Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenos Aires and Algiers

For one person, living is cheaper in Algiers: $594 a month against $1,685 in Buenos Aires, rent and utilities included – about $13,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Buenos Aires
🇦🇷 Argentina
$1,685
/mo nomad
Algiers
🇩🇿 Algeria
$594
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Algiers actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,685 in Buenos Aires versus $594 in Algiers.

  • Buenos Aires $1,685
  • Algiers $594

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,742 in Buenos Aires versus $974 in Algiers.

  • Buenos Aires $2,742
  • Algiers $974

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,799 in Buenos Aires versus $1,354 in Algiers.

  • Buenos Aires $3,799
  • Algiers $1,354

Living in Buenos Aires is roughly 184% more expensive than in Algiers, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Buenos Aires is 26% above, Algiers is 56% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Buenos Aires
Algiers
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.73 ARS 28.4K
$3.45 DZD 461
442.90%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$64.5 ARS 97.7K
$28.50 DZD 3,811
126.25%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.88 ARS 19.5K
$4.28 DZD 572
200.93%
Cappuccino
$3.98 ARS 6,027
$1.11 DZD 149
258.56%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05 ARS 3,102
$0.60 DZD 80.7
241.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.55 ARS 2,348
$0.27 DZD 35.79
474.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.84 ARS 5,828
$2.23 DZD 298
72.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.60 ARS 6,968
$2.20 DZD 295
109.09%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Buenos Aires
Algiers
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.44 ARS 2,180
$0.90 DZD 121
60.00%
White Bread (500g)
$2.46 ARS 3,737
$0.14 DZD 18.69
1657.14%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.63 ARS 2,466
$1.10 DZD 147
48.18%
Eggs
$2.89 ARS 4,384
$1.26 DZD 168
129.37%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.65 ARS 16.1K
$7.99 DZD 1,069
33.29%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.00 ARS 15.2K
$4.02 DZD 538
148.76%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.74 ARS 20.8K
$14.57 DZD 1,949
-5.70%
Apples (1kg)
$2.75 ARS 4,165
$2.03 DZD 272
35.47%
Banana (1kg)
$2.18 ARS 3,299
$2.70 DZD 361
-19.26%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.45 ARS 2,204
$1.07 DZD 144
35.51%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.99 ARS 3,012
$0.93 DZD 124
113.98%
Potato (1kg)
$1.24 ARS 1,884
$0.58 DZD 77.4
113.79%
Onion (1kg)
$1.27 ARS 1,920
$0.45 DZD 60.4
182.22%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.70 ARS 2,574
$0.77 DZD 103
120.78%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.73 ARS 2,616
$0.27 DZD 36.38
540.74%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.18 ARS 6,335
$3.19 DZD 426
31.03%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.80 ARS 8,787
$6.53 DZD 874
-11.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.09 ARS 3,162
$1.28 DZD 171
63.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 ARS 4,197
$1.88 DZD 252
47.34%
🚌 Getting Around
Buenos Aires
Algiers
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.75 ARS 1,131
$0.36 DZD 48.47
108.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.15 ARS 41.2K
$6.75 DZD 902
302.22%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.62 ARS 2,450
$0.55 DZD 73.5
194.55%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.98 ARS 1,480
$0.47 DZD 63.0
108.51%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.72 ARS 11.7K
$5.71 DZD 763
35.20%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.36 ARS 2,057
$0.36 DZD 47.67
277.78%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K ARS 42.5M
$35.0K DZD 4.7M
-19.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.5K ARS 52.3M
$33.9K DZD 4.5M
1.85%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Buenos Aires
Algiers
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$216 ARS 326.8K
$43.39 DZD 5,803
396.82%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.61 ARS 38.8K
$9.87 DZD 1,320
159.47%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.36 ARS 47.5K
$12.32 DZD 1,648
154.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Buenos Aires
Algiers
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.82 ARS 75.5K
$24.45 DZD 3,270
103.76%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.06 ARS 25.9K
$27.00 DZD 3,612
-36.81%
Cinema Ticket
$10.43 ARS 15.8K
$4.54 DZD 607
129.74%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Buenos Aires
Algiers
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$466 ARS 706.5K
$547 DZD 73.1K
-14.76%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,057 ARS 13.7M
$6,264 DZD 837.8K
44.60%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Buenos Aires
Algiers
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$122 ARS 185.1K
$31.71 DZD 4,241
285.08%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$97.4 ARS 147.7K
$35.33 DZD 4,725
175.80%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$117 ARS 177.3K
$69.9 DZD 9,355
67.21%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$140 ARS 211.8K
$79.2 DZD 10.6K
76.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Buenos Aires
Algiers
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$763 ARS 1.2M
$163 DZD 21.8K
369.12%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$505 ARS 765.8K
$130 DZD 17.4K
287.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,598 ARS 2.4M
$440 DZD 58.8K
263.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,185 ARS 1.8M
$244 DZD 32.6K
386.48%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,678 ARS 4.1M
$2,547 DZD 340.6K
5.17%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,858 ARS 2.8M
$1,373 DZD 183.6K
35.33%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Buenos Aires
Algiers
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$954 ARS 1.4M
$330 DZD 44.1K
189.38%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
57.25
5.3
980.19%

