Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenos Aires and San Juan

For one person, living is cheaper in Buenos Aires: $1,685 a month against $2,197 in San Juan, rent and utilities included – about $6,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

81

Cost of Living Index in Buenos Aires
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Buenos Aires Living Index
108

Cost of Living Index in San Juan
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San Juan Living Index

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Buenos Aires

🇦🇷 Argentina

$1,685

/mo nomad

San Juan

🇵🇷 Puerto Rico

$2,197

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Buenos Aires and in San Juan

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Buenos Aires and in San Juan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,685 in Buenos Aires versus $2,197 in San Juan.

Buenos Aires $1,685
San Juan $2,197

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,742 in Buenos Aires versus $3,317 in San Juan.

Buenos Aires $2,742
San Juan $3,317

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,799 in Buenos Aires versus $4,436 in San Juan.

Buenos Aires $3,799
San Juan $4,436

Living in Buenos Aires costs roughly 23% less than in San Juan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Buenos Aires 26% above, San Juan 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.73 ARS 28.4K

$18.95 $18.95

-1.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 ARS 97.8K

$81.6 $81.6

-20.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.88 ARS 19.5K

$9.01 $9.01

42.95%

Cappuccino

$3.98 ARS 6,029

$3.63 $3.63

9.64%

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

$2.05 ARS 3,103

$1.92 $1.92

6.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 ARS 2,349

$1.44 $1.44

7.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.84 ARS 5,830

$2.96 $2.96

29.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.60 ARS 6,970

$5.12 $5.12

-10.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 ARS 2,181

$2.16 $2.16

-33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 ARS 3,738

$3.64 $3.64

-32.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 ARS 2,467

$2.40 $2.40

-32.08%

Eggs

$2.89 ARS 4,385

$7.30 $7.30

-60.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.65 ARS 16.1K

$12.48 $12.48

-14.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.00 ARS 15.2K

$9.91 $9.91

0.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.74 ARS 20.8K

$13.15 $13.15

4.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ARS 4,166

$5.01 $5.01

-45.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 ARS 3,300

$2.57 $2.57

-15.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 ARS 2,205

$4.83 $4.83

-69.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ARS 3,013

$4.68 $4.68

-57.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ARS 1,885

$3.69 $3.69

-66.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 ARS 1,921

$3.89 $3.89

-67.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 ARS 2,575

$3.35 $3.35

-49.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 ARS 2,617

$1.65 $1.65

4.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 ARS 6,337

$11.90 $11.90

-64.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.80 ARS 8,790

$15.42 $15.42

-62.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 ARS 3,163

$2.98 $2.98

-29.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 ARS 4,198

$3.91 $3.91

-29.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 ARS 1,132

$0.78 $0.78

-3.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.15 ARS 41.2K

$29.65 $29.65

-8.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.62 ARS 2,451

$2.53 $2.53

-35.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 ARS 1,481

$1.53 $1.53

-35.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.72 ARS 11.7K

$41.18 $41.18

-81.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ARS 2,058

$1.23 $1.23

10.57%

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

$28.0K ARS 42.5M

$39.7K $39.7K

-29.50%

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

$34.5K ARS 52.4M

$28.0K $28.0K

23.10%

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

$216 ARS 326.9K

$323 $323

-33.28%

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

$25.61 ARS 38.8K

$70.0 $70.0

-63.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.36 ARS 47.6K

$70.1 $70.1

-55.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.82 ARS 75.6K

$41.55 $41.55

19.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 ARS 25.9K

$7.78 $7.78

119.28%

Cinema Ticket

$10.43 ARS 15.8K

$10.57 $10.57

-1.32%

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

$466 ARS 706.7K

$814 $814

-42.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,057 ARS 13.7M

$12.4K $12.4K

-26.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$122 ARS 185.2K

$55.5 $55.5

119.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$97.4 ARS 147.8K

$61.6 $61.6

58.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ARS 177.4K

$107 $107

9.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 ARS 211.9K

$113 $113

23.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$763 ARS 1.2M

$1,791 $1,791

-57.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$505 ARS 766.1K

$847 $847

-40.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,598 ARS 2.4M

$2,872 $2,872

-44.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,185 ARS 1.8M

$1,496 $1,496

-20.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,678 ARS 4.1M

$7,513 $7,513

-64.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,858 ARS 2.8M

$3,351 $3,351

-44.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$954 ARS 1.4M

$2,674 $2,674

-64.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

57.25

6.55

774.05%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Buenos Aires: October 6, 2026

Last update for San Juan: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Buenos Aires

$505 30.4%

San Juan

$847 37.8% 67.7% $342

Groceries & Markets

Buenos Aires

$284 17.1%

San Juan

$412 18.4% 45.1% $128

Eating Out

Buenos Aires

$279 16.8%

San Juan

$261 11.6% 6.5% $18

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Buenos Aires

$273 16.4%

San Juan

$463 20.7% 69.9% $191

Clothing & Footwear

Buenos Aires

$214 12.9%

San Juan

$152 6.8% 29.2% $63

Sport & Entertainment

Buenos Aires

$71 4.3%

San Juan

$63 2.8% 11.3% $8

Getting Around

Buenos Aires

$37 2.2%

San Juan

$43 1.9% 17.3% $6.3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $763 in Buenos Aires and $1,791 in San Juan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Juan pays 180% 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: $64.0 in Buenos Aires vs $82.0 in San Juan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $284 vs $412 per month, with Buenos Aires cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇦🇷 Buenos Aires

🇵🇷 San Juan

🕒 Local time

09:35 9:35 AM

08:35 8:35 AM

1 h behind Buenos Aires

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,891,082 Capital

322,854 Capital

💱 Currency

Argentine Peso ARS $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD

10,000 ARS = 5.88 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to ARS – Argentine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇦🇷 Argentine Peso ($)

Argentine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1,517 ARS (10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD). 1 EUR = 1,699 ARS (10,000 ARS = 5.88 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to ARS in detail →

On the map

Lowest

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Between locations

Buenos Aires San Juan 5,960 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Buenos Aires
San Juan

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 30% in total monthly costs ($1,685 vs $2,197 including rent). Buenos Aires is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 180% lower in San Juan. 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: $763 in Buenos Aires versus $1,791 in San Juan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $466 in Buenos Aires versus $814 in San Juan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 45% higher in San Juan. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,685 in Buenos Aires versus $2,197 in San Juan, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Buenos Aires but tight or insufficient in San Juan. The gap between the two cities makes Buenos Aires 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 Buenos Aires gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in San Juan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.