Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenos Aires and Pilar Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenos Aires and Pilar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,393 in Buenos Aires versus $1,070 in Pilar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,191 in Buenos Aires versus $1,839 in Pilar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,988 in Buenos Aires versus $2,609 in Pilar.

Living in Buenos Aires is roughly 30% more expensive than in Pilar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Buenos Aires is 4% above, Pilar is 20% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.82 ARS 21.9K

$14.92 ARS 22.1K

-0.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.1 ARS 88.8K

$60.6 ARS 89.5K

-0.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.97 ARS 17.7K

$11.86 ARS 17.5K

0.93%

Cappuccino

$3.99 ARS 5,898

$4.06 ARS 5,996

-1.72%

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

$2.17 ARS 3,207

$2.20 ARS 3,250

-1.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 ARS 2,169

$1.48 ARS 2,194

-0.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.68 ARS 5,440

$3.61 ARS 5,340

1.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ARS 5,761

$4.08 ARS 6,025

-4.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 ARS 2,371

$1.54 ARS 2,282

3.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 ARS 3,738

$2.56 ARS 3,787

-1.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 ARS 3,279

$2.30 ARS 3,392

-3.48%

Eggs

$3.17 ARS 4,683

$2.25 ARS 3,327

40.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.03 ARS 17.8K

$12.05 ARS 17.8K

-0.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.84 ARS 11.6K

$3.04 ARS 4,500

157.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.25 ARS 13.7K

$9.36 ARS 13.8K

-1.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 ARS 3,624

$2.47 ARS 3,650

-0.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 ARS 3,012

$2.12 ARS 3,133

-3.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 ARS 1,932

$1.25 ARS 1,841

4.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.53 ARS 3,745

$2.59 ARS 3,829

-2.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 ARS 2,150

$1.49 ARS 2,201

-2.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ARS 2,191

$1.49 ARS 2,198

-0.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.79 ARS 2,643

$1.86 ARS 2,742

-3.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 ARS 2,141

$1.43 ARS 2,111

1.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 ARS 4,697

$3.17 ARS 4,680

0.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.83 ARS 8,622

$5.74 ARS 8,483

1.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 ARS 3,277

$2.27 ARS 3,349

-2.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 ARS 4,535

$3.04 ARS 4,498

0.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 ARS 988

$0.79 ARS 1,165

-15.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.26 ARS 24.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 ARS 2,333

$1.56 ARS 2,310

1.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 ARS 1,267

$0.92 ARS 1,361

-6.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 ARS 8,826

$5.86 ARS 8,668

1.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ARS 1,653

$1.07 ARS 1,583

4.67%

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

$24.8K ARS 36.6M

0.05%

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

$29.2K ARS 43.2M

$28.7K ARS 42.3M

2.03%

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

$109 ARS 161.0K

$63.0 ARS 93.1K

72.93%

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

$21.47 ARS 31.7K

$9.90 ARS 14.6K

116.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.58 ARS 42.2K

$19.83 ARS 29.3K

44.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.73 ARS 61.7K

$26.58 ARS 39.3K

57.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.77 ARS 17.4K

$13.53 ARS 20.0K

-13.01%

Cinema Ticket

$9.25 ARS 13.7K

$8.95 ARS 13.2K

3.35%

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

$325 ARS 479.6K

$334 ARS 493.2K

-2.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,275 ARS 7.8M

$5,162 ARS 7.6M

2.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 ARS 165.0K

$112 ARS 165.2K

-0.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$85.9 ARS 127.0K

$87.7 ARS 129.6K

-2.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 ARS 181.5K

$126 ARS 186.8K

-2.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 ARS 190.6K

$134 ARS 197.8K

-3.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 ARS 970.6K

$344 ARS 508.2K

90.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ARS 661.6K

$234 ARS 345.9K

91.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,150 ARS 1.7M

$675 ARS 998.4K

70.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$814 ARS 1.2M

$538 ARS 795.3K

51.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,577 ARS 3.8M

$2,025 ARS 3.0M

27.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,844 ARS 2.7M

$1,315 ARS 1.9M

40.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$842 ARS 1.2M

$980 ARS 1.4M

-14.15%

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 Pilar: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $657 in Buenos Aires and $344 in Pilar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pilar pays 16% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $60.0 in Buenos Aires vs $61.0 in Pilar. Groceries flip the comparison at $269 vs $243, with Pilar cheaper for home cooking.

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 Pilar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Buenos Aires and Pilar differ by about 30% in total monthly costs ($1,393 vs $1,070 including rent). Pilar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 16% lower in Pilar. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $657 in Buenos Aires versus $344 in Pilar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $325 in Buenos Aires versus $334 in Pilar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Pilar – a meal for two runs $61.0 versus $60.0 in Buenos Aires. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,070 in Pilar versus $1,393 in Buenos Aires, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Pilar but tight or insufficient in Buenos Aires. The gap between the two cities makes Pilar 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 Pilar 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 Pilar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Buenos Aires. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.