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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,393 in Buenos Aires versus $907 in San Rafael.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,191 in Buenos Aires versus $1,430 in San Rafael.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,988 in Buenos Aires versus $1,954 in San Rafael.

Living in Buenos Aires is roughly 54% more expensive than in San Rafael, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Buenos Aires is 4% above, San Rafael is 32% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.82 ARS 21.9K

$9.97 ARS 14.7K

48.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.1 ARS 88.8K

$19.95 ARS 29.5K

201.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.97 ARS 17.7K

$5.97 ARS 8,817

100.50%

Cappuccino

$3.99 ARS 5,898

$1.76 ARS 2,606

126.70%

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

$2.17 ARS 3,207

$1.01 ARS 1,494

114.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 ARS 2,169

$0.97 ARS 1,440

51.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.68 ARS 5,440

$0.98 ARS 1,452

275.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ARS 5,761

$1.47 ARS 2,177

165.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 ARS 2,371

$1.02 ARS 1,507

56.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 ARS 3,738

$1.55 ARS 2,284

63.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 ARS 3,279

$1.43 ARS 2,111

55.24%

Eggs

$3.17 ARS 4,683

$1.58 ARS 2,341

100.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.03 ARS 17.8K

$5.43 ARS 8,031

121.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.84 ARS 11.6K

$7.38 ARS 10.9K

6.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.25 ARS 13.7K

$6.55 ARS 9,684

41.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 ARS 3,624

$1.76 ARS 2,605

39.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 ARS 3,012

$1.49 ARS 2,198

36.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 ARS 1,932

$1.47 ARS 2,172

-10.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.53 ARS 3,745

$0.92 ARS 1,356

175.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 ARS 2,150

$0.70 ARS 1,030

107.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ARS 2,191

$0.69 ARS 1,015

114.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.79 ARS 2,643

$0.61 ARS 895

193.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 ARS 2,141

$1.28 ARS 1,888

13.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 ARS 4,697

$1.79 ARS 2,651

77.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.83 ARS 8,622

$4.90 ARS 7,241

18.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 ARS 3,277

$1.12 ARS 1,659

98.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 ARS 4,535

$1.65 ARS 2,445

86.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 ARS 988

$0.83 ARS 1,220

-19.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.26 ARS 24.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 ARS 2,333

$0.45 ARS 667

251.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 ARS 1,267

$1.02 ARS 1,511

-15.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 ARS 8,826

$4.78 ARS 7,059

24.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ARS 1,653

$0.83 ARS 1,228

34.94%

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

$24.8K ARS 36.6M

$31.5K ARS 46.6M

-21.40%

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

$29.2K ARS 43.2M

$32.9K ARS 48.6M

-11.10%

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

$109 ARS 161.0K

$77.6 ARS 114.6K

40.45%

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

$21.47 ARS 31.7K

$6.57 ARS 9,713

226.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.58 ARS 42.2K

$15.45 ARS 22.8K

84.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.73 ARS 61.7K

$26.43 ARS 39.1K

57.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.77 ARS 17.4K

$13.94 ARS 20.6K

-15.57%

Cinema Ticket

$9.25 ARS 13.7K

$5.89 ARS 8,703

57.05%

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

$325 ARS 479.6K

$102 ARS 151.2K

217.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,275 ARS 7.8M

$2,138 ARS 3.2M

146.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 ARS 165.0K

$81.1 ARS 119.8K

37.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$85.9 ARS 127.0K

$75.6 ARS 111.7K

13.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 ARS 181.5K

$149 ARS 219.7K

-17.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 ARS 190.6K

$121 ARS 178.2K

6.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 ARS 970.6K

$338 ARS 499.6K

94.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ARS 661.6K

$236 ARS 348.3K

89.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,150 ARS 1.7M

$676 ARS 999.0K

70.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$814 ARS 1.2M

$539 ARS 797.1K

50.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,577 ARS 3.8M

$2,551 ARS 3.8M

1.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,844 ARS 2.7M

$1,596 ARS 2.4M

15.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$842 ARS 1.2M

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 Rafael: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $657 in Buenos Aires and $338 in San Rafael. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $60.0 in Buenos Aires vs $20.00 in San Rafael for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $179 per month, with San Rafael 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 Rafael: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Buenos Aires and San Rafael differ by about 54% in total monthly costs ($1,393 vs $907 including rent). San Rafael 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 $1,360 in San Rafael 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 $338 in San Rafael. 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 Rafael. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in San Rafael – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $60.0 in Buenos Aires. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $907 in San Rafael versus $1,393 in Buenos Aires, a $1,000 budget is realistic in San Rafael but tight or insufficient in Buenos Aires. The gap between the two cities makes San Rafael 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 Rafael 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 Rafael gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in Buenos Aires. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.