Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenos Aires and Ismailia

For one person, living is cheaper in Ismailia: $330 a month against $1,646 in Buenos Aires, rent and utilities included – about $15,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Buenos Aires
🇦🇷 Argentina
$1,646
/mo nomad
Ismailia
🇪🇬 Egypt
$330
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,646 in Buenos Aires versus $330 in Ismailia.

  • Buenos Aires $1,646
  • Ismailia $330

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,680 in Buenos Aires versus $561 in Ismailia.

  • Buenos Aires $2,680
  • Ismailia $561

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,714 in Buenos Aires versus $792 in Ismailia.

  • Buenos Aires $3,714
  • Ismailia $792

Living in Buenos Aires is roughly 399% more expensive than in Ismailia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Buenos Aires is 21% above, Ismailia is 76% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Buenos Aires
Ismailia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.81 ARS 27.0K
$3.30 E£176
439.70%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$65.2 ARS 98.9K
$14.58 E£778
346.91%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.12 ARS 19.9K
$3.76 E£201
248.94%
Cappuccino
$3.86 ARS 5,863
$1.04 E£55.5
271.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.06 ARS 3,133
$0.30 E£15.91
586.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 ARS 2,542
$0.13 E£6.85
1192.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.10 ARS 6,218
$1.32 E£70.6
210.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.73 ARS 7,181
$1.80 E£96.0
162.78%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Buenos Aires
Ismailia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 ARS 2,285
$0.79 E£42.30
91.14%
White Bread (500g)
$2.60 ARS 3,950
$0.36 E£19.07
622.22%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.57 ARS 2,380
$0.60 E£32.12
161.67%
Eggs
$2.73 ARS 4,144
$1.15 E£61.5
137.39%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.86 ARS 16.5K
$3.49 E£186
211.17%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.07 ARS 15.3K
$3.98 E£213
153.02%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.22 ARS 20.1K
$6.95 E£371
90.22%
Apples (1kg)
$2.80 ARS 4,255
$1.45 E£77.3
93.10%
Banana (1kg)
$2.09 ARS 3,170
$0.54 E£29.05
287.04%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.45 ARS 2,194
$0.41 E£22.01
253.66%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.00 ARS 3,040
$0.31 E£16.79
545.16%
Potato (1kg)
$1.20 ARS 1,826
$0.26 E£13.89
361.54%
Onion (1kg)
$1.20 ARS 1,821
$0.32 E£17.12
275.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.69 ARS 2,569
$0.23 E£12.31
634.78%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.79 ARS 2,711
$0.20 E£10.67
795.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.00 ARS 6,074
$1.86 E£99.5
115.05%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.53 ARS 8,388
$5.48 E£293
0.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.12 ARS 3,219
$1.04 E£55.4
103.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 ARS 4,212
$1.89 E£101
47.09%
🚌 Getting Around
Buenos Aires
Ismailia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.69 ARS 1,049
$0.23 E£12.26
200.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.90 ARS 42.3K
$3.77 E£201
640.05%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.63 ARS 2,471
$0.39 E£20.60
317.95%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.97 ARS 1,478
$0.48 E£25.72
102.08%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.89 ARS 12.0K
$1.13 E£60.2
598.23%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.42 ARS 2,156
$0.42 E£22.18
238.10%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.3K ARS 35.4M
$27.6K E£1.5M
-15.57%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.9K ARS 48.5M
$14.6K E£780.2K
118.62%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Buenos Aires
Ismailia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$199 ARS 302.7K
$13.94 E£744
1330.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.36 ARS 35.4K
$6.66 E£355
250.75%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.44 ARS 47.7K
$7.33 E£391
328.92%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Buenos Aires
Ismailia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.81 ARS 75.6K
$9.65 E£515
416.17%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.63 ARS 25.2K
$18.42 E£984
-9.72%
Cinema Ticket
$10.80 ARS 16.4K
$1.82 E£97.4
493.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Buenos Aires
Ismailia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$462 ARS 701.7K
$65.6 E£3,502
605.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,790 ARS 13.3M
$1,171 E£62.5K
650.50%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Buenos Aires
Ismailia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$120 ARS 181.6K
$12.92 E£690
826.47%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$94.6 ARS 143.6K
$9.19 E£491
929.49%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$116 ARS 176.4K
$127 E£6,764
-8.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$137 ARS 208.6K
$27.53 E£1,470
399.38%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Buenos Aires
Ismailia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$750 ARS 1.1M
$78.3 E£4,181
857.50%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$514 ARS 780.5K
$31.44 E£1,679
1535.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,567 ARS 2.4M
$120 E£6,414
1204.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,196 ARS 1.8M
$75.2 E£4,017
1489.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,632 ARS 4.0M
$458 E£24.5K
474.12%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,874 ARS 2.8M
$131 E£6,984
1333.13%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Buenos Aires
Ismailia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$924 ARS 1.4M
$101 E£5,387
816.31%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
57.25
21.33
168.40%

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

Last update for Buenos Aires: October 19, 2026

Last update for Ismailia: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Buenos Aires
$514
Ismailia
$31 93.9% $483
Groceries & Markets
Buenos Aires
$285
Ismailia
$108 62% $177
Eating Out
Buenos Aires
$273
Ismailia
$62 77.3% $211
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Buenos Aires
$254
Ismailia
$28 89% $226
Clothing & Footwear
Buenos Aires
$211
Ismailia
$79 62.3% $131
Sport & Entertainment
Buenos Aires
$71
Ismailia
$13 81.4% $58
Getting Around
Buenos Aires
$37
Ismailia
$7.5 79.9% $30

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $750 in Buenos Aires and $78.3 in Ismailia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buenos Aires pays 816% 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 $15.00 in Ismailia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $285 vs $108 per month, with Ismailia cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇦🇷 Buenos Aires
🇪🇬 Ismailia
🕒 Local time
18:26 6:26 PM
00:26 12:26 AM
6 h ahead of Buenos Aires
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,891,082 Capital
352,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

EGP, 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).

Egyptian Pound exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 53.4 EGP (100 EGP = 1.87 USD). 1 EUR = 60.03 EGP (100 EGP = 1.67 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Buenos Aires Ismailia 11,940 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Buenos Aires
  • Ismailia

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 Ismailia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Buenos Aires and in Ismailia?
Buenos Aires and Ismailia differ by about 399% in total monthly costs ($1,646 vs $330 including rent). Ismailia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Buenos Aires or Ismailia?
Average pay runs 816% 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 Ismailia?
Rent for a central apartment: $750 in Buenos Aires versus $78.3 in Ismailia. 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 Ismailia?
Childcare runs $462 in Buenos Aires versus $65.6 in Ismailia. 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 163% higher in Buenos Aires. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
At $330 in Ismailia versus $1,646 in Buenos Aires, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ismailia but tight or insufficient in Buenos Aires. The gap between the two cities makes Ismailia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Buenos Aires and Ismailia?
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 Ismailia safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Buenos Aires and Ismailia 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 Ismailia?
Expats usually find Ismailia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 399% 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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