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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,412 in Buenos Aires versus $597 in San Juan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,197 in Buenos Aires versus $986 in San Juan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,982 in Buenos Aires versus $1,376 in San Juan.

Living in Buenos Aires is roughly 137% more expensive than San Juan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Buenos Aires is 5% above, San Juan is 55% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.09 ARS 21.5K

$5.86 ARS 8,357

157.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.7 ARS 86.6K

$29.78 ARS 42.5K

103.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.89 ARS 17.0K

$8.23 ARS 11.7K

44.47%

Cappuccino

$4.01 ARS 5,720

$1.50 ARS 2,142

167.33%

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

$2.09 ARS 2,976

$0.97 ARS 1,384

115.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 ARS 2,115

$0.86 ARS 1,226

72.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.58 ARS 5,111

$1.98 ARS 2,828

80.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 ARS 5,816

$2.93 ARS 4,179

39.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 ARS 2,276

$0.72 ARS 1,022

122.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 ARS 3,603

$0.71 ARS 1,016

256.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 ARS 3,259

$1.22 ARS 1,736

86.89%

Eggs

$3.32 ARS 4,739

$1.67 ARS 2,378

98.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.15 ARS 17.3K

$3.45 ARS 4,928

252.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 ARS 11.2K

$3.56 ARS 5,080

120.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.66 ARS 13.8K

$3.90 ARS 5,560

147.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.49 ARS 3,548

$1.51 ARS 2,157

64.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 ARS 2,938

$1.47 ARS 2,095

40.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 ARS 1,805

$1.49 ARS 2,123

-14.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 ARS 3,631

$2.08 ARS 2,974

22.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 ARS 2,126

$0.62 ARS 891

140.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 ARS 2,094

$0.66 ARS 945

122.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 ARS 2,628

$0.42 ARS 593

338.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 ARS 2,059

$0.86 ARS 1,222

67.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.27 ARS 4,671

$1.70 ARS 2,430

92.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 ARS 8,199

$5.11 ARS 7,295

12.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 ARS 3,202

$1.54 ARS 2,198

45.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ARS 4,565

$1.84 ARS 2,619

73.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 ARS 1,026

$0.29 ARS 410

148.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.12 ARS 23.0K

$4.95 ARS 7,066

225.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.65 ARS 2,347

$0.41 ARS 587

302.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 ARS 1,294

$1.02 ARS 1,456

-10.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.93 ARS 8,461

$5.04 ARS 7,187

17.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ARS 1,584

$1.09 ARS 1,557

1.83%

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

$24.6K ARS 35.0M

$32.1K ARS 45.8M

-23.47%

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

$28.8K ARS 41.1M

$21.3K ARS 30.4M

35.35%

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

$109 ARS 155.6K

$76.8 ARS 109.6K

42.00%

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

$21.60 ARS 30.8K

$4.97 ARS 7,083

334.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.00 ARS 41.4K

$10.16 ARS 14.5K

185.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.80 ARS 61.1K

$18.15 ARS 25.9K

135.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.76 ARS 16.8K

$5.89 ARS 8,398

99.66%

Cinema Ticket

$9.01 ARS 12.9K

$2.01 ARS 2,873

348.26%

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

$324 ARS 462.1K

$104 ARS 147.8K

212.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,180 ARS 7.4M

$2,153 ARS 3.1M

140.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 ARS 154.9K

$49.46 ARS 70.6K

119.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$86.8 ARS 123.8K

$49.96 ARS 71.3K

73.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 ARS 176.4K

$100 ARS 143.1K

23.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 ARS 189.3K

$118 ARS 167.8K

12.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$658 ARS 939.0K

$148 ARS 211.7K

343.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$447 ARS 638.3K

$89.6 ARS 127.7K

399.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,155 ARS 1.6M

$247 ARS 352.9K

366.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$811 ARS 1.2M

$197 ARS 281.2K

311.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,627 ARS 3.7M

$2,548 ARS 3.6M

3.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,830 ARS 2.6M

$2,112 ARS 3.0M

-13.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$820 ARS 1.2M

$713 ARS 1.0M

14.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

52.71

-33.28%

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 Juan: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $658 in Buenos Aires and $148 in San Juan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buenos Aires pays 15% 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 $30.00 in San Juan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $135 per month, with San Juan 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 Juan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Buenos Aires and San Juan differ by about 137% in total monthly costs ($1,412 vs $597 including rent). San Juan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Buenos Aires pays 15% 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 $148 in San Juan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $324 in Buenos Aires versus $104 in San Juan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 101% higher in Buenos Aires. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $597 in San Juan versus $1,412 in Buenos Aires, a $1,000 budget is realistic in San Juan but tight or insufficient in Buenos Aires. The gap between the two cities makes San Juan 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 Juan 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 Juan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 137% less than in Buenos Aires. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.