Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenos Aires and Buchs

For one person, living is cheaper in Buenos Aires: $1,646 a month against $3,009 in Buchs, rent and utilities included – about $16,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Buenos Aires
🇦🇷 Argentina
$1,646
/mo nomad
Buchs
🇨🇭 Switzerland
$3,009
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,646 in Buenos Aires versus $3,009 in Buchs.

  • Buenos Aires $1,646
  • Buchs $3,009

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,680 in Buenos Aires versus $4,535 in Buchs.

  • Buenos Aires $2,680
  • Buchs $4,535

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,714 in Buenos Aires versus $6,062 in Buchs.

  • Buenos Aires $3,714
  • Buchs $6,062

Living in Buenos Aires costs roughly 45% less than in Buchs, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Buenos Aires 21% above, Buchs 122% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Buenos Aires
Buchs
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.81 ARS 27.0K
$23.43 CHF 19.30
-23.99%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$65.2 ARS 98.9K
$84.3 CHF 69.4
-22.68%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.12 ARS 19.9K
$15.36 CHF 12.65
-14.58%
Cappuccino
$3.86 ARS 5,863
$4.71 CHF 3.88
-18.05%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.06 ARS 3,133
$3.77 CHF 3.10
-45.36%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 ARS 2,542
$3.20 CHF 2.63
-47.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.10 ARS 6,218
$6.13 CHF 5.04
-33.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.73 ARS 7,181
$5.39 CHF 4.44
-12.24%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Buenos Aires
Buchs
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 ARS 2,285
$2.01 CHF 1.66
-24.88%
White Bread (500g)
$2.60 ARS 3,950
$3.94 CHF 3.24
-34.01%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.57 ARS 2,380
$4.64 CHF 3.82
-66.16%
Eggs
$2.73 ARS 4,144
$7.32 CHF 6.03
-62.70%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.86 ARS 16.5K
$32.21 CHF 26.53
-66.28%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.07 ARS 15.3K
$18.51 CHF 15.24
-45.60%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.22 ARS 20.1K
$32.47 CHF 26.74
-59.29%
Apples (1kg)
$2.80 ARS 4,255
$3.53 CHF 2.91
-20.68%
Banana (1kg)
$2.09 ARS 3,170
$2.14 CHF 1.76
-2.34%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.45 ARS 2,194
$3.14 CHF 2.59
-53.82%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.00 ARS 3,040
$6.70 CHF 5.52
-70.15%
Potato (1kg)
$1.20 ARS 1,826
$1.78 CHF 1.46
-32.58%
Onion (1kg)
$1.20 ARS 1,821
$2.54 CHF 2.10
-52.76%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.69 ARS 2,569
$2.44 CHF 2.01
-30.74%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.79 ARS 2,711
$1.21 CHF 1.00
47.93%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.00 ARS 6,074
$10.84 CHF 8.92
-63.10%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.53 ARS 8,388
$12.70 CHF 10.46
-56.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.12 ARS 3,219
$3.28 CHF 2.70
-35.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 ARS 4,212
$3.91 CHF 3.22
-28.90%
🚌 Getting Around
Buenos Aires
Buchs
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.69 ARS 1,049
$5.17 CHF 4.25
-86.65%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.90 ARS 42.3K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.63 ARS 2,471
$5.36 CHF 4.42
-69.59%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.97 ARS 1,478
$3.46 CHF 2.85
-71.97%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.89 ARS 12.0K
$61.2 CHF 50.4
-87.10%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.42 ARS 2,156
$2.23 CHF 1.83
-36.32%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.3K ARS 35.4M
$42.5K CHF 35.0K
-45.14%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.9K ARS 48.5M
$39.6K CHF 32.6K
-19.28%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Buenos Aires
Buchs
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$199 ARS 302.7K
$184 CHF 152
8.16%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.36 ARS 35.4K
$31.24 CHF 25.73
-25.22%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.44 ARS 47.7K
$67.2 CHF 55.4
-53.23%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Buenos Aires
Buchs
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.81 ARS 75.6K
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.63 ARS 25.2K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.80 ARS 16.4K
$15.20 CHF 12.52
-28.95%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Buenos Aires
Buchs
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$462 ARS 701.7K
$611 CHF 503
-24.33%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,790 ARS 13.3M
$20.7K CHF 17.0K
-57.44%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Buenos Aires
Buchs
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$120 ARS 181.6K
$107 CHF 88.0
12.06%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$94.6 ARS 143.6K
$23.70 CHF 19.52
299.20%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$116 ARS 176.4K
$95.2 CHF 78.4
22.12%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$137 ARS 208.6K
$170 CHF 140
-18.96%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Buenos Aires
Buchs
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$750 ARS 1.1M
$1,828 CHF 1,505
-58.99%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$514 ARS 780.5K
$1,561 CHF 1,285
-67.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,567 ARS 2.4M
$2,690 CHF 2,216
-41.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,196 ARS 1.8M
$2,746 CHF 2,261
-56.45%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,632 ARS 4.0M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,874 ARS 2.8M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Buenos Aires
Buchs
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$924 ARS 1.4M
$8,480 CHF 6,984
-89.10%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
57.25
1.93
2866.32%

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

Last update for Buenos Aires: October 19, 2026

Last update for Buchs: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Buenos Aires
$514
Buchs
$1.6K 203% $1K
Groceries & Markets
Buenos Aires
$285
Buchs
$555 94.9% $270
Eating Out
Buenos Aires
$273
Buchs
$359 31.5% $86
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Buenos Aires
$254
Buchs
$283 11.3% $29
Clothing & Footwear
Buenos Aires
$211
Buchs
$178 15.5% $33
Sport & Entertainment
Buenos Aires
$71
Buchs
$30 * 57.4% $41
Getting Around
Buenos Aires
$37
Buchs
$43 * 16.5% $6.1

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $750 in Buenos Aires and $1,828 in Buchs. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buchs pays 817% 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: $65.0 in Buenos Aires vs $84.0 in Buchs for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $285 vs $555 per month, with Buenos Aires cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇦🇷 Buenos Aires
🇨🇭 Buchs
🕒 Local time
17:43 5:43 PM
22:43 10:43 PM
5 h ahead of Buenos Aires
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,891,082 Capital
12,187
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CHF, USD, EUR to ARS – Argentine Peso Converter

Argentine Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 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 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.824 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.926 CHF (1 CHF = 1.08 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Buenos Aires Buchs 11,330 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Buenos Aires
  • Buchs

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 Buchs: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Buenos Aires and in Buchs?
Buenos Aires and Buchs differ by about 83% in total monthly costs ($1,646 vs $3,009 including rent). Buenos Aires is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 817% lower in Buchs. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Buenos Aires and in Buchs?
Rent for a central apartment: $750 in Buenos Aires versus $1,828 in Buchs. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Buenos Aires and Buchs?
Childcare runs $462 in Buenos Aires versus $611 in Buchs. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Buenos Aires – a meal for two runs $65.0 versus $84.0 in Buchs. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $1,646 in Buenos Aires versus $3,009 in Buchs, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Buenos Aires but tight or insufficient in Buchs. The gap between the two cities makes Buenos Aires the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Buenos Aires and Buchs?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Buenos Aires or Buchs safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Buenos Aires and Buchs are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Buenos Aires or Buchs?
Expats usually find Buenos Aires gentler on the wallet – expenses run 83% less than in Buchs. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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