Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenos Aires and Ames, IA

For one person, living is cheaper in Buenos Aires: $1,656 a month against $2,142 in Ames, IA, rent and utilities included – about $5,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

80

Cost of Living Index in Buenos Aires
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Buenos Aires Living Index
104

Cost of Living Index in Ames, IA
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Ames, IA Living Index

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Buenos Aires

🇦🇷 Argentina

$1,656

/mo nomad

Ames, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,142

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Buenos Aires and in Ames, IA

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,656 in Buenos Aires versus $2,142 in Ames, IA.

Buenos Aires $1,656
Ames, IA $2,142

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,697 in Buenos Aires versus $3,242 in Ames, IA.

Buenos Aires $2,697
Ames, IA $3,242

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,737 in Buenos Aires versus $4,342 in Ames, IA.

Buenos Aires $3,737
Ames, IA $4,342

Living in Buenos Aires costs roughly 23% less than in Ames, IA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Buenos Aires 23% above, Ames, IA 59% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.09 ARS 29.0K

$18.13 $18.13

5.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.8 ARS 99.9K

$52.0 $52.0

26.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.20 ARS 20.0K

$12.18 $12.18

8.37%

Cappuccino

$3.85 ARS 5,841

$4.87 $4.87

-20.94%

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

$1.99 ARS 3,020

$2.60 $2.60

-23.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 ARS 2,430

$2.25 $2.25

-28.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.93 ARS 5,959

$4.05 $4.05

-2.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 ARS 7,003

$6.81 $6.81

-32.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 ARS 2,272

$0.89 $0.89

68.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 ARS 3,837

$3.55 $3.55

-28.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 ARS 2,445

$3.26 $3.26

-50.61%

Eggs

$2.84 ARS 4,316

$3.34 $3.34

-14.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.30 ARS 15.6K

$10.08 $10.08

2.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.00 ARS 15.2K

$13.62 $13.62

-26.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.30 ARS 20.2K

$19.05 $19.05

-30.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 ARS 4,366

$5.88 $5.88

-51.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 ARS 3,334

$1.82 $1.82

20.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 ARS 2,120

$6.69 $6.69

-79.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 ARS 3,004

$5.22 $5.22

-62.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 ARS 1,835

$4.54 $4.54

-73.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 ARS 1,910

$4.07 $4.07

-69.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 ARS 2,592

$2.32 $2.32

-26.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ARS 2,603

$2.44 $2.44

-29.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 ARS 6,505

$13.03 $13.03

-67.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.70 ARS 8,645

$16.11 $16.11

-64.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 ARS 3,288

$2.87 $2.87

-24.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ARS 4,188

$4.98 $4.98

-44.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 ARS 1,141

$0.99 $0.99

-24.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.27 ARS 41.4K

$35.57 $35.57

-23.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.57 ARS 2,375

$5.09 $5.09

-69.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ARS 1,558

$1.69 $1.69

-39.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.90 ARS 12.0K

$24.13 $24.13

-67.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 ARS 2,160

$0.96 $0.96

47.92%

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

$27.9K ARS 42.4M

$24.7K $24.7K

13.00%

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

$35.0K ARS 53.1M

$25.1K $25.1K

39.47%

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

$195 ARS 296.2K

$176 $176

10.72%

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

$25.16 ARS 38.2K

$54.3 $54.3

-53.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.54 ARS 47.9K

$71.2 $71.2

-55.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.9 ARS 77.3K

$69.0 $69.0

-26.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.73 ARS 25.4K

$19.74 $19.74

-15.25%

Cinema Ticket

$10.34 ARS 15.7K

$15.97 $15.97

-35.25%

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

$463 ARS 703.2K

$1,370 $1,370

-66.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,793 ARS 13.3M

$36.1K $36.1K

-75.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$120 ARS 181.8K

$58.4 $58.4

105.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$95.5 ARS 144.9K

$44.68 $44.68

113.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 ARS 173.1K

$90.1 $90.1

26.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 ARS 211.4K

$105 $105

33.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 ARS 1.1M

$1,005 $1,005

-24.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$520 ARS 788.8K

$822 $822

-36.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,590 ARS 2.4M

$1,860 $1,860

-14.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,198 ARS 1.8M

$1,505 $1,505

-20.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,713 ARS 4.1M

$2,432 $2,432

11.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,901 ARS 2.9M

$2,185 $2,185

-13.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$938 ARS 1.4M

$3,597 $3,597

-73.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

57.25

6.41

793.14%

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

Last update for Buenos Aires: October 11, 2026

Last update for Ames, IA: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Buenos Aires

$520 31.4%

Ames, IA

$822 38.4% 58.2% $302

Groceries & Markets

Buenos Aires

$283 17.1%

Ames, IA

$436 20.4% 54.1% $153

Eating Out

Buenos Aires

$282 17%

Ames, IA

$293 13.7% 4.1% $12

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Buenos Aires

$252 15.2%

Ames, IA

$302 14.1% 19.8% $50

Clothing & Footwear

Buenos Aires

$211 12.7%

Ames, IA

$134 6.3% 36.5% $77

Sport & Entertainment

Buenos Aires

$72 4.3%

Ames, IA

$101 4.7% 41% $29

Getting Around

Buenos Aires

$37 2.2%

Ames, IA

$53 2.5% 43.5% $16

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $756 in Buenos Aires and $1,005 in Ames, IA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ames, IA pays 284% 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: $66.0 in Buenos Aires vs $52.0 in Ames, IA. Groceries flip the comparison at $283 vs $436, with Buenos Aires cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇦🇷 Buenos Aires

🇺🇸 Ames, IA

🕒 Local time

18:05 6:05 PM

16:05 4:05 PM

2 h behind Buenos Aires

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,891,082 Capital

66,427

💱 Currency

Argentine Peso ARS $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD

10,000 ARS = 5.86 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to ARS in detail →

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Between locations

Buenos Aires Ames, IA 9,240 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Buenos Aires
Ames, IA

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 Ames, IA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Buenos Aires wins on cost – living expenses run 29% lower than in Ames, IA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Buenos Aires the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 284% lower in Ames, IA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $756 in Buenos Aires versus $1,005 in Ames, IA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Buenos Aires runs roughly 30% less than in Ames, IA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $463 in Buenos Aires versus $1,370 in Ames, IA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,656 in Buenos Aires versus $2,142 in Ames, IA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Buenos Aires but tight or insufficient in Ames, IA. The gap between the two cities makes Buenos Aires the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Buenos Aires delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,656 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Buenos Aires hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Buenos Aires and Ames, IA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Buenos Aires gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Ames, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.