Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenos Aires and Ciudad Juarez

For one person, living is cheaper in Ciudad Juarez: $1,150 a month against $1,656 in Buenos Aires, rent and utilities included – about $6,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Buenos Aires
🇦🇷 Argentina
$1,656
/mo nomad
Ciudad Juarez
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,150
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Buenos Aires and in Ciudad Juarez

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,656 in Buenos Aires versus $1,150 in Ciudad Juarez.

  • Buenos Aires $1,656
  • Ciudad Juarez $1,150

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,697 in Buenos Aires versus $1,862 in Ciudad Juarez.

  • Buenos Aires $2,697
  • Ciudad Juarez $1,862

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,737 in Buenos Aires versus $2,574 in Ciudad Juarez.

  • Buenos Aires $3,737
  • Ciudad Juarez $2,574

Living in Buenos Aires is roughly 44% more expensive than in Ciudad Juarez, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Buenos Aires is 23% above, Ciudad Juarez is 15% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Buenos Aires
Ciudad Juarez
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.09 ARS 29.0K
$9.47 MX$175
101.58%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$65.8 ARS 99.9K
$33.42 MX$618
96.89%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.20 ARS 20.0K
$10.33 MX$191
27.78%
Cappuccino
$3.85 ARS 5,841
$2.80 MX$51.7
37.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99 ARS 3,020
$1.10 MX$20.33
80.91%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.60 ARS 2,430
$0.65 MX$12.03
146.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.93 ARS 5,959
$2.07 MX$38.32
89.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61 ARS 7,003
$4.26 MX$78.7
8.22%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Buenos Aires
Ciudad Juarez
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 ARS 2,272
$1.74 MX$32.21
-13.79%
White Bread (500g)
$2.53 ARS 3,837
$2.22 MX$41.03
13.96%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.61 ARS 2,445
$1.56 MX$28.82
3.21%
Eggs
$2.84 ARS 4,316
$2.25 MX$41.50
26.22%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.30 ARS 15.6K
$12.83 MX$237
-19.72%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.00 ARS 15.2K
$6.68 MX$123
49.70%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.30 ARS 20.2K
$12.07 MX$223
10.19%
Apples (1kg)
$2.88 ARS 4,366
$2.59 MX$47.84
11.20%
Banana (1kg)
$2.20 ARS 3,334
$2.04 MX$37.69
7.84%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.40 ARS 2,120
$1.87 MX$34.55
-25.13%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.98 ARS 3,004
$2.12 MX$39.16
-6.60%
Potato (1kg)
$1.21 ARS 1,835
$1.64 MX$30.35
-26.22%
Onion (1kg)
$1.26 ARS 1,910
$2.31 MX$42.77
-45.45%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.71 ARS 2,592
$1.58 MX$29.19
8.23%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.72 ARS 2,603
$1.12 MX$20.61
53.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.29 ARS 6,505
$4.54 MX$83.8
-5.51%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.70 ARS 8,645
$10.94 MX$202
-47.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.17 ARS 3,288
$1.27 MX$23.40
70.87%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76 ARS 4,188
$3.28 MX$60.7
-15.85%
🚌 Getting Around
Buenos Aires
Ciudad Juarez
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.75 ARS 1,141
$0.64 MX$11.74
17.19%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.27 ARS 41.4K
$27.45 MX$507
-0.66%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.57 ARS 2,375
$4.06 MX$75.0
-61.33%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.03 ARS 1,558
$1.12 MX$20.67
-8.04%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.90 ARS 12.0K
$16.34 MX$302
-51.65%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.42 ARS 2,160
$1.31 MX$24.18
8.40%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K ARS 42.4M
$20.8K MX$384.7K
34.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.0K ARS 53.1M
$24.4K MX$451.2K
43.23%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Buenos Aires
Ciudad Juarez
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$195 ARS 296.2K
$85.7 MX$1,584
127.67%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.16 ARS 38.2K
$22.75 MX$420
10.59%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.54 ARS 47.9K
$28.46 MX$526
10.82%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Buenos Aires
Ciudad Juarez
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.9 ARS 77.3K
$33.45 MX$618
52.23%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.73 ARS 25.4K
$14.84 MX$274
12.74%
Cinema Ticket
$10.34 ARS 15.7K
$4.25 MX$78.6
143.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Buenos Aires
Ciudad Juarez
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$463 ARS 703.2K
$215 MX$3,969
115.74%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,793 ARS 13.3M
$2,861 MX$52.9K
207.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Buenos Aires
Ciudad Juarez
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$120 ARS 181.8K
$59.6 MX$1,101
101.12%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$95.5 ARS 144.9K
$33.01 MX$610
189.25%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$114 ARS 173.1K
$76.4 MX$1,411
49.42%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$139 ARS 211.4K
$81.9 MX$1,514
70.02%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Buenos Aires
Ciudad Juarez
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$756 ARS 1.1M
$609 MX$11.2K
24.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$520 ARS 788.8K
$382 MX$7,055
36.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,590 ARS 2.4M
$1,009 MX$18.6K
57.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,198 ARS 1.8M
$859 MX$15.9K
39.47%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,713 ARS 4.1M
$957 MX$17.7K
183.48%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,901 ARS 2.9M
$699 MX$12.9K
171.91%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Buenos Aires
Ciudad Juarez
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$938 ARS 1.4M
$585 MX$10.8K
60.26%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
57.25
11.32
405.74%

