Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenos Aires and Onesti

For one person, living is cheaper in Onesti: $1,060 a month against $1,656 in Buenos Aires, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Buenos Aires
🇦🇷 Argentina
$1,656
/mo nomad
Onesti
🇷🇴 Romania
$1,060
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,656 in Buenos Aires versus $1,060 in Onesti.

  • Buenos Aires $1,656
  • Onesti $1,060

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,697 in Buenos Aires versus $1,597 in Onesti.

  • Buenos Aires $2,697
  • Onesti $1,597

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,737 in Buenos Aires versus $2,135 in Onesti.

  • Buenos Aires $3,737
  • Onesti $2,135

Living in Buenos Aires is roughly 56% more expensive than in Onesti, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Buenos Aires is 23% above, Onesti is 21% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Buenos Aires
Onesti
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.09 ARS 29.0K
$10.61 RON 50.2
79.92%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$65.8 ARS 99.9K
$42.76 RON 202
53.88%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.20 ARS 20.0K
$7.14 RON 33.78
84.87%
Cappuccino
$3.85 ARS 5,841
$2.89 RON 13.67
33.22%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99 ARS 3,020
$2.20 RON 10.41
-9.55%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.60 ARS 2,430
$1.77 RON 8.36
-9.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.93 ARS 5,959
$3.21 RON 15.19
22.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61 ARS 7,003
$3.71 RON 17.56
24.26%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Buenos Aires
Onesti
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 ARS 2,272
$1.04 RON 4.92
44.23%
White Bread (500g)
$2.53 ARS 3,837
$1.36 RON 6.46
86.03%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.61 ARS 2,445
$2.06 RON 9.73
-21.84%
Eggs
$2.84 ARS 4,316
$2.98 RON 14.10
-4.70%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.30 ARS 15.6K
$7.23 RON 34.19
42.46%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.00 ARS 15.2K
$6.50 RON 30.74
53.85%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.30 ARS 20.2K
$9.94 RON 47.03
33.80%
Apples (1kg)
$2.88 ARS 4,366
$1.03 RON 4.89
179.61%
Banana (1kg)
$2.20 ARS 3,334
$1.45 RON 6.86
51.72%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.40 ARS 2,120
$1.59 RON 7.55
-11.95%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.98 ARS 3,004
$2.08 RON 9.85
-4.81%
Potato (1kg)
$1.21 ARS 1,835
$0.84 RON 3.99
44.05%
Onion (1kg)
$1.26 ARS 1,910
$0.89 RON 4.22
41.57%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.71 ARS 2,592
$1.16 RON 5.51
47.41%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.72 ARS 2,603
$0.61 RON 2.90
181.97%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.29 ARS 6,505
$6.40 RON 30.29
-32.97%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.70 ARS 8,645
$5.22 RON 24.69
9.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.17 ARS 3,288
$1.37 RON 6.48
58.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76 ARS 4,188
$2.03 RON 9.60
35.96%
🚌 Getting Around
Buenos Aires
Onesti
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.75 ARS 1,141
$0.77 RON 3.64
-2.60%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.27 ARS 41.4K
$21.59 RON 102
26.31%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.57 ARS 2,375
$0.87 RON 4.12
80.46%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.03 ARS 1,558
$0.80 RON 3.79
28.75%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.90 ARS 12.0K
$8.20 RON 38.79
-3.66%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.42 ARS 2,160
$1.44 RON 6.82
-1.39%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K ARS 42.4M
$29.2K RON 137.9K
-4.12%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.0K ARS 53.1M
$27.8K RON 131.4K
25.88%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Buenos Aires
Onesti
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$195 ARS 296.2K
$184 RON 870
6.12%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.16 ARS 38.2K
$7.27 RON 34.40
246.08%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.54 ARS 47.9K
$8.67 RON 41.02
263.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Buenos Aires
Onesti
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.9 ARS 77.3K
$37.79 RON 179
34.74%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.73 ARS 25.4K
$20.49 RON 96.9
-18.35%
Cinema Ticket
$10.34 ARS 15.7K
$8.58 RON 40.59
20.51%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Buenos Aires
Onesti
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$463 ARS 703.2K
$420 RON 1,987
10.35%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,793 ARS 13.3M
$6,932 RON 32.8K
26.85%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Buenos Aires
Onesti
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$120 ARS 181.8K
$38.31 RON 181
212.79%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$95.5 ARS 144.9K
$39.59 RON 187
141.17%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$114 ARS 173.1K
$91.9 RON 435
24.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$139 ARS 211.4K
$89.9 RON 425
54.95%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Buenos Aires
Onesti
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$756 ARS 1.1M
$377 RON 1,784
100.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$520 ARS 788.8K
$282 RON 1,333
84.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,590 ARS 2.4M
$587 RON 2,778
170.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,198 ARS 1.8M
$445 RON 2,106
169.17%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,713 ARS 4.1M
$1,876 RON 8,875
44.64%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,901 ARS 2.9M
$1,367 RON 6,466
39.07%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Buenos Aires
Onesti
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$938 ARS 1.4M
$618 RON 2,925
51.70%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
57.25
7.18
697.35%

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

Last update for Buenos Aires: October 11, 2026

Last update for Onesti: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Buenos Aires
$520
Onesti
$282 45.8% $238
Groceries & Markets
Buenos Aires
$283
Onesti
$197 30.6% $87
Eating Out
Buenos Aires
$282
Onesti
$180 36% $101
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Buenos Aires
$252
Onesti
$200 20.6% $52
Clothing & Footwear
Buenos Aires
$211
Onesti
$117 44.6% $94
Sport & Entertainment
Buenos Aires
$72
Onesti
$55 23.3% $17
Getting Around
Buenos Aires
$37
Onesti
$30 20.1% $7.4

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $756 in Buenos Aires and $377 in Onesti. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buenos Aires pays 52% 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: $66.0 in Buenos Aires vs $43.00 in Onesti for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $197 per month, with Onesti cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇦🇷 Buenos Aires
🇷🇴 Onesti
🕒 Local time
19:30 7:30 PM
01:30 1:30 AM
6 h ahead of Buenos Aires
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,891,082 Capital
57,333
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

RON, 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).

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 4.73 RON (1 RON = 0.211 USD). 1 EUR = 5.32 RON (1 RON = 0.188 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Buenos Aires Onesti 12,370 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Buenos Aires
  • Onesti

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 Onesti: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Buenos Aires and in Onesti?
Buenos Aires and Onesti differ by about 56% in total monthly costs ($1,656 vs $1,060 including rent). Onesti is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Buenos Aires or Onesti?
Average pay runs 52% 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 Onesti?
Rent for a central apartment: $756 in Buenos Aires versus $377 in Onesti. 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 Onesti?
Childcare runs $463 in Buenos Aires versus $420 in Onesti. 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 44% 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 $1,060 in Onesti versus $1,656 in Buenos Aires, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Onesti but tight or insufficient in Buenos Aires. The gap between the two cities makes Onesti the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Buenos Aires and Onesti?
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 Onesti safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Buenos Aires and Onesti 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 Onesti?
Expats usually find Onesti gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% 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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