Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenos Aires and Des Moines, IA

For one person, living is cheaper in Buenos Aires: $1,646 a month against $2,171 in Des Moines, IA, rent and utilities included – about $6,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Buenos Aires
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Buenos Aires Living Index
105

Cost of Living Index in Des Moines, IA
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Des Moines, IA Living Index

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Buenos Aires

🇦🇷 Argentina

$1,646

/mo nomad

Des Moines, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,171

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Buenos Aires and in Des Moines, 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 Des Moines, IA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,646 in Buenos Aires versus $2,171 in Des Moines, IA.

Buenos Aires $1,646
Des Moines, IA $2,171

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,680 in Buenos Aires versus $3,236 in Des Moines, IA.

Buenos Aires $2,680
Des Moines, IA $3,236

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,714 in Buenos Aires versus $4,301 in Des Moines, IA.

Buenos Aires $3,714
Des Moines, IA $4,301

Living in Buenos Aires costs roughly 24% less than in Des Moines, IA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Buenos Aires 21% above, Des Moines, IA 60% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.81 ARS 27.0K

$19.69 $19.69

-9.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.2 ARS 98.9K

$80.8 $80.8

-19.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.12 ARS 19.9K

$12.22 $12.22

7.36%

Cappuccino

$3.86 ARS 5,863

$6.16 $6.16

-37.34%

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

$2.06 ARS 3,133

$2.93 $2.93

-29.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 ARS 2,542

$2.56 $2.56

-34.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.10 ARS 6,218

$4.99 $4.99

-17.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.73 ARS 7,181

$5.89 $5.89

-19.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 ARS 2,285

$0.91 $0.91

65.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.60 ARS 3,950

$3.03 $3.03

-14.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 ARS 2,380

$3.38 $3.38

-53.55%

Eggs

$2.73 ARS 4,144

$4.00 $4.00

-31.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.86 ARS 16.5K

$9.69 $9.69

12.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.07 ARS 15.3K

$9.91 $9.91

1.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.22 ARS 20.1K

$13.68 $13.68

-3.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.80 ARS 4,255

$4.33 $4.33

-35.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 ARS 3,170

$1.51 $1.51

38.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 ARS 2,194

$4.54 $4.54

-68.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 ARS 3,040

$3.68 $3.68

-45.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 ARS 1,826

$3.07 $3.07

-60.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ARS 1,821

$2.14 $2.14

-43.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 ARS 2,569

$2.38 $2.38

-28.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ARS 2,711

$2.19 $2.19

-18.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 ARS 6,074

$7.85 $7.85

-49.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.53 ARS 8,388

$14.79 $14.79

-62.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 ARS 3,219

$1.70 $1.70

24.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ARS 4,212

$3.09 $3.09

-10.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 ARS 1,049

$1.73 $1.73

-60.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.90 ARS 42.3K

$58.1 $58.1

-52.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.63 ARS 2,471

$1.97 $1.97

-17.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.97 ARS 1,478

$1.23 $1.23

-21.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 ARS 12.0K

$19.70 $19.70

-59.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 ARS 2,156

$0.93 $0.93

52.69%

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

$23.3K ARS 35.4M

$27.2K $27.2K

-14.12%

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

$31.9K ARS 48.5M

$25.1K $25.1K

27.01%

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

$199 ARS 302.7K

$185 $185

8.04%

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

$23.36 ARS 35.4K

$53.6 $53.6

-56.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.44 ARS 47.7K

$70.2 $70.2

-55.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.81 ARS 75.6K

$63.8 $63.8

-21.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.63 ARS 25.2K

$20.14 $20.14

-17.43%

Cinema Ticket

$10.80 ARS 16.4K

$9.99 $9.99

8.11%

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

$462 ARS 701.7K

$1,187 $1,187

-61.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,790 ARS 13.3M

$12.0K $12.0K

-26.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$120 ARS 181.6K

$59.5 $59.5

101.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$94.6 ARS 143.6K

$42.98 $42.98

120.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 ARS 176.4K

$101 $101

15.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 ARS 208.6K

$145 $145

-5.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$750 ARS 1.1M

$1,177 $1,177

-36.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$514 ARS 780.5K

$872 $872

-41.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,567 ARS 2.4M

$1,738 $1,738

-9.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,196 ARS 1.8M

$1,394 $1,394

-14.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,632 ARS 4.0M

$2,320 $2,320

13.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,874 ARS 2.8M

$2,325 $2,325

-19.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$924 ARS 1.4M

$3,647 $3,647

-74.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

57.25

6.56

772.71%

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

Last update for Buenos Aires: October 19, 2026

Last update for Des Moines, IA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Buenos Aires

$514 31.3%

Des Moines, IA

$872 40.2% 69.6% $358

Groceries & Markets

Buenos Aires

$285 17.3%

Des Moines, IA

$349 16.1% 22.8% $65

Eating Out

Buenos Aires

$273 16.6%

Des Moines, IA

$327 15.1% 19.7% $54

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Buenos Aires

$254 15.5%

Des Moines, IA

$308 14.2% 21.3% $54

Clothing & Footwear

Buenos Aires

$211 12.8%

Des Moines, IA

$157 7.2% 25.5% $54

Sport & Entertainment

Buenos Aires

$71 4.3%

Des Moines, IA

$84 3.9% 17.3% $12

Getting Around

Buenos Aires

$37 2.3%

Des Moines, IA

$73 3.4% 96.9% $36

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $750 in Buenos Aires and $1,177 in Des Moines, IA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Des Moines, IA pays 295% 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 $81.0 in Des Moines, IA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $285 vs $349 per month, with Buenos Aires cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇦🇷 Buenos Aires

🇺🇸 Des Moines, IA

🕒 Local time

07:15 7:15 AM

05:15 5:15 AM

2 h behind Buenos Aires

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,891,082 Capital

214,133

💱 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 22, 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 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to ARS in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Buenos Aires Des Moines, IA 9,210 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Buenos Aires
Des Moines, 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 Des Moines, IA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Buenos Aires and Des Moines, IA differ by about 32% in total monthly costs ($1,646 vs $2,171 including rent). Buenos Aires is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 295% lower in Des Moines, 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: $750 in Buenos Aires versus $1,177 in Des Moines, IA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $462 in Buenos Aires versus $1,187 in Des Moines, IA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Des Moines, IA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,646 in Buenos Aires versus $2,171 in Des Moines, IA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Buenos Aires but tight or insufficient in Des Moines, IA. The gap between the two cities makes Buenos Aires the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Buenos Aires and Des Moines, 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 32% less than in Des Moines, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.