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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,393 in Buenos Aires versus $846 in San Luis.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,191 in Buenos Aires versus $1,389 in San Luis.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,988 in Buenos Aires versus $1,932 in San Luis.

Living in Buenos Aires is roughly 65% more expensive than in San Luis, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Buenos Aires is 4% above, San Luis is 37% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.82 ARS 21.9K

$10.80 ARS 16.0K

37.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.1 ARS 88.8K

$40.81 ARS 60.3K

47.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.97 ARS 17.7K

$9.58 ARS 14.2K

24.95%

Cappuccino

$3.99 ARS 5,898

$3.71 ARS 5,481

7.55%

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

$2.17 ARS 3,207

$2.30 ARS 3,406

-5.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 ARS 2,169

$2.06 ARS 3,046

-28.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.68 ARS 5,440

$1.62 ARS 2,396

127.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ARS 5,761

$2.88 ARS 4,251

35.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 ARS 2,371

$1.27 ARS 1,879

25.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 ARS 3,738

$1.50 ARS 2,217

68.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 ARS 3,279

$2.04 ARS 3,011

8.82%

Eggs

$3.17 ARS 4,683

$2.09 ARS 3,091

51.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.03 ARS 17.8K

$6.55 ARS 9,688

83.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.84 ARS 11.6K

$4.61 ARS 6,812

70.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.25 ARS 13.7K

$5.61 ARS 8,284

64.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 ARS 3,624

$1.23 ARS 1,816

99.19%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 ARS 3,012

$1.51 ARS 2,234

35.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 ARS 1,932

$1.46 ARS 2,160

-10.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.53 ARS 3,745

$2.10 ARS 3,097

20.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 ARS 2,150

$0.98 ARS 1,451

47.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ARS 2,191

$0.99 ARS 1,459

49.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.79 ARS 2,643

$0.98 ARS 1,453

82.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 ARS 2,141

$0.55 ARS 813

163.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 ARS 4,697

$2.48 ARS 3,667

28.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.83 ARS 8,622

$4.20 ARS 6,210

38.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 ARS 3,277

$2.01 ARS 2,975

10.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 ARS 4,535

$3.46 ARS 5,119

-11.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 ARS 988

$0.58 ARS 853

15.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.26 ARS 24.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 ARS 2,333

$0.41 ARS 613

285.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 ARS 1,267

$0.98 ARS 1,454

-12.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 ARS 8,826

$4.85 ARS 7,174

23.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ARS 1,653

$1.02 ARS 1,508

9.80%

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

$24.8K ARS 36.6M

$32.1K ARS 47.4M

-22.72%

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

$29.2K ARS 43.2M

$33.3K ARS 49.2M

-12.13%

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

$109 ARS 161.0K

$58.9 ARS 87.0K

85.03%

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

$21.47 ARS 31.7K

$10.59 ARS 15.7K

102.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.58 ARS 42.2K

$21.44 ARS 31.7K

33.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.73 ARS 61.7K

$26.33 ARS 38.9K

58.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.77 ARS 17.4K

$13.64 ARS 20.2K

-13.71%

Cinema Ticket

$9.25 ARS 13.7K

$5.44 ARS 8,039

70.04%

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

$325 ARS 479.6K

$102 ARS 150.7K

218.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,275 ARS 7.8M

$2,125 ARS 3.1M

148.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 ARS 165.0K

$81.1 ARS 119.9K

37.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$85.9 ARS 127.0K

$77.6 ARS 114.7K

10.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 ARS 181.5K

$136 ARS 201.2K

-9.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 ARS 190.6K

$121 ARS 178.2K

6.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 ARS 970.6K

$301 ARS 444.4K

118.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ARS 661.6K

$169 ARS 249.3K

165.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,150 ARS 1.7M

$526 ARS 776.9K

118.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$814 ARS 1.2M

$302 ARS 446.2K

169.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,577 ARS 3.8M

$994 ARS 1.5M

159.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,844 ARS 2.7M

$609 ARS 900.1K

202.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$842 ARS 1.2M

$503 ARS 743.1K

67.39%

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 Luis: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $657 in Buenos Aires and $301 in San Luis. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buenos Aires pays 67% 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 $41.00 in San Luis for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $176 per month, with San Luis 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 Luis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Buenos Aires and San Luis differ by about 65% in total monthly costs ($1,393 vs $846 including rent). San Luis is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 67% 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 $301 in San Luis. 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 Luis. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in San Luis – a meal for two runs $41.00 versus $60.0 in Buenos Aires. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $846 in San Luis versus $1,393 in Buenos Aires, a $1,500 budget is realistic in San Luis but tight or insufficient in Buenos Aires. The gap between the two cities makes San Luis 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 Luis 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 Luis gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Buenos Aires. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.