Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenos Aires and Kriens

For one person, living is cheaper in Buenos Aires: $1,656 a month against $3,185 in Kriens, rent and utilities included – about $18,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Buenos Aires
🇦🇷 Argentina
$1,656
/mo nomad
Kriens
🇨🇭 Switzerland
$3,185
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,656 in Buenos Aires versus $3,185 in Kriens.

  • Buenos Aires $1,656
  • Kriens $3,185

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,697 in Buenos Aires versus $4,881 in Kriens.

  • Buenos Aires $2,697
  • Kriens $4,881

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,737 in Buenos Aires versus $6,576 in Kriens.

  • Buenos Aires $3,737
  • Kriens $6,576

Living in Buenos Aires costs roughly 48% less than in Kriens, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Buenos Aires 23% above, Kriens 136% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Buenos Aires
Kriens
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.09 ARS 29.0K
$29.12 CHF 23.98
-34.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$65.8 ARS 99.9K
$105 CHF 86.3
-37.20%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.20 ARS 20.0K
$18.26 CHF 15.04
-27.71%
Cappuccino
$3.85 ARS 5,841
$5.94 CHF 4.89
-35.19%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99 ARS 3,020
$5.05 CHF 4.16
-60.59%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.60 ARS 2,430
$4.91 CHF 4.05
-67.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.93 ARS 5,959
$5.96 CHF 4.91
-34.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61 ARS 7,003
$6.77 CHF 5.58
-31.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Buenos Aires
Kriens
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 ARS 2,272
$2.04 CHF 1.68
-26.47%
White Bread (500g)
$2.53 ARS 3,837
$3.63 CHF 2.99
-30.30%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.61 ARS 2,445
$2.60 CHF 2.14
-38.08%
Eggs
$2.84 ARS 4,316
$7.59 CHF 6.25
-62.58%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.30 ARS 15.6K
$27.12 CHF 22.34
-62.02%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.00 ARS 15.2K
$31.41 CHF 25.87
-68.16%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.30 ARS 20.2K
$40.84 CHF 33.64
-67.43%
Apples (1kg)
$2.88 ARS 4,366
$2.87 CHF 2.37
0.35%
Banana (1kg)
$2.20 ARS 3,334
$1.80 CHF 1.48
22.22%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.40 ARS 2,120
$2.35 CHF 1.94
-40.43%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.98 ARS 3,004
$5.50 CHF 4.53
-64.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.21 ARS 1,835
$1.65 CHF 1.36
-26.67%
Onion (1kg)
$1.26 ARS 1,910
$2.02 CHF 1.66
-37.62%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.71 ARS 2,592
$2.29 CHF 1.88
-25.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.72 ARS 2,603
$1.37 CHF 1.13
25.55%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.29 ARS 6,505
$10.92 CHF 9.00
-60.71%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.70 ARS 8,645
$10.38 CHF 8.55
-45.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.17 ARS 3,288
$2.51 CHF 2.07
-13.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76 ARS 4,188
$2.81 CHF 2.31
-1.78%
🚌 Getting Around
Buenos Aires
Kriens
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.75 ARS 1,141
$4.63 CHF 3.81
-83.80%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.27 ARS 41.4K
$99.9 CHF 82.2
-72.69%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.57 ARS 2,375
$6.91 CHF 5.69
-77.28%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.03 ARS 1,558
$5.88 CHF 4.85
-82.48%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.90 ARS 12.0K
$36.61 CHF 30.15
-78.42%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.42 ARS 2,160
$2.23 CHF 1.84
-36.32%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K ARS 42.4M
$42.8K CHF 35.3K
-34.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.0K ARS 53.1M
$39.6K CHF 32.6K
-11.62%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Buenos Aires
Kriens
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$195 ARS 296.2K
$119 CHF 98.1
63.81%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.16 ARS 38.2K
$37.75 CHF 31.09
-33.35%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.54 ARS 47.9K
$55.4 CHF 45.65
-43.09%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Buenos Aires
Kriens
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.9 ARS 77.3K
$90.7 CHF 74.7
-43.88%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.73 ARS 25.4K
$44.27 CHF 36.46
-62.21%
Cinema Ticket
$10.34 ARS 15.7K
$22.03 CHF 18.15
-53.06%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Buenos Aires
Kriens
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$463 ARS 703.2K
$3,113 CHF 2,564
-85.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,793 ARS 13.3M
$35.7K CHF 29.4K
-75.36%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Buenos Aires
Kriens
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$120 ARS 181.8K
$90.8 CHF 74.8
32.03%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$95.5 ARS 144.9K
$68.0 CHF 56.0
40.35%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$114 ARS 173.1K
$110 CHF 90.5
3.89%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$139 ARS 211.4K
$169 CHF 139
-17.57%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Buenos Aires
Kriens
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$756 ARS 1.1M
$1,709 CHF 1,408
-55.75%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$520 ARS 788.8K
$1,450 CHF 1,194
-64.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,590 ARS 2.4M
$2,788 CHF 2,296
-42.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,198 ARS 1.8M
$2,421 CHF 1,994
-50.51%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,713 ARS 4.1M
$16.0K CHF 13.2K
-83.03%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,901 ARS 2.9M
$11.9K CHF 9,776
-83.99%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Buenos Aires
Kriens
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$938 ARS 1.4M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
57.25
1.9
2913.16%

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

Last update for Buenos Aires: October 11, 2026

Last update for Kriens: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Buenos Aires
$520
Kriens
$1.4K 179% $930
Groceries & Markets
Buenos Aires
$283
Kriens
$594 110% $311
Eating Out
Buenos Aires
$282
Kriens
$442 57% $161
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Buenos Aires
$252
Kriens
$212 15.7% $40
Clothing & Footwear
Buenos Aires
$211
Kriens
$197 6.6% $14
Sport & Entertainment
Buenos Aires
$72
Kriens
$135 88.3% $63
Getting Around
Buenos Aires
$37
Kriens
$155 318% $118

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $756 in Buenos Aires and $1,709 in Kriens. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $66.0 in Buenos Aires vs $105 in Kriens for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $594 per month, with Buenos Aires cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇦🇷 Buenos Aires
🇨🇭 Kriens
🕒 Local time
10:39 10:39 AM
15:39 3:39 PM
5 h ahead of Buenos Aires
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,891,082 Capital
25,932
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CHF, USD, EUR to ARS – Argentine Peso Converter

Argentine Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 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 17, 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 Kriens 11,250 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Buenos Aires
  • Kriens

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 Kriens: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Buenos Aires and in Kriens?
Buenos Aires and Kriens differ by about 92% in total monthly costs ($1,656 vs $3,185 including rent). Buenos Aires is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Buenos Aires compared to Kriens?
You'd need roughly $2,484 in Buenos Aires and $4,777 in Kriens to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Buenos Aires and in Kriens?
Rent for a central apartment: $756 in Buenos Aires versus $1,709 in Kriens. 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 Kriens?
Childcare runs $463 in Buenos Aires versus $3,113 in Kriens. 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 110% higher in Kriens. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $1,656 in Buenos Aires versus $3,185 in Kriens, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Buenos Aires but tight or insufficient in Kriens. 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 Kriens?
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 Kriens safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Buenos Aires and Kriens 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 Kriens?
Expats usually find Buenos Aires gentler on the wallet – expenses run 92% less than in Kriens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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