Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenos Aires and Bialystok

For one person, living is cheaper in Bialystok: $1,450 a month against $1,656 in Buenos Aires, rent and utilities included – about $2,500 less a year. The total is higher in Buenos Aires despite lower rent and utilities.

Buenos Aires
🇦🇷 Argentina
$1,656
/mo nomad
Bialystok
🇵🇱 Poland
$1,450
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $1,656 per month in Buenos Aires vs $1,450 in Bialystok, rent included.

  • Buenos Aires $1,656
  • Bialystok $1,450

A couple spends around $2,697 per month in Buenos Aires vs $2,061 in Bialystok, rent included.

  • Buenos Aires $2,697
  • Bialystok $2,061

A family of three spends $3,737 per month in Buenos Aires vs $2,672 in Bialystok, rent included.

  • Buenos Aires $3,737
  • Bialystok $2,672

Buenos Aires costs about 14% more than Bialystok, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Buenos Aires and Bialystok sit above the global median – Buenos Aires by 23%, Bialystok by 7%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Buenos Aires
Bialystok
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.09 ARS 29.0K
$9.82 zł 38.15
94.40%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$65.8 ARS 99.9K
$45.59 zł 177
44.33%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.20 ARS 20.0K
$9.01 zł 35.02
46.50%
Cappuccino
$3.85 ARS 5,841
$3.60 zł 13.99
6.94%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99 ARS 3,020
$1.80 zł 6.99
10.56%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.60 ARS 2,430
$1.57 zł 6.11
1.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.93 ARS 5,959
$3.47 zł 13.48
13.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61 ARS 7,003
$3.03 zł 11.77
52.15%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Buenos Aires
Bialystok
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 ARS 2,272
$1.06 zł 4.11
41.51%
White Bread (500g)
$2.53 ARS 3,837
$1.01 zł 3.93
150.50%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.61 ARS 2,445
$2.22 zł 8.63
-27.48%
Eggs
$2.84 ARS 4,316
$3.82 zł 14.84
-25.65%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.30 ARS 15.6K
$9.25 zł 35.94
11.35%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.00 ARS 15.2K
$5.78 zł 22.47
73.01%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.30 ARS 20.2K
$11.23 zł 43.63
18.43%
Apples (1kg)
$2.88 ARS 4,366
$1.20 zł 4.68
140.00%
Banana (1kg)
$2.20 ARS 3,334
$1.83 zł 7.09
20.22%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.40 ARS 2,120
$1.57 zł 6.08
-10.83%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.98 ARS 3,004
$2.00 zł 7.78
-1.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.21 ARS 1,835
$1.04 zł 4.05
16.35%
Onion (1kg)
$1.26 ARS 1,910
$1.17 zł 4.54
7.69%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.71 ARS 2,592
$1.12 zł 4.35
52.68%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.72 ARS 2,603
$0.62 zł 2.40
177.42%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.29 ARS 6,505
$5.07 zł 19.70
-15.38%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.70 ARS 8,645
$6.29 zł 24.45
-9.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.17 ARS 3,288
$1.15 zł 4.47
88.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76 ARS 4,188
$1.46 zł 5.66
89.04%
🚌 Getting Around
Buenos Aires
Bialystok
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.75 ARS 1,141
$1.10 zł 4.26
-31.82%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.27 ARS 41.4K
$32.94 zł 128
-17.21%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.57 ARS 2,375
$2.01 zł 7.81
-21.89%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.03 ARS 1,558
$0.65 zł 2.52
58.46%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.90 ARS 12.0K
$12.95 zł 50.3
-39.00%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.42 ARS 2,160
$1.55 zł 6.01
-8.39%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K ARS 42.4M
$30.2K zł 117.4K
-7.50%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.0K ARS 53.1M
$27.0K zł 105.0K
29.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Buenos Aires
Bialystok
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$195 ARS 296.2K
$298 zł 1,157
-34.46%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.16 ARS 38.2K
$8.38 zł 32.54
200.24%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.54 ARS 47.9K
$17.99 zł 69.9
75.32%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Buenos Aires
Bialystok
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.9 ARS 77.3K
$41.37 zł 161
23.08%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.73 ARS 25.4K
$27.66 zł 107
-39.52%
Cinema Ticket
$10.34 ARS 15.7K
$6.71 zł 26.08
54.10%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Buenos Aires
Bialystok
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$463 ARS 703.2K
$359 zł 1,394
29.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,793 ARS 13.3M
$4,280 zł 16.6K
105.46%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Buenos Aires
Bialystok
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$120 ARS 181.8K
$98.7 zł 383
21.43%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$95.5 ARS 144.9K
$36.27 zł 141
163.25%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$114 ARS 173.1K
$86.0 zł 334
32.72%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$139 ARS 211.4K
$89.9 zł 349
55.02%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Buenos Aires
Bialystok
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$756 ARS 1.1M
$541 zł 2,101
39.86%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$520 ARS 788.8K
$496 zł 1,925
4.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,590 ARS 2.4M
$820 zł 3,187
93.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,198 ARS 1.8M
$720 zł 2,799
66.34%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,713 ARS 4.1M
$2,620 zł 10.2K
3.58%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,901 ARS 2.9M
$2,272 zł 8,826
-16.33%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Buenos Aires
Bialystok
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$938 ARS 1.4M
$1,462 zł 5,680
-35.86%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
57.25
7.07
709.76%

