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: $1,393 in Buenos Aires versus $607 in San Juan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,191 in Buenos Aires versus $996 in San Juan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,988 in Buenos Aires versus $1,384 in San Juan.

Living in Buenos Aires is roughly 129% more expensive than in San Juan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Buenos Aires is 4% above, San Juan is 55% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.82 ARS 21.9K

$5.85 ARS 8,646

153.33%

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

$7.88 ARS 11.6K

51.90%

Cappuccino

$3.99 ARS 5,898

$1.54 ARS 2,278

159.09%

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

$2.17 ARS 3,207

$0.96 ARS 1,417

126.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 ARS 2,169

$0.91 ARS 1,341

61.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.68 ARS 5,440

$1.94 ARS 2,875

89.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ARS 5,761

$2.98 ARS 4,402

30.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 ARS 2,371

$0.71 ARS 1,055

125.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 ARS 3,738

$0.66 ARS 975

283.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 ARS 3,279

$1.24 ARS 1,828

79.03%

Eggs

$3.17 ARS 4,683

$1.74 ARS 2,568

82.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.03 ARS 17.8K

$3.34 ARS 4,940

260.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.84 ARS 11.6K

$3.49 ARS 5,157

124.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.25 ARS 13.7K

$4.09 ARS 6,047

126.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 ARS 3,624

$1.48 ARS 2,186

65.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 ARS 3,012

$1.53 ARS 2,260

33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 ARS 1,932

$1.54 ARS 2,272

-14.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.53 ARS 3,745

$2.15 ARS 3,173

17.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 ARS 2,150

$0.64 ARS 943

126.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ARS 2,191

$0.62 ARS 916

138.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.79 ARS 2,643

$0.39 ARS 570

358.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 ARS 2,141

$0.86 ARS 1,272

68.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 ARS 4,697

$1.78 ARS 2,626

78.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.83 ARS 8,622

$4.91 ARS 7,253

18.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 ARS 3,277

$1.48 ARS 2,184

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 ARS 4,535

$1.84 ARS 2,727

66.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 ARS 988

$0.29 ARS 427

131.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.26 ARS 24.0K

$5.10 ARS 7,537

218.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 ARS 2,333

$0.41 ARS 609

285.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 ARS 1,267

$1.03 ARS 1,522

-16.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 ARS 8,826

$4.99 ARS 7,381

19.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ARS 1,653

$1.11 ARS 1,634

0.90%

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

$24.8K ARS 36.6M

$31.6K ARS 46.6M

-21.47%

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

$29.2K ARS 43.2M

$21.0K ARS 31.1M

38.91%

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

$109 ARS 161.0K

$77.7 ARS 114.9K

40.16%

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

$21.47 ARS 31.7K

$5.10 ARS 7,544

320.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.58 ARS 42.2K

$10.17 ARS 15.0K

181.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.73 ARS 61.7K

$17.83 ARS 26.3K

134.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.77 ARS 17.4K

$6.07 ARS 8,967

93.90%

Cinema Ticket

$9.25 ARS 13.7K

$1.97 ARS 2,916

369.54%

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

$325 ARS 479.6K

$102 ARS 150.9K

217.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,275 ARS 7.8M

$2,197 ARS 3.2M

140.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 ARS 165.0K

$49.17 ARS 72.7K

127.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$85.9 ARS 127.0K

$49.82 ARS 73.6K

72.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 ARS 181.5K

$99.7 ARS 147.4K

23.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 ARS 190.6K

$118 ARS 173.8K

9.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 ARS 970.6K

$150 ARS 221.1K

338.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ARS 661.6K

$91.6 ARS 135.3K

388.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,150 ARS 1.7M

$250 ARS 369.7K

359.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$814 ARS 1.2M

$204 ARS 301.1K

299.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,577 ARS 3.8M

$2,550 ARS 3.8M

1.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,844 ARS 2.7M

$2,083 ARS 3.1M

-11.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$842 ARS 1.2M

$709 ARS 1.0M

18.69%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for San Juan: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $657 in Buenos Aires and $150 in San Juan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buenos Aires pays 19% 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 Juan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 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 129% in total monthly costs ($1,393 vs $607 including rent). San Juan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 19% 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 $150 in San Juan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $325 in Buenos Aires versus $102 in San Juan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 100% higher in Buenos Aires. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $607 in San Juan versus $1,393 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 129% less than in Buenos Aires. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.