Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenos Aires and La Plata Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenos Aires and La Plata

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,393 in Buenos Aires versus $886 in La Plata.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,191 in Buenos Aires versus $1,486 in La Plata.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,988 in Buenos Aires versus $2,086 in La Plata.

Living in Buenos Aires is roughly 57% more expensive than in La Plata, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Buenos Aires is 4% above, La Plata is 34% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.82 ARS 21.9K

$12.18 ARS 18.0K

21.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.1 ARS 88.8K

$28.25 ARS 41.7K

112.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.97 ARS 17.7K

$5.13 ARS 7,586

133.33%

Cappuccino

$3.99 ARS 5,898

$3.04 ARS 4,494

31.25%

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

$2.17 ARS 3,207

$0.71 ARS 1,054

205.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 ARS 2,169

$0.72 ARS 1,061

104.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.68 ARS 5,440

$0.98 ARS 1,447

275.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ARS 5,761

$3.95 ARS 5,834

-1.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 ARS 2,371

$1.17 ARS 1,734

36.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 ARS 3,738

$1.64 ARS 2,426

54.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 ARS 3,279

$1.55 ARS 2,287

43.23%

Eggs

$3.17 ARS 4,683

$2.29 ARS 3,378

38.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.03 ARS 17.8K

$7.71 ARS 11.4K

56.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.84 ARS 11.6K

$5.81 ARS 8,589

34.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.25 ARS 13.7K

$8.17 ARS 12.1K

13.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 ARS 3,624

$2.55 ARS 3,763

-3.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 ARS 3,012

$1.90 ARS 2,802

7.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 ARS 1,932

$1.10 ARS 1,626

19.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.53 ARS 3,745

$2.63 ARS 3,892

-3.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 ARS 2,150

$0.73 ARS 1,083

98.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ARS 2,191

$1.11 ARS 1,635

33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.79 ARS 2,643

$1.78 ARS 2,637

0.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 ARS 2,141

$1.29 ARS 1,908

12.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 ARS 4,697

$3.05 ARS 4,504

4.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.83 ARS 8,622

$4.89 ARS 7,229

19.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 ARS 3,277

$2.19 ARS 3,242

1.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 ARS 4,535

$3.02 ARS 4,470

1.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 ARS 988

$0.32 ARS 479

109.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.26 ARS 24.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 ARS 2,333

$1.51 ARS 2,226

4.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 ARS 1,267

$0.91 ARS 1,341

-5.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 ARS 8,826

$6.03 ARS 8,908

-1.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ARS 1,653

$0.94 ARS 1,386

19.15%

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

$24.8K ARS 36.6M

$25.1K ARS 37.1M

-1.38%

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

$29.2K ARS 43.2M

$29.0K ARS 42.8M

0.96%

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

$109 ARS 161.0K

$35.35 ARS 52.2K

208.15%

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

$21.47 ARS 31.7K

$16.51 ARS 24.4K

30.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.58 ARS 42.2K

$23.18 ARS 34.3K

23.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.73 ARS 61.7K

$22.41 ARS 33.1K

86.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.77 ARS 17.4K

$13.87 ARS 20.5K

-15.14%

Cinema Ticket

$9.25 ARS 13.7K

$6.94 ARS 10.3K

33.29%

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

$325 ARS 479.6K

$324 ARS 479.5K

0.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,275 ARS 7.8M

$5,133 ARS 7.6M

2.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 ARS 165.0K

$93.0 ARS 137.4K

20.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$85.9 ARS 127.0K

$84.4 ARS 124.8K

1.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 ARS 181.5K

$121 ARS 178.9K

1.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 ARS 190.6K

$130 ARS 192.6K

-1.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 ARS 970.6K

$296 ARS 437.6K

121.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ARS 661.6K

$186 ARS 274.5K

141.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,150 ARS 1.7M

$647 ARS 956.9K

77.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$814 ARS 1.2M

$517 ARS 763.6K

57.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,577 ARS 3.8M

$1,968 ARS 2.9M

30.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,844 ARS 2.7M

$1,468 ARS 2.2M

25.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$842 ARS 1.2M

$673 ARS 995.0K

25.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

52.71

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

Last update for Buenos Aires: July 13, 2026

Last update for La Plata: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $657 in Buenos Aires and $296 in La Plata. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buenos Aires pays 25% 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: $60.0 in Buenos Aires vs $28.00 in La Plata for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $216 per month, with La Plata cheaper across the board.

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 La Plata: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Buenos Aires and La Plata differ by about 57% in total monthly costs ($1,393 vs $886 including rent). La Plata is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 25% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $657 in Buenos Aires versus $296 in La Plata. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $325 in Buenos Aires versus $324 in La Plata. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in La Plata – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $60.0 in Buenos Aires. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $886 in La Plata versus $1,393 in Buenos Aires, a $2,000 budget is realistic in La Plata but tight or insufficient in Buenos Aires. The gap between the two cities makes La Plata 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 La Plata 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 La Plata gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Buenos Aires. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.