Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenos Aires and Mazar-i-Sharif

For one person, living is cheaper in Mazar-i-Sharif: $297 a month against $1,685 in Buenos Aires, rent and utilities included – about $16,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

81

Cost of Living Index in Buenos Aires
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Buenos Aires Living Index
33

Cost of Living Index in Mazar-i-Sharif
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Mazar-i-Sharif Living Index

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Buenos Aires

🇦🇷 Argentina

$1,685

/mo nomad

Mazar-i-Sharif

🇦🇫 Afghanistan

$297

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Buenos Aires and in Mazar-i-Sharif

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 Mazar-i-Sharif actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,685 in Buenos Aires versus $297 in Mazar-i-Sharif.

Buenos Aires $1,685
Mazar-i-Sharif $297

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,742 in Buenos Aires versus $470 in Mazar-i-Sharif.

Buenos Aires $2,742
Mazar-i-Sharif $470

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,799 in Buenos Aires versus $643 in Mazar-i-Sharif.

Buenos Aires $3,799
Mazar-i-Sharif $643

Living in Buenos Aires is roughly 468% more expensive than in Mazar-i-Sharif, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Buenos Aires is 26% above, Mazar-i-Sharif is 78% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.73 ARS 28.4K

$2.31 ؋149

710.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 ARS 97.8K

$15.68 ؋1,015

311.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.88 ARS 19.5K

$3.90 ؋252

230.26%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.53 ؋487

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.76 ؋503

Cappuccino

$3.98 ARS 6,029

$1.19 ؋77.3

234.45%

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

$2.05 ARS 3,103

$0.56 ؋36.07

266.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 ARS 2,349

$0.32 ؋20.97

384.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.84 ARS 5,830

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.60 ARS 6,970

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 ARS 2,181

$0.60 ؋38.87

140.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 ARS 3,738

$0.15 ؋9.41

1540.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 ARS 2,467

$2.15 ؋139

-24.19%

Eggs

$2.89 ARS 4,385

$1.59 ؋103

81.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.65 ARS 16.1K

$7.92 ؋513

34.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.00 ARS 15.2K

$3.37 ؋218

196.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.74 ARS 20.8K

$6.23 ؋404

120.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ARS 4,166

$0.59 ؋38.23

366.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 ARS 3,300

$1.17 ؋76.0

86.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 ARS 2,205

$0.81 ؋52.6

79.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ARS 3,013

$0.61 ؋39.57

226.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ARS 1,885

$0.51 ؋33.06

143.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 ARS 1,921

$0.40 ؋25.83

217.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 ARS 2,575

$0.52 ؋33.75

226.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 ARS 2,617

$0.32 ؋20.76

440.63%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.82 ؋118

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 ARS 6,337

$1.56 ؋101

167.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.80 ARS 8,790

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 ARS 3,163

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 ARS 4,198

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 ARS 1,132

$0.80 ؋52.0

-6.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.15 ARS 41.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.62 ARS 2,451

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 ARS 1,481

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.72 ARS 11.7K

$1.52 ؋98.7

407.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ARS 2,058

$1.49 ؋96.3

-8.72%

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

$28.0K ARS 42.5M

$9,933 ؋643.3K

181.98%

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

$34.5K ARS 52.4M

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

$216 ARS 326.9K

$83.8 ؋5,425

157.37%

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

$25.61 ARS 38.8K

$16.94 ؋1,097

51.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.36 ARS 47.6K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.82 ARS 75.6K

$11.69 ؋757

326.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 ARS 25.9K

$3.91 ؋253

336.32%

Cinema Ticket

$10.43 ARS 15.8K

$4.72 ؋306

120.97%

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

$466 ARS 706.7K

$78.1 ؋5,058

496.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,057 ARS 13.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$122 ARS 185.2K

$13.14 ؋851

829.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$97.4 ARS 147.8K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ARS 177.4K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 ARS 211.9K

$18.75 ؋1,214

645.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$763 ARS 1.2M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$505 ARS 766.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,598 ARS 2.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,185 ARS 1.8M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,678 ARS 4.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,858 ARS 2.8M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$954 ARS 1.4M

$231 ؋15.0K

313.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

57.25

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

Last update for Buenos Aires: October 6, 2026

Last update for Mazar-i-Sharif: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Buenos Aires

$505 30.4%

Mazar-i-Sharif

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Buenos Aires

$284 17.1%

Mazar-i-Sharif

$106 36.2% 62.6% $178

Eating Out

Buenos Aires

$279 16.8%

Mazar-i-Sharif

$48 16.3% 82.8% $231

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Buenos Aires

$273 16.4%

Mazar-i-Sharif

$101 * 34.3% 63.1% $172

Clothing & Footwear

Buenos Aires

$214 12.9%

Mazar-i-Sharif

$14 * 4.9% 93.3% $200

Sport & Entertainment

Buenos Aires

$71 4.3%

Mazar-i-Sharif

$21 7.2% 70.1% $50

Getting Around

Buenos Aires

$37 2.2%

Mazar-i-Sharif

$3.2 * 1.1% 91.2% $33

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Buenos Aires pays 313% 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: $64.0 in Buenos Aires vs $16.00 in Mazar-i-Sharif for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $284 vs $106 per month, with Mazar-i-Sharif cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇦🇷 Buenos Aires

🇦🇫 Mazar-i-Sharif

🕒 Local time

00:54 12:54 AM

08:24 8:24 AM

7 h 30 min ahead of Buenos Aires

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,891,082 Capital

300,600

💱 Currency

Argentine Peso ARS $

Afghanistan Afghani AFN ؋

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD

10,000 ARS = 5.88 EUR

100 AFN = 1.54 USD

100 AFN = 1.38 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

AFN, USD, EUR to ARS – Argentine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇦🇷 Argentine Peso ($)

Argentine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1,517 ARS (10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD). 1 EUR = 1,701 ARS (10,000 ARS = 5.88 EUR).

Afghanistan Afghani exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 64.76 AFN (100 AFN = 1.54 USD). 1 EUR = 72.64 AFN (100 AFN = 1.38 EUR).

USD to ARS in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Buenos Aires Mazar-i-Sharif 15,160 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Buenos Aires
Mazar-i-Sharif

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 Mazar-i-Sharif: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Buenos Aires and Mazar-i-Sharif differ by about 468% in total monthly costs ($1,685 vs $297 including rent). Mazar-i-Sharif is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 313% 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.

Childcare runs $466 in Buenos Aires versus $78.1 in Mazar-i-Sharif. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mazar-i-Sharif – a meal for two runs $16.00 versus $64.0 in Buenos Aires. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $297 in Mazar-i-Sharif versus $1,685 in Buenos Aires, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mazar-i-Sharif but tight or insufficient in Buenos Aires. The gap between the two cities makes Mazar-i-Sharif 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 Mazar-i-Sharif 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 Mazar-i-Sharif gentler on the wallet – expenses run 468% less than in Buenos Aires. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.