Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Brookings, SD and Buenos Aires

For one person, living is cheaper in Buenos Aires: $1,646 a month against $2,592 in Brookings, SD, rent and utilities included – about $11,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

126

Cost of Living Index in Brookings, SD
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Brookings, SD Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Buenos Aires
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Buenos Aires Living Index

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Brookings, SD

🇺🇸 United States

$2,592

/mo nomad

Buenos Aires

🇦🇷 Argentina

$1,646

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Brookings, SD and in Buenos Aires

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Brookings, SD and in Buenos Aires actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,592 per month in Brookings, SD vs $1,646 in Buenos Aires, rent included.

Brookings, SD $2,592
Buenos Aires $1,646

A couple spends around $3,536 per month in Brookings, SD vs $2,680 in Buenos Aires, rent included.

Brookings, SD $3,536
Buenos Aires $2,680

A family of three spends $4,480 per month in Brookings, SD vs $3,714 in Buenos Aires, rent included.

Brookings, SD $4,480
Buenos Aires $3,714

Brookings, SD costs about 58% more than Buenos Aires, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Brookings, SD and Buenos Aires sit above the global median – Brookings, SD by 91%, Buenos Aires by 21%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.52 $17.52

$17.81 ARS 27.0K

-1.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.50 $39.50

$65.2 ARS 98.9K

-39.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.37 $11.37

$13.12 ARS 19.9K

-13.34%

Cappuccino

$4.59 $4.59

$3.86 ARS 5,863

18.91%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.06 ARS 3,133

22.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.68 ARS 2,542

16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.08 $6.08

$4.10 ARS 6,218

48.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.03 $7.03

$4.73 ARS 7,181

48.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.51 ARS 2,285

-44.37%

White Bread (500g)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.60 ARS 3,950

34.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.54 $6.54

$1.57 ARS 2,380

316.56%

Eggs

$3.56 $3.56

$2.73 ARS 4,144

30.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.38 $10.38

$10.86 ARS 16.5K

-4.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.83 $13.83

$10.07 ARS 15.3K

37.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.02 $13.02

$13.22 ARS 20.1K

-1.51%

Apples (1kg)

$5.92 $5.92

$2.80 ARS 4,255

111.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 $1.83

$2.09 ARS 3,170

-12.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.55 $6.55

$1.45 ARS 2,194

351.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.21 $5.21

$2.00 ARS 3,040

160.50%

Potato (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$1.20 ARS 1,826

265.83%

Onion (1kg)

$4.11 $4.11

$1.20 ARS 1,821

242.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.69 ARS 2,569

39.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.79 ARS 2,711

8.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.03 $13.03

$4.00 ARS 6,074

225.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.88 $11.88

$5.53 ARS 8,388

114.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 $2.86

$2.12 ARS 3,219

34.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.76 $5.76

$2.78 ARS 4,212

107.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 ARS 1,049

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.90 ARS 42.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.03 $5.03

$1.63 ARS 2,471

208.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.68 $1.68

$0.97 ARS 1,478

73.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.76 $23.76

$7.89 ARS 12.0K

201.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.42 ARS 2,156

-27.46%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$30.2K $30.2K

$23.3K ARS 35.4M

29.32%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.3K $26.3K

$31.9K ARS 48.5M

-17.59%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$178 $178

$199 ARS 302.7K

-10.67%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$54.1 $54.1

$23.36 ARS 35.4K

131.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.7 $70.7

$31.44 ARS 47.7K

125.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.81 ARS 75.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.63 ARS 25.2K

Cinema Ticket

$11.83 $11.83

$10.80 ARS 16.4K

9.54%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,338 $1,338

$462 ARS 701.7K

189.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.3K $36.3K

$8,790 ARS 13.3M

312.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.60 $42.60

$120 ARS 181.6K

-64.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.98 $34.98

$94.6 ARS 143.6K

-63.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.0 $88.0

$116 ARS 176.4K

-24.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$137 ARS 208.6K

-24.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,663 $1,663

$750 ARS 1.1M

121.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 $1,419

$514 ARS 780.5K

175.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,083 $2,083

$1,567 ARS 2.4M

32.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 $2,037

$1,196 ARS 1.8M

70.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,622 $2,622

$2,632 ARS 4.0M

-0.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,872 $2,872

$1,874 ARS 2.8M

53.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$924 ARS 1.4M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

57.25

-90.39%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Brookings, SD: October 20, 2026

Last update for Buenos Aires: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Brookings, SD

$1.4K 54.8%

Buenos Aires

$514 31.3% 63.8% $905

Groceries & Markets

Brookings, SD

$420 16.2%

Buenos Aires

$285 17.3% 32.2% $135

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Brookings, SD

$303 11.7%

Buenos Aires

$254 15.5% 16.1% $49

Eating Out

Brookings, SD

$292 11.3%

Buenos Aires

$273 16.6% 6.4% $19

Clothing & Footwear

Brookings, SD

$121 4.7%

Buenos Aires

$211 12.8% 73.5% $89

Sport & Entertainment

Brookings, SD

$24 * 0.9%

Buenos Aires

$71 4.3% 202% $48

Getting Around

Brookings, SD

$13 * 0.5%

Buenos Aires

$37 2.3% 177% $24

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,663 in Brookings, SD versus $750 in Buenos Aires. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Brookings, SD versus $65.0 in Buenos Aires. Groceries tell a different story – $420 in Brookings, SD vs $285 in Buenos Aires – so Buenos Aires wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Brookings, SD

🇦🇷 Buenos Aires

🕒 Local time

02:32 2:32 AM

04:32 4:32 AM

2 h ahead of Brookings, SD

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

18,802

2,891,082 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Argentine Peso ARS $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD

10,000 ARS = 5.86 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ARS, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇦🇷 Argentine Peso ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Argentine Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 1,517 ARS (10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD). 1 EUR = 1,706 ARS (10,000 ARS = 5.86 EUR).

ARS to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Brookings, SD Buenos Aires 9,590 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Brookings, SD
Buenos Aires

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Brookings, SD vs Buenos Aires: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brookings, SD costs about 58% more than Buenos Aires, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,888 per month in Brookings, SD and $2,468 in Buenos Aires. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Buenos Aires, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Brookings, SD and $65.0 in Buenos Aires. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 47% more in Brookings, SD, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Buenos Aires, where all-in costs run around $1,646, than in Brookings, SD at $2,592. In Buenos Aires it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brookings, SD it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Buenos Aires costs $1,646 versus $2,592 in Brookings, SD. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Buenos Aires. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Brookings, SD makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.