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

Last update for Buenos Aires: October 6, 2026

Last update for Algiers: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Buenos Aires
$505
Algiers
$130 74.2% $375
Groceries & Markets
Buenos Aires
$284
Algiers
$175 38.3% $109
Eating Out
Buenos Aires
$279
Algiers
$73 73.9% $206
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Buenos Aires
$273
Algiers
$66 75.9% $207
Clothing & Footwear
Buenos Aires
$214
Algiers
$97 54.6% $117
Sport & Entertainment
Buenos Aires
$71
Algiers
$34 52.6% $37
Getting Around
Buenos Aires
$37
Algiers
$11 69.7% $26

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $763 in Buenos Aires and $163 in Algiers. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buenos Aires pays 189% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $64.0 in Buenos Aires vs $28.00 in Algiers for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $284 vs $175 per month, with Algiers cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇦🇷 Buenos Aires
🇩🇿 Algiers
🕒 Local time
22:04 10:04 PM
02:04 2:04 AM
4 h ahead of Buenos Aires
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,891,082 Capital
3,415,811 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

DZD, USD, EUR to ARS – Argentine Peso Converter

Argentine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1,516 ARS (10,000 ARS = 6.6 USD). 1 EUR = 1,700 ARS (10,000 ARS = 5.88 EUR).

Algerian Dinar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 134 DZD (1,000 DZD = 7.48 USD). 1 EUR = 150 DZD (1,000 DZD = 6.67 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Buenos Aires Algiers 10,170 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Buenos Aires
  • Algiers

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 Algiers: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Algiers cheaper than Buenos Aires?
Algiers is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 184% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Buenos Aires or Algiers?
Average pay runs 189% higher in Buenos Aires, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Buenos Aires and Algiers?
Rent for a central apartment: $763 in Buenos Aires versus $163 in Algiers. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Buenos Aires or in Algiers?
Dining out is cheaper in Algiers – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $64.0 in Buenos Aires. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Buenos Aires and in Algiers?
All in, you'll spend $1,685 per month in Buenos Aires versus $594 in Algiers – a 184% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Buenos Aires or in Algiers?
At $594 in Algiers versus $1,685 in Buenos Aires, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Algiers but tight or insufficient in Buenos Aires. The gap between the two cities makes Algiers the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Buenos Aires or Algiers more family-friendly?
For families, Algiers is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Buenos Aires, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Buenos Aires or Algiers?
Safety-wise, Buenos Aires and Algiers are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Algiers gentler on the wallet – expenses run 184% less than in Buenos Aires. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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