Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenos Aires and San Isidro Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenos Aires and San Isidro

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,412 in Buenos Aires versus $906 in San Isidro.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,197 in Buenos Aires versus $1,485 in San Isidro.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,982 in Buenos Aires versus $2,063 in San Isidro.

Living in Buenos Aires is roughly 56% more expensive than San Isidro, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Buenos Aires is 5% above, San Isidro is 32% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.09 ARS 21.7K

$8.94 ARS 12.9K

68.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.7 ARS 87.3K

$30.59 ARS 44.0K

98.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.89 ARS 17.1K

$9.15 ARS 13.2K

29.95%

Cappuccino

$4.01 ARS 5,768

$1.69 ARS 2,430

137.28%

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

$2.09 ARS 3,001

$1.34 ARS 1,922

55.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 ARS 2,132

$1.18 ARS 1,699

25.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.58 ARS 5,154

$1.21 ARS 1,739

195.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 ARS 5,865

$2.82 ARS 4,063

44.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 ARS 2,295

$1.23 ARS 1,773

30.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 ARS 3,634

$1.63 ARS 2,350

55.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 ARS 3,286

$1.83 ARS 2,638

24.59%

Eggs

$3.32 ARS 4,779

$2.18 ARS 3,132

52.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.15 ARS 17.5K

$11.99 ARS 17.3K

1.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 ARS 11.3K

$5.94 ARS 8,545

32.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.66 ARS 13.9K

$9.51 ARS 13.7K

1.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.49 ARS 3,577

$1.80 ARS 2,596

38.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 ARS 2,962

$2.05 ARS 2,946

0.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 ARS 1,820

$0.92 ARS 1,317

38.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 ARS 3,662

$2.63 ARS 3,781

-3.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 ARS 2,144

$1.48 ARS 2,133

0.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 ARS 2,111

$1.44 ARS 2,078

2.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 ARS 2,650

$0.87 ARS 1,256

111.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 ARS 2,076

$1.45 ARS 2,082

-0.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.27 ARS 4,710

$3.27 ARS 4,708

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 ARS 8,268

$4.64 ARS 6,678

23.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 ARS 3,229

$1.24 ARS 1,778

80.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ARS 4,603

$3.06 ARS 4,406

4.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 ARS 1,035

$0.79 ARS 1,133

-8.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.12 ARS 23.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.65 ARS 2,366

$1.58 ARS 2,279

4.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 ARS 1,305

$0.93 ARS 1,335

-2.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.93 ARS 8,532

$5.86 ARS 8,428

1.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ARS 1,598

$1.02 ARS 1,471

8.82%

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

$24.6K ARS 35.3M

$24.3K ARS 35.0M

1.08%

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

$28.8K ARS 41.4M

$26.5K ARS 38.1M

8.88%

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

$109 ARS 156.9K

$56.4 ARS 81.1K

93.52%

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

$21.60 ARS 31.1K

$18.31 ARS 26.3K

17.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.00 ARS 41.7K

$14.83 ARS 21.3K

95.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.80 ARS 61.6K

$26.11 ARS 37.6K

63.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.76 ARS 16.9K

$13.67 ARS 19.7K

-13.97%

Cinema Ticket

$9.01 ARS 13.0K

$4.98 ARS 7,170

80.92%

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

$324 ARS 466.0K

$323 ARS 465.1K

0.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,180 ARS 7.5M

$1,085 ARS 1.6M

377.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 ARS 156.2K

$80.6 ARS 116.0K

34.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$86.8 ARS 124.8K

$68.7 ARS 98.9K

26.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 ARS 177.8K

$107 ARS 154.5K

15.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 ARS 190.9K

$96.0 ARS 138.1K

38.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$658 ARS 946.9K

$334 ARS 480.3K

97.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$447 ARS 643.6K

$233 ARS 335.1K

92.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,155 ARS 1.7M

$678 ARS 975.6K

70.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$811 ARS 1.2M

$533 ARS 767.2K

52.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,627 ARS 3.8M

$2,002 ARS 2.9M

31.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,830 ARS 2.6M

$2,825 ARS 4.1M

-35.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$820 ARS 1.2M

$592 ARS 851.0K

38.53%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for San Isidro: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $658 in Buenos Aires and $334 in San Isidro. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buenos Aires pays 39% 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: $61.0 in Buenos Aires vs $31.00 in San Isidro for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $227 per month, with San Isidro 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 San Isidro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Buenos Aires and San Isidro differ by about 56% in total monthly costs ($1,412 vs $906 including rent). San Isidro is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Buenos Aires pays 39% more on average, 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: $658 in Buenos Aires versus $334 in San Isidro. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $324 in Buenos Aires versus $323 in San Isidro. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in San Isidro – a meal for two runs $31.00 versus $61.0 in Buenos Aires. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $906 in San Isidro versus $1,412 in Buenos Aires, a $2,000 budget is realistic in San Isidro but tight or insufficient in Buenos Aires. The gap between the two cities makes San Isidro 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 San Isidro 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 San Isidro 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.