Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenos Aires and Picton

For one person, living is cheaper in Picton: $1,000 a month against $1,656 in Buenos Aires, rent and utilities included – about $7,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Buenos Aires
🇦🇷 Argentina
$1,656
/mo nomad
Picton
🇨🇦 Canada
$1,000
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,656 in Buenos Aires versus $1,000 in Picton.

  • Buenos Aires $1,656
  • Picton $1,000

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,697 in Buenos Aires versus $1,651 in Picton.

  • Buenos Aires $2,697
  • Picton $1,651

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,737 in Buenos Aires versus $2,302 in Picton.

  • Buenos Aires $3,737
  • Picton $2,302

Living in Buenos Aires is roughly 66% more expensive than in Picton, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

The two cities straddle the global median: Buenos Aires is 23% above, Picton is 26% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Buenos Aires
Picton
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.09 ARS 29.0K
$17.76 CA$25.11
7.49%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$65.8 ARS 99.9K
$67.4 CA$95.2
-2.33%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.20 ARS 20.0K
$9.52 CA$13.46
38.66%
Cappuccino
$3.85 ARS 5,841
$3.58 CA$5.07
7.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99 ARS 3,020
$2.10 CA$2.97
-5.24%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.60 ARS 2,430
$1.67 CA$2.36
-4.19%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.93 ARS 5,959
$5.45 CA$7.70
-27.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61 ARS 7,003
$5.74 CA$8.11
-19.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Buenos Aires
Picton
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 ARS 2,272
$1.64 CA$2.32
-8.54%
White Bread (500g)
$2.53 ARS 3,837
$1.97 CA$2.78
28.43%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.61 ARS 2,445
$2.22 CA$3.14
-27.48%
Eggs
$2.84 ARS 4,316
$2.82 CA$3.99
0.71%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.30 ARS 15.6K
$9.07 CA$12.82
13.56%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.00 ARS 15.2K
$11.24 CA$15.89
-11.03%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.30 ARS 20.2K
$14.63 CA$20.69
-9.09%
Apples (1kg)
$2.88 ARS 4,366
$2.67 CA$3.77
7.87%
Banana (1kg)
$2.20 ARS 3,334
$1.15 CA$1.62
91.30%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.40 ARS 2,120
$3.44 CA$4.86
-59.30%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.98 ARS 3,004
$4.06 CA$5.74
-51.23%
Potato (1kg)
$1.21 ARS 1,835
$1.85 CA$2.61
-34.59%
Onion (1kg)
$1.26 ARS 1,910
$1.66 CA$2.35
-24.10%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.71 ARS 2,592
$2.17 CA$3.07
-21.20%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.72 ARS 2,603
$1.25 CA$1.77
37.60%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.29 ARS 6,505
$13.35 CA$18.88
-67.87%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.70 ARS 8,645
$13.97 CA$19.75
-59.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.17 ARS 3,288
$2.12 CA$3.00
2.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76 ARS 4,188
$2.45 CA$3.46
12.65%
🚌 Getting Around
Buenos Aires
Picton
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.75 ARS 1,141
$2.11 CA$2.99
-64.45%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.27 ARS 41.4K
$19.44 CA$27.49
40.28%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.57 ARS 2,375
$3.02 CA$4.27
-48.01%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.03 ARS 1,558
$1.26 CA$1.78
-18.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.90 ARS 12.0K
$21.90 CA$30.96
-63.93%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.42 ARS 2,160
$1.10 CA$1.56
29.09%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K ARS 42.4M
$27.2K CA$38.4K
2.85%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.0K ARS 53.1M
$19.9K CA$28.1K
75.81%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Buenos Aires
Picton
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$195 ARS 296.2K
$118 CA$167
64.82%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.16 ARS 38.2K
$28.18 CA$39.83
-10.72%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.54 ARS 47.9K
$47.12 CA$66.6
-33.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Buenos Aires
Picton
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.9 ARS 77.3K
$41.58 CA$58.8
22.46%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.73 ARS 25.4K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.34 ARS 15.7K
$8.49 CA$12.01
21.79%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Buenos Aires
Picton
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$463 ARS 703.2K
$283 CA$400
63.70%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,793 ARS 13.3M
$23.3K CA$33.0K
-62.33%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Buenos Aires
Picton
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$120 ARS 181.8K
$49.40 CA$69.8
142.57%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$95.5 ARS 144.9K
$34.84 CA$49.26
174.05%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$114 ARS 173.1K
$83.2 CA$118
37.09%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$139 ARS 211.4K
$120 CA$169
16.20%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Buenos Aires
Picton
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$756 ARS 1.1M
$1,016 CA$1,436
-25.54%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$520 ARS 788.8K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,590 ARS 2.4M
$1,589 CA$2,247
0.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,198 ARS 1.8M
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,713 ARS 4.1M
$3,775 CA$5,337
-28.13%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,901 ARS 2.9M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Buenos Aires
Picton
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$938 ARS 1.4M
$3,036 CA$4,292
-69.12%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
57.25
4.47
1180.76%

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

Last update for Buenos Aires: October 11, 2026

Last update for Picton: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Buenos Aires
$520
Picton
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Buenos Aires
$283
Picton
$314 10.8% $31
Eating Out
Buenos Aires
$282
Picton
$267 5.1% $14
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Buenos Aires
$252
Picton
$194 23.1% $58
Clothing & Footwear
Buenos Aires
$211
Picton
$129 38.7% $82
Sport & Entertainment
Buenos Aires
$72
Picton
$59 18.2% $13
Getting Around
Buenos Aires
$37
Picton
$37 0.6% $0.2

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $756 in Buenos Aires and $1,016 in Picton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Picton pays 224% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $66.0 in Buenos Aires vs $67.0 in Picton for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $314 per month, with Buenos Aires cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇦🇷 Buenos Aires
🇨🇦 Picton
🕒 Local time
05:28 5:28 AM
04:28 4:28 AM
1 h behind Buenos Aires
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,891,082 Capital
4,702
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD, EUR to ARS – Argentine Peso Converter

Argentine Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1,517 ARS (10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD). 1 EUR = 1,706 ARS (10,000 ARS = 5.86 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Buenos Aires Picton 8,940 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Buenos Aires
  • Picton

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 Picton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Buenos Aires and in Picton?
Buenos Aires and Picton differ by about 66% in total monthly costs ($1,656 vs $1,000 including rent). Picton is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 224% lower in Picton. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Buenos Aires and in Picton?
Rent for a central apartment: $756 in Buenos Aires versus $1,016 in Picton. 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 Picton?
Childcare runs $463 in Buenos Aires versus $283 in Picton. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Buenos Aires pay roughly 11% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,000 in Picton versus $1,656 in Buenos Aires, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Picton but tight or insufficient in Buenos Aires. The gap between the two cities makes Picton the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Buenos Aires and Picton?
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 Picton safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Buenos Aires and Picton 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 Picton?
Expats usually find Picton gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% 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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