 60% walkability, 40% public transport, both on a 0–100 scale. Like the rest of our quality-of-life figures, they are calibrated estimates, not official statistics.
Cost of living in Buenos Aires — in your currency
- 1-bed rent, city centre$500
- 1-bed rent, outside centre$350
- Inexpensive meal$8
- Monthly transit pass$15
- Utilities (monthly)$70
Converted from USD at approximate rates (2026-09).
✈ Search cheap flights
Sponsored
? Frequently asked questions
Is Buenos Aires, AR expensive to live in?
Buenos Aires, AR's cost-of-living index is 53 (US average = 100) — about 47% cheaper than a typical US city — and it ranks #77 of the 87 cities we track. On our estimates one person needs around $1,340 a month and a family of four around $3,460, rent included.
How much does it cost to live in Buenos Aires, AR?
Buenos Aires, AR's cost-of-living index is 53 (US average = 100) — about 47% cheaper than a typical US city. A one-bedroom apartment in the centre costs around $500 per month.
What are the average living costs in Buenos Aires, AR?
Living costs in Buenos Aires, AR are about 47% cheaper than the US average — its cost-of-living index is 53 (US = 100). Monthly living expenses scale with that, and housing is the biggest line: a one-bedroom in the centre runs around $500. See the category breakdown above for where the money goes.
What is the average rent in Buenos Aires, AR?
A one-bedroom in the city centre averages about $500 per month, and around $350 outside the centre.
What taxes would I pay in Argentina?
Argentina has a top income-tax rate of 35% and a VAT or sales tax of 21%. See the taxes section above for the full breakdown.
What is the weather like in Buenos Aires, AR?
Buenos Aires, AR averages around +25 °C in January and +11 °C in July, with roughly 180 sunny days a year.
Is Buenos Aires, AR safe?
Buenos Aires, AR scores 42 out of 100 on our safety index, where higher means safer.
Can you live in Buenos Aires, AR without a car?
Buenos Aires, AR scores 77/100 on our car-free score — 80/100 for walkability and 72/100 for public transport. The higher the score, the more of daily life you can cover on foot or by transit instead of paying to run a car.
❖ Compare Buenos Aires with…
★ Ranked in
Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.