Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenos Aires and San Martin de los Andes Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenos Aires and San Martin de los Andes

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,393 in Buenos Aires versus $949 in San Martin de los Andes.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,191 in Buenos Aires versus $1,587 in San Martin de los Andes.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,988 in Buenos Aires versus $2,225 in San Martin de los Andes.

Living in Buenos Aires is roughly 47% more expensive than in San Martin de los Andes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Buenos Aires is 4% above, San Martin de los Andes is 29% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.82 ARS 21.9K

$10.47 ARS 15.5K

41.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.1 ARS 88.8K

$33.38 ARS 49.3K

80.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.97 ARS 17.7K

$9.22 ARS 13.6K

29.83%

Cappuccino

$3.99 ARS 5,898

$2.74 ARS 4,055

45.62%

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

$2.17 ARS 3,207

$1.67 ARS 2,466

29.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 ARS 2,169

$1.49 ARS 2,204

-1.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.68 ARS 5,440

$2.07 ARS 3,059

77.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ARS 5,761

$2.96 ARS 4,374

31.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 ARS 2,371

$1.25 ARS 1,850

28.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 ARS 3,738

$1.63 ARS 2,408

55.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 ARS 3,279

$2.03 ARS 3,000

9.36%

Eggs

$3.17 ARS 4,683

$2.25 ARS 3,330

40.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.03 ARS 17.8K

$9.91 ARS 14.6K

21.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.84 ARS 11.6K

$6.28 ARS 9,276

24.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.25 ARS 13.7K

$9.31 ARS 13.8K

-0.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 ARS 3,624

$1.97 ARS 2,912

24.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 ARS 3,012

$2.16 ARS 3,187

-5.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 ARS 1,932

$1.26 ARS 1,865

3.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.53 ARS 3,745

$2.61 ARS 3,864

-3.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 ARS 2,150

$1.19 ARS 1,760

21.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ARS 2,191

$1.24 ARS 1,835

19.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.79 ARS 2,643

$1.33 ARS 1,964

34.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 ARS 2,141

$1.48 ARS 2,194

-2.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 ARS 4,697

$3.06 ARS 4,518

3.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.83 ARS 8,622

$4.48 ARS 6,620

30.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 ARS 3,277

$2.01 ARS 2,978

10.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 ARS 4,535

$3.05 ARS 4,511

0.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 ARS 988

$0.78 ARS 1,148

-14.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.26 ARS 24.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 ARS 2,333

$1.47 ARS 2,166

7.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 ARS 1,267

$0.93 ARS 1,371

-7.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 ARS 8,826

$5.86 ARS 8,662

1.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ARS 1,653

$1.07 ARS 1,577

4.67%

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

$24.8K ARS 36.6M

$27.5K ARS 40.6M

-9.87%

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

$29.2K ARS 43.2M

$30.6K ARS 45.2M

-4.43%

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

$109 ARS 161.0K

$68.2 ARS 100.8K

59.65%

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

$21.47 ARS 31.7K

$17.24 ARS 25.5K

24.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.58 ARS 42.2K

$22.13 ARS 32.7K

29.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.73 ARS 61.7K

$26.60 ARS 39.3K

56.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.77 ARS 17.4K

$14.04 ARS 20.8K

-16.17%

Cinema Ticket

$9.25 ARS 13.7K

$6.01 ARS 8,890

53.91%

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

$325 ARS 479.6K

$220 ARS 325.4K

47.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,275 ARS 7.8M

$2,653 ARS 3.9M

98.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 ARS 165.0K

$74.9 ARS 110.7K

49.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$85.9 ARS 127.0K

$69.5 ARS 102.7K

23.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 ARS 181.5K

$117 ARS 172.3K

5.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 ARS 190.6K

$112 ARS 165.7K

15.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 ARS 970.6K

$332 ARS 490.7K

97.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ARS 661.6K

$235 ARS 347.6K

90.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,150 ARS 1.7M

$672 ARS 992.9K

71.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$814 ARS 1.2M

$536 ARS 792.3K

51.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,577 ARS 3.8M

$2,575 ARS 3.8M

0.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,844 ARS 2.7M

$1,511 ARS 2.2M

22.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$842 ARS 1.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

52.71

58.5

-9.90%

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 Martin de los Andes: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $657 in Buenos Aires and $332 in San Martin de los Andes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $60.0 in Buenos Aires vs $33.00 in San Martin de los Andes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $230 per month, with San Martin de los Andes 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 Martin de los Andes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Buenos Aires and San Martin de los Andes differ by about 47% in total monthly costs ($1,393 vs $949 including rent). San Martin de los Andes is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,090 in Buenos Aires and $1,423 in San Martin de los Andes to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $657 in Buenos Aires versus $332 in San Martin de los Andes. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $325 in Buenos Aires versus $220 in San Martin de los Andes. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in San Martin de los Andes – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $60.0 in Buenos Aires. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $949 in San Martin de los Andes versus $1,393 in Buenos Aires, a $1,000 budget is realistic in San Martin de los Andes but tight or insufficient in Buenos Aires. The gap between the two cities makes San Martin de los Andes 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 Martin de los Andes 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 Martin de los Andes gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Buenos Aires. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.