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

Last update for Buenos Aires: October 11, 2026

Last update for Ciudad Juarez: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Buenos Aires
$520
Ciudad Juarez
$382 26.6% $138
Groceries & Markets
Buenos Aires
$283
Ciudad Juarez
$270 4.6% $13
Eating Out
Buenos Aires
$282
Ciudad Juarez
$166 41% $116
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Buenos Aires
$252
Ciudad Juarez
$137 45.6% $115
Clothing & Footwear
Buenos Aires
$211
Ciudad Juarez
$113 46.5% $98
Sport & Entertainment
Buenos Aires
$72
Ciudad Juarez
$42 41.4% $30
Getting Around
Buenos Aires
$37
Ciudad Juarez
$40 7.2% $2.7

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $756 in Buenos Aires and $609 in Ciudad Juarez. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buenos Aires pays 60% 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 $33.00 in Ciudad Juarez for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $270 per month, with Ciudad Juarez cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇦🇷 Buenos Aires
🇲🇽 Ciudad Juarez
🕒 Local time
11:10 11:10 AM
08:10 8:10 AM
3 h behind Buenos Aires
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,891,082 Capital
1,501,551
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to ARS – Argentine Peso Converter

Argentine Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1,517 ARS (10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD). 1 EUR = 1,706 ARS (10,000 ARS = 5.86 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Buenos Aires Ciudad Juarez 8,920 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Buenos Aires
  • Ciudad Juarez

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 Ciudad Juarez: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Buenos Aires and in Ciudad Juarez?
Buenos Aires and Ciudad Juarez differ by about 44% in total monthly costs ($1,656 vs $1,150 including rent). Ciudad Juarez is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Buenos Aires or Ciudad Juarez?
Average pay runs 60% 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Buenos Aires and in Ciudad Juarez?
Rent for a central apartment: $756 in Buenos Aires versus $609 in Ciudad Juarez. 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 Ciudad Juarez?
Childcare runs $463 in Buenos Aires versus $215 in Ciudad Juarez. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Buenos Aires. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,150 in Ciudad Juarez versus $1,656 in Buenos Aires, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ciudad Juarez but tight or insufficient in Buenos Aires. The gap between the two cities makes Ciudad Juarez the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Buenos Aires and Ciudad Juarez?
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 Ciudad Juarez safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Buenos Aires and Ciudad Juarez 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 Ciudad Juarez?
Expats usually find Ciudad Juarez gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% 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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