Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenos Aires and Antsirabe

For one person, living is cheaper in Antsirabe: $455 a month against $1,656 in Buenos Aires, rent and utilities included – about $14,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Buenos Aires
🇦🇷 Argentina
$1,656
/mo nomad
Antsirabe
🇲🇬 Madagascar
$455
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,656 in Buenos Aires versus $455 in Antsirabe.

  • Buenos Aires $1,656
  • Antsirabe $455

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,697 in Buenos Aires versus $684 in Antsirabe.

  • Buenos Aires $2,697
  • Antsirabe $684

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,737 in Buenos Aires versus $912 in Antsirabe.

  • Buenos Aires $3,737
  • Antsirabe $912

Living in Buenos Aires is roughly 264% more expensive than in Antsirabe, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Buenos Aires is 23% above, Antsirabe is 66% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Buenos Aires
Antsirabe
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.09 ARS 29.0K
$1.08 MGA 4,931
1667.59%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$65.8 ARS 99.9K
$15.62 MGA 71.3K
321.25%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.20 ARS 20.0K
$5.62 MGA 25.6K
134.88%
Cappuccino
$3.85 ARS 5,841
$1.31 MGA 5,996
193.89%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99 ARS 3,020
$0.75 MGA 3,430
165.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.60 ARS 2,430
$0.45 MGA 2,030
255.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.93 ARS 5,959
$1.03 MGA 4,691
281.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61 ARS 7,003
$2.25 MGA 10.3K
104.89%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Buenos Aires
Antsirabe
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 ARS 2,272
$0.93 MGA 4,253
61.29%
White Bread (500g)
$2.53 ARS 3,837
$1.02 MGA 4,674
148.04%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.61 ARS 2,445
$0.74 MGA 3,388
117.57%
Eggs
$2.84 ARS 4,316
$2.04 MGA 9,307
39.22%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.30 ARS 15.6K
$8.25 MGA 37.7K
24.85%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.00 ARS 15.2K
$4.48 MGA 20.4K
123.21%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.30 ARS 20.2K
$4.85 MGA 22.1K
174.23%
Apples (1kg)
$2.88 ARS 4,366
$1.07 MGA 4,894
169.16%
Banana (1kg)
$2.20 ARS 3,334
$0.53 MGA 2,398
315.09%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.40 ARS 2,120
$1.05 MGA 4,774
33.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.98 ARS 3,004
$0.81 MGA 3,687
144.44%
Potato (1kg)
$1.21 ARS 1,835
$0.58 MGA 2,650
108.62%
Onion (1kg)
$1.26 ARS 1,910
$0.96 MGA 4,396
31.25%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.71 ARS 2,592
$0.34 MGA 1,574
402.94%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.72 ARS 2,603
$0.45 MGA 2,055
282.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.29 ARS 6,505
$1.53 MGA 6,993
180.39%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.70 ARS 8,645
$5.01 MGA 22.9K
13.77%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.17 ARS 3,288
$0.96 MGA 4,396
126.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76 ARS 4,188
$1.85 MGA 8,458
49.19%
🚌 Getting Around
Buenos Aires
Antsirabe
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.75 ARS 1,141
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.27 ARS 41.4K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.57 ARS 2,375
$3.30 MGA 15.0K
-52.42%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.03 ARS 1,558
$1.94 MGA 8,836
-46.91%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.90 ARS 12.0K
$4.42 MGA 20.2K
78.73%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.42 ARS 2,160
$1.11 MGA 5,078
27.93%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K ARS 42.4M
$11.8K MGA 54.0M
135.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.0K ARS 53.1M
$25.0K MGA 113.9M
40.06%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Buenos Aires
Antsirabe
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$195 ARS 296.2K
$73.7 MGA 336.3K
164.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.16 ARS 38.2K
$16.25 MGA 74.1K
54.83%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.54 ARS 47.9K
$56.8 MGA 259.0K
-44.45%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Buenos Aires
Antsirabe
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.9 ARS 77.3K
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.73 ARS 25.4K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.34 ARS 15.7K
$5.45 MGA 24.9K
89.72%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Buenos Aires
Antsirabe
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$463 ARS 703.2K
$24.76 MGA 112.9K
1771.53%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,793 ARS 13.3M
$14.8K MGA 67.6M
-40.68%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Buenos Aires
Antsirabe
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$120 ARS 181.8K
$28.64 MGA 130.7K
318.40%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$95.5 ARS 144.9K
$27.45 MGA 125.2K
247.83%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$114 ARS 173.1K
$76.1 MGA 347.2K
49.91%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$139 ARS 211.4K
$68.1 MGA 310.6K
104.55%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Buenos Aires
Antsirabe
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$756 ARS 1.1M
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$520 ARS 788.8K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,590 ARS 2.4M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,198 ARS 1.8M
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,713 ARS 4.1M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,901 ARS 2.9M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Buenos Aires
Antsirabe
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$938 ARS 1.4M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
57.25
15.75
263.49%

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

Last update for Buenos Aires: October 11, 2026

Last update for Antsirabe: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Buenos Aires
$520
Antsirabe
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Buenos Aires
$283
Antsirabe
$138 51.2% $145
Eating Out
Buenos Aires
$282
Antsirabe
$56 80.2% $226
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Buenos Aires
$252
Antsirabe
$147 41.7% $105
Clothing & Footwear
Buenos Aires
$211
Antsirabe
$90 57.3% $121
Sport & Entertainment
Buenos Aires
$72
Antsirabe
$11 * 84.8% $61
Getting Around
Buenos Aires
$37
Antsirabe
$13 * 64.9% $24

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

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $66.0 in Buenos Aires vs $16.00 in Antsirabe for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $138 per month, with Antsirabe cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇦🇷 Buenos Aires
🇲🇬 Antsirabe
🕒 Local time
04:07 4:07 AM
10:07 10:07 AM
6 h ahead of Buenos Aires
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,891,082 Capital
246,354
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MGA, USD, EUR to ARS – Argentine Peso Converter

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).

Malagasy Ariary exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 4,562 MGA (10,000 MGA = 2.19 USD). 1 EUR = 5,128 MGA (10,000 MGA = 1.95 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Buenos Aires Antsirabe 10,090 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Buenos Aires
  • Antsirabe

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 Antsirabe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Antsirabe cheaper than Buenos Aires?
Antsirabe is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 264% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $2,484 in Buenos Aires and $682 in Antsirabe to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do food prices compare in Buenos Aires and in Antsirabe?
Supermarket bills run roughly 105% higher in Buenos Aires. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Buenos Aires and in Antsirabe?
All in, you'll spend $1,656 per month in Buenos Aires versus $455 in Antsirabe – a 264% 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 Antsirabe?
At $455 in Antsirabe versus $1,656 in Buenos Aires, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Antsirabe but tight or insufficient in Buenos Aires. The gap between the two cities makes Antsirabe the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Buenos Aires or Antsirabe more family-friendly?
For families, Antsirabe 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 Antsirabe?
Safety-wise, Buenos Aires and Antsirabe 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 Antsirabe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 264% 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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