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

Last update for Buenos Aires: October 11, 2026

Last update for Bialystok: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Buenos Aires
$520
Bialystok
$496 4.7% $24
Groceries & Markets
Buenos Aires
$283
Bialystok
$207 26.9% $76
Eating Out
Buenos Aires
$282
Bialystok
$186 34.1% $96
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Buenos Aires
$252
Bialystok
$324 28.7% $72
Clothing & Footwear
Buenos Aires
$211
Bialystok
$140 33.7% $71
Sport & Entertainment
Buenos Aires
$72
Bialystok
$55 23.5% $17
Getting Around
Buenos Aires
$37
Bialystok
$43 15.2% $5.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $756 in Buenos Aires versus $541 in Bialystok. 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 56% higher in Bialystok, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $66.0 in Buenos Aires versus $46.00 in Bialystok. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $283 vs $207 – making Bialystok the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇦🇷 Buenos Aires
🇵🇱 Bialystok
🕒 Local time
18:48 6:48 PM
23:48 11:48 PM
5 h ahead of Buenos Aires
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,891,082 Capital
297,554
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PLN, 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).

Polish Złoty exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 3.89 PLN (1 PLN = 0.257 USD). 1 EUR = 4.37 PLN (1 PLN = 0.229 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Buenos Aires Bialystok 12,510 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Buenos Aires
  • Bialystok

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 Bialystok: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Buenos Aires or Bialystok?
Buenos Aires costs about 14% more than Bialystok, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Buenos Aires and in Bialystok?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,484 per month in Buenos Aires and $2,175 in Bialystok. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Buenos Aires or Bialystok?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Bialystok, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do childcare costs compare in Buenos Aires and in Bialystok?
Kindergarten costs $463 per month in Buenos Aires and $359 in Bialystok. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Buenos Aires or in Bialystok?
Groceries cost about 37% more in Buenos Aires, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Buenos Aires or in Bialystok?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bialystok, where all-in costs run around $1,450, than in Buenos Aires at $1,656. In Bialystok it covers expenses comfortably, while in Buenos Aires it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Buenos Aires or Bialystok?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bialystok costs $1,450 versus $1,656 in Buenos Aires. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Buenos Aires compared to Bialystok?
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.
Should I move to Buenos Aires or to Bialystok?
If budget matters most, go with Bialystok. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Buenos Aires makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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