Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenos Aires and Aarau

For one person, living is cheaper in Buenos Aires: $1,656 a month against $2,794 in Aarau, rent and utilities included – about $13,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

80

Cost of Living Index in Buenos Aires
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Buenos Aires Living Index
135

Cost of Living Index in Aarau
Learn more

Aarau Living Index

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Buenos Aires

🇦🇷 Argentina

$1,656

/mo nomad

Aarau

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$2,794

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Buenos Aires and in Aarau

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

A single person spends $1,656 per month in Buenos Aires vs $2,794 in Aarau, rent included.

Buenos Aires $1,656
Aarau $2,794

A couple spends around $2,697 per month in Buenos Aires vs $4,568 in Aarau, rent included.

Buenos Aires $2,697
Aarau $4,568

A family of three spends $3,737 per month in Buenos Aires vs $6,342 in Aarau, rent included.

Buenos Aires $3,737
Aarau $6,342

Buenos Aires is about 41% cheaper than Aarau, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Buenos Aires and Aarau sit above the global median – Buenos Aires by 23%, Aarau by 107%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.09 ARS 29.0K

$29.07 CHF 23.94

-34.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.8 ARS 99.9K

$106 CHF 87.6

-38.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.20 ARS 20.0K

$17.63 CHF 14.52

-25.13%

Cappuccino

$3.85 ARS 5,841

$5.80 CHF 4.78

-33.62%

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

$1.99 ARS 3,020

$5.22 CHF 4.30

-61.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 ARS 2,430

$4.70 CHF 3.87

-65.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.93 ARS 5,959

$6.15 CHF 5.06

-36.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 ARS 7,003

$6.60 CHF 5.44

-30.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 ARS 2,272

$2.05 CHF 1.69

-26.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 ARS 3,837

$3.62 CHF 2.98

-30.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 ARS 2,445

$2.59 CHF 2.13

-37.84%

Eggs

$2.84 ARS 4,316

$7.22 CHF 5.95

-60.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.30 ARS 15.6K

$30.30 CHF 24.96

-66.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.00 ARS 15.2K

$29.34 CHF 24.16

-65.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.30 ARS 20.2K

$40.30 CHF 33.19

-67.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 ARS 4,366

$2.89 CHF 2.38

-0.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 ARS 3,334

$1.78 CHF 1.46

23.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 ARS 2,120

$2.44 CHF 2.01

-42.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 ARS 3,004

$5.50 CHF 4.53

-64.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 ARS 1,835

$1.66 CHF 1.37

-27.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 ARS 1,910

$1.96 CHF 1.61

-35.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 ARS 2,592

$2.28 CHF 1.87

-25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ARS 2,603

$1.19 CHF 0.98

44.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 ARS 6,505

$10.86 CHF 8.94

-60.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.70 ARS 8,645

$10.21 CHF 8.41

-44.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 ARS 3,288

$2.49 CHF 2.05

-12.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ARS 4,188

$2.86 CHF 2.36

-3.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 ARS 1,141

$5.11 CHF 4.20

-85.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.27 ARS 41.4K

$146 CHF 120

-81.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.57 ARS 2,375

$6.84 CHF 5.64

-77.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ARS 1,558

$3.32 CHF 2.74

-68.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.90 ARS 12.0K

$58.8 CHF 48.45

-86.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 ARS 2,160

$2.22 CHF 1.83

-36.04%

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

$27.9K ARS 42.4M

$42.9K CHF 35.4K

-34.89%

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

$35.0K ARS 53.1M

$39.3K CHF 32.4K

-10.97%

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

$195 ARS 296.2K

$120 CHF 98.9

62.53%

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

$25.16 ARS 38.2K

$30.84 CHF 25.40

-18.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.54 ARS 47.9K

$55.7 CHF 45.84

-43.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.9 ARS 77.3K

$97.9 CHF 80.6

-48.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.73 ARS 25.4K

$59.6 CHF 49.04

-71.91%

Cinema Ticket

$10.34 ARS 15.7K

$21.42 CHF 17.64

-51.73%

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

$463 ARS 703.2K

$3,152 CHF 2,596

-85.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,793 ARS 13.3M

$32.4K CHF 26.7K

-72.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$120 ARS 181.8K

$88.7 CHF 73.0

35.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$95.5 ARS 144.9K

$70.6 CHF 58.2

35.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 ARS 173.1K

$109 CHF 90.1

4.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 ARS 211.4K

$169 CHF 140

-17.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 ARS 1.1M

$1,277 CHF 1,052

-40.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$520 ARS 788.8K

$1,033 CHF 851

-49.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,590 ARS 2.4M

$2,290 CHF 1,886

-30.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,198 ARS 1.8M

$2,114 CHF 1,742

-43.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,713 ARS 4.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,901 ARS 2.9M

$11.8K CHF 9,759

-83.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$938 ARS 1.4M

$6,801 CHF 5,601

-86.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

57.25

2.31

2378.35%

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

Last update for Buenos Aires: October 11, 2026

Last update for Aarau: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Buenos Aires

$520 31.4%

Aarau

$1K 37% 98.7% $513

Groceries & Markets

Buenos Aires

$283 17.1%

Aarau

$588 21% 108% $304

Eating Out

Buenos Aires

$282 17%

Aarau

$439 15.7% 55.7% $157

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Buenos Aires

$252 15.2%

Aarau

$207 7.4% 18% $45

Clothing & Footwear

Buenos Aires

$211 12.7%

Aarau

$197 7.1% 6.5% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Buenos Aires

$72 4.3%

Aarau

$141 5% 96.6% $69

Getting Around

Buenos Aires

$37 2.2%

Aarau

$190 6.8% 414% $153

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $756 in Buenos Aires versus $1,277 in Aarau. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 625% higher in Aarau, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $66.0 in Buenos Aires versus $106 in Aarau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $283 vs $588 – making Buenos Aires the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇦🇷 Buenos Aires

🇨🇭 Aarau

🕒 Local time

20:20 8:20 PM

01:20 1:20 AM

5 h ahead of Buenos Aires

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,891,082 Capital

21,191

💱 Currency

Argentine Peso ARS $

Swiss Franc CHF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD

10,000 ARS = 5.86 EUR

1 CHF = 1.21 USD

1 CHF = 1.08 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CHF, USD, EUR to ARS – Argentine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇦🇷 Argentine Peso ($)

Argentine Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1,517 ARS (10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD). 1 EUR = 1,706 ARS (10,000 ARS = 5.86 EUR).

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.824 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.926 CHF (1 CHF = 1.08 EUR).

USD to ARS in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Buenos Aires Aarau 11,260 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Buenos Aires
Aarau

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

Buenos Aires vs Aarau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Aarau costs about 69% 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 $2,484 per month in Buenos Aires and $4,191 in Aarau. 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.

Public transport costs about 436% less in Buenos Aires. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $463 per month in Buenos Aires and $3,152 in Aarau. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Buenos Aires, where all-in costs run around $1,656, than in Aarau at $2,794. In Buenos Aires it covers expenses comfortably, while in Aarau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Buenos Aires costs $1,656 versus $2,794 in Aarau. 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, Aarau makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.