Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenos Aires and Sao Tome and Principe

For one person, living is cheaper in Sao Tome and Principe: $1,214 a month against $1,685 in Buenos Aires, rent and utilities included – about $5,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Buenos Aires
🇦🇷 Argentina
$1,685
/mo nomad
🇸🇹 Sao Tome and Principe
$1,214
/mo nomad
😐 Solo nomad: Buenos Aires is 21.5% more expensive than Sao Tome and Principe without rent, and 38.8% more expensive with rent.
😐 Family of 3: Buenos Aires is 10.9% more expensive than Sao Tome and Principe without rent, and 44% more expensive with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Buenos Aires
Sao Tome and Principe
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.73 ARS 28.4K
$8.81 STN 192
112.60%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$64.5 ARS 97.8K
$45.70 STN 999
41.09%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.88 ARS 19.5K
$8.62 STN 188
49.42%
Cappuccino
$3.98 ARS 6,029
$2.42 STN 52.8
64.46%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05 ARS 3,103
$1.74 STN 38.06
17.82%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.55 ARS 2,349
$1.12 STN 24.57
38.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.84 ARS 5,830
$1.76 STN 38.46
118.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.60 ARS 6,970
$1.80 STN 39.44
155.56%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Buenos Aires
Sao Tome and Principe
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.44 ARS 2,181
$1.58 STN 34.44
-8.86%
White Bread (500g)
$2.46 ARS 3,738
$1.53 STN 33.42
60.78%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.63 ARS 2,467
$1.95 STN 42.63
-16.41%
Eggs
$2.89 ARS 4,385
$4.50 STN 98.3
-35.78%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.65 ARS 16.1K
$19.41 STN 424
-45.13%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.00 ARS 15.2K
$19.55 STN 427
-48.85%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.74 ARS 20.8K
$20.90 STN 457
-34.26%
Apples (1kg)
$2.75 ARS 4,166
$3.72 STN 81.2
-26.08%
Banana (1kg)
$2.18 ARS 3,300
$1.76 STN 38.50
23.86%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.45 ARS 2,205
$3.58 STN 78.3
-59.50%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.99 ARS 3,013
$3.37 STN 73.7
-40.95%
Potato (1kg)
$1.24 ARS 1,885
$2.92 STN 63.9
-57.53%
Onion (1kg)
$1.27 ARS 1,921
$2.37 STN 51.7
-46.41%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.70 ARS 2,575
$0.51 STN 11.06
233.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.73 ARS 2,617
$1.98 STN 43.32
-12.63%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.18 ARS 6,337
$2.25 STN 49.25
85.78%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.80 ARS 8,790
$8.12 STN 177
-28.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.09 ARS 3,163
$1.41 STN 30.74
48.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 ARS 4,198
$1.70 STN 37.22
62.94%
🚌 Getting Around
Buenos Aires
Sao Tome and Principe
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.75 ARS 1,132
$1.41 STN 30.77
-46.81%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.15 ARS 41.2K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.62 ARS 2,451
$1.73 STN 37.81
-6.36%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.98 ARS 1,481
$2.64 STN 57.8
-62.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.72 ARS 11.7K
$13.90 STN 304
-44.46%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.36 ARS 2,058
$1.69 STN 37.00
-19.53%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K ARS 42.5M
$24.3K STN 531.2K
15.22%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.5K ARS 52.4M
$31.1K STN 678.7K
11.17%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Buenos Aires
Sao Tome and Principe
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$216 ARS 326.9K
$225 STN 4,918
-4.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.61 ARS 38.8K
$31.43 STN 687
-18.52%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.36 ARS 47.6K
$67.6 STN 1,477
-53.62%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Buenos Aires
Sao Tome and Principe
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.82 ARS 75.6K
$33.47 STN 731
48.85%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.06 ARS 25.9K
$25.52 STN 558
-33.15%
Cinema Ticket
$10.43 ARS 15.8K
$20.45 STN 447
-49.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Buenos Aires
Sao Tome and Principe
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$466 ARS 706.7K
$228 STN 4,976
104.62%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,057 ARS 13.7M
$2,161 STN 47.2K
319.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Buenos Aires
Sao Tome and Principe
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$122 ARS 185.2K
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$97.4 ARS 147.8K
$75.8 STN 1,656
28.55%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$117 ARS 177.4K
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$140 ARS 211.9K
$18.52 STN 405
654.48%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Buenos Aires
Sao Tome and Principe
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$763 ARS 1.2M
$283 STN 6,178
169.98%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$505 ARS 766.1K
$195 STN 4,256
159.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,598 ARS 2.4M
$946 STN 20.7K
68.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,185 ARS 1.8M
$441 STN 9,627
168.92%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,678 ARS 4.1M
$1,860 STN 40.6K
43.99%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,858 ARS 2.8M
$1,129 STN 24.7K
64.62%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Buenos Aires
Sao Tome and Principe
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$954 ARS 1.4M
$431 STN 9,428
121.20%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
57.25
7.38
675.75%

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

Last update for Buenos Aires: October 6, 2026

Last update for Sao Tome and Principe: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Buenos Aires
$505
Sao Tome and Principe
$195 61.4% $310
Groceries & Markets
Buenos Aires
$284
Sao Tome and Principe
$402 41.5% $118
Eating Out
Buenos Aires
$279
Sao Tome and Principe
$149 46.5% $130
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Buenos Aires
$273
Sao Tome and Principe
$324 18.9% $52
Clothing & Footwear
Buenos Aires
$214
Sao Tome and Principe
$42 * 80.2% $172
Sport & Entertainment
Buenos Aires
$71
Sao Tome and Principe
$74 5.2% $3.7
Getting Around
Buenos Aires
$37
Sao Tome and Principe
$21 * 43.8% $16

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Good to know
🇦🇷 Buenos Aires
🇸🇹 Sao Tome and Principe
🕒 Local time
07:54 7:54 AM
10:54 10:54 AM
3 h ahead of Buenos Aires
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,891,082 Capital
204,327
Exchange rates and currency converter

STN, USD, EUR to ARS – Argentine Peso Converter

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).

Sao Tome and Principe Dobra exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 21.85 STN (100 STN = 4.58 USD). 1 EUR = 24.48 STN (100 STN = 4.08 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Buenos Aires Sao Tome and Principe 7,780 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Buenos Aires
  • Sao Tome and Principe

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

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