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: $1,393 in Buenos Aires versus $888 in San Isidro.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,191 in Buenos Aires versus $1,460 in San Isidro.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,988 in Buenos Aires versus $2,033 in San Isidro.

Living in Buenos Aires is roughly 57% more expensive than in San Isidro, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Buenos Aires is 4% above, San Isidro is 34% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.82 ARS 21.9K

$8.82 ARS 13.0K

68.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.1 ARS 88.8K

$29.44 ARS 43.5K

104.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.97 ARS 17.7K

$8.82 ARS 13.0K

35.71%

Cappuccino

$3.99 ARS 5,898

$1.63 ARS 2,402

144.79%

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

$2.17 ARS 3,207

$1.26 ARS 1,865

72.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 ARS 2,169

$1.18 ARS 1,740

24.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.68 ARS 5,440

$1.20 ARS 1,771

206.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ARS 5,761

$2.79 ARS 4,126

39.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 ARS 2,371

$1.26 ARS 1,868

26.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 ARS 3,738

$1.63 ARS 2,404

55.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 ARS 3,279

$1.78 ARS 2,635

24.72%

Eggs

$3.17 ARS 4,683

$2.23 ARS 3,292

42.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.03 ARS 17.8K

$12.18 ARS 18.0K

-1.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.84 ARS 11.6K

$5.83 ARS 8,617

34.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.25 ARS 13.7K

$9.58 ARS 14.2K

-3.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 ARS 3,624

$1.88 ARS 2,775

30.32%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 ARS 3,012

$2.01 ARS 2,968

1.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 ARS 1,932

$0.92 ARS 1,355

42.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.53 ARS 3,745

$2.51 ARS 3,710

0.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 ARS 2,150

$1.44 ARS 2,134

0.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ARS 2,191

$1.37 ARS 2,024

8.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.79 ARS 2,643

$0.88 ARS 1,304

103.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 ARS 2,141

$1.42 ARS 2,105

2.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 ARS 4,697

$3.15 ARS 4,659

0.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.83 ARS 8,622

$4.78 ARS 7,060

21.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 ARS 3,277

$1.26 ARS 1,858

76.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 ARS 4,535

$3.16 ARS 4,671

-2.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 ARS 988

$0.82 ARS 1,206

-18.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.26 ARS 24.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 ARS 2,333

$1.59 ARS 2,345

-0.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 ARS 1,267

$0.92 ARS 1,367

-6.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 ARS 8,826

$6.16 ARS 9,107

-3.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ARS 1,653

$1.07 ARS 1,588

4.67%

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

$24.8K ARS 36.6M

$24.0K ARS 35.5M

3.21%

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

$29.2K ARS 43.2M

$26.2K ARS 38.7M

11.64%

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

$109 ARS 161.0K

$54.8 ARS 81.0K

98.78%

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

$21.47 ARS 31.7K

$18.16 ARS 26.8K

18.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.58 ARS 42.2K

$14.69 ARS 21.7K

94.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.73 ARS 61.7K

$26.07 ARS 38.5K

60.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.77 ARS 17.4K

$13.55 ARS 20.0K

-13.14%

Cinema Ticket

$9.25 ARS 13.7K

$4.86 ARS 7,180

90.33%

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

$325 ARS 479.6K

$322 ARS 475.4K

0.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,275 ARS 7.8M

$1,079 ARS 1.6M

389.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 ARS 165.0K

$81.4 ARS 120.3K

37.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$85.9 ARS 127.0K

$70.2 ARS 103.7K

22.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 ARS 181.5K

$107 ARS 158.8K

14.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 ARS 190.6K

$93.1 ARS 137.6K

38.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 ARS 970.6K

$331 ARS 488.9K

98.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ARS 661.6K

$240 ARS 354.1K

86.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,150 ARS 1.7M

$686 ARS 1.0M

67.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$814 ARS 1.2M

$528 ARS 779.8K

54.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,577 ARS 3.8M

$2,320 ARS 3.4M

11.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,844 ARS 2.7M

$1,567 ARS 2.3M

17.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$842 ARS 1.2M

$590 ARS 871.4K

42.74%

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 San Isidro: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $657 in Buenos Aires and $331 in San Isidro. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buenos Aires pays 43% 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: $60.0 in Buenos Aires vs $29.00 in San Isidro for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 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 57% in total monthly costs ($1,393 vs $888 including rent). San Isidro is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 43% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $657 in Buenos Aires versus $331 in San Isidro. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $325 in Buenos Aires versus $322 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 $29.00 versus $60.0 in Buenos Aires. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $888 in San Isidro versus $1,393 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 57% less than in Buenos Aires. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.