Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenos Aires and Somerset West

For one person, living is cheaper in Somerset West: $1,162 a month against $1,656 in Buenos Aires, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

80

Cost of Living Index in Buenos Aires
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Buenos Aires Living Index
56

Cost of Living Index in Somerset West
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Somerset West Living Index

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Buenos Aires

🇦🇷 Argentina

$1,656

/mo nomad

Somerset West

🇿🇦 South Africa

$1,162

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Buenos Aires and in Somerset West

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 Somerset West actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,656 in Buenos Aires versus $1,162 in Somerset West.

Buenos Aires $1,656
Somerset West $1,162

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,697 in Buenos Aires versus $1,890 in Somerset West.

Buenos Aires $2,697
Somerset West $1,890

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,737 in Buenos Aires versus $2,618 in Somerset West.

Buenos Aires $3,737
Somerset West $2,618

Living in Buenos Aires is roughly 43% more expensive than in Somerset West, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

The two cities straddle the global median: Buenos Aires is 23% above, Somerset West is 14% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.09 ARS 29.0K

$11.86 R 195

60.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.8 ARS 99.9K

$45.93 R 757

43.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.20 ARS 20.0K

$5.42 R 89.3

143.54%

Cappuccino

$3.85 ARS 5,841

$2.17 R 35.82

77.42%

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

$1.99 ARS 3,020

$1.03 R 16.99

93.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 ARS 2,430

$0.91 R 15.02

75.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.93 ARS 5,959

$2.52 R 41.47

55.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 ARS 7,003

$3.32 R 54.6

38.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 ARS 2,272

$0.94 R 15.56

59.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 ARS 3,837

$1.00 R 16.43

153.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 ARS 2,445

$2.06 R 33.91

-21.84%

Eggs

$2.84 ARS 4,316

$2.27 R 37.42

25.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.30 ARS 15.6K

$8.65 R 142

19.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.00 ARS 15.2K

$5.25 R 86.6

90.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.30 ARS 20.2K

$9.52 R 157

39.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 ARS 4,366

$1.84 R 30.28

56.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 ARS 3,334

$1.90 R 31.24

15.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 ARS 2,120

$1.69 R 27.83

-17.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 ARS 3,004

$1.74 R 28.62

13.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 ARS 1,835

$1.54 R 25.30

-21.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 ARS 1,910

$1.54 R 25.30

-18.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 ARS 2,592

$1.29 R 21.21

32.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ARS 2,603

$1.09 R 17.92

57.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 ARS 6,505

$3.28 R 54.0

30.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.70 ARS 8,645

$5.98 R 98.5

-4.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 ARS 3,288

$1.34 R 22.13

61.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ARS 4,188

$1.76 R 28.95

56.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 ARS 1,141

$1.12 R 18.52

-33.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.27 ARS 41.4K

$59.4 R 979

-54.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.57 ARS 2,375

$0.58 R 9.56

170.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ARS 1,558

$1.48 R 24.35

-30.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.90 ARS 12.0K

$5.08 R 83.7

55.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 ARS 2,160

$1.43 R 23.49

-0.70%

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

$27.9K ARS 42.4M

$28.8K R 474.1K

-2.88%

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

$35.0K ARS 53.1M

$30.0K R 494.4K

16.52%

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

$195 ARS 296.2K

$85.2 R 1,404

129.13%

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

$25.16 ARS 38.2K

$28.77 R 474

-12.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.54 ARS 47.9K

$40.92 R 674

-22.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.9 ARS 77.3K

$45.25 R 745

12.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.73 ARS 25.4K

$10.76 R 177

55.48%

Cinema Ticket

$10.34 ARS 15.7K

$7.19 R 118

43.81%

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

$463 ARS 703.2K

$261 R 4,308

77.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,793 ARS 13.3M

$3,633 R 59.9K

142.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$120 ARS 181.8K

$30.84 R 508

288.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$95.5 ARS 144.9K

$31.76 R 523

200.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 ARS 173.1K

$70.5 R 1,161

61.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 ARS 211.4K

$56.5 R 930

146.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 ARS 1.1M

$637 R 10.5K

18.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$520 ARS 788.8K

$425 R 6,997

22.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,590 ARS 2.4M

$1,358 R 22.4K

17.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,198 ARS 1.8M

$935 R 15.4K

28.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,713 ARS 4.1M

$1,227 R 20.2K

121.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,901 ARS 2.9M

$907 R 14.9K

109.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$938 ARS 1.4M

$1,427 R 23.5K

-34.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

57.25

10.12

465.71%

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

Last update for Buenos Aires: October 11, 2026

Last update for Somerset West: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Buenos Aires

$520 31.4%

Somerset West

$425 36.5% 18.3% $95

Groceries & Markets

Buenos Aires

$283 17.1%

Somerset West

$202 17.4% 28.8% $82

Eating Out

Buenos Aires

$282 17%

Somerset West

$164 14.1% 41.7% $118

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Buenos Aires

$252 15.2%

Somerset West

$155 13.3% 38.5% $97

Clothing & Footwear

Buenos Aires

$211 12.7%

Somerset West

$85 7.3% 59.6% $126

Sport & Entertainment

Buenos Aires

$72 4.3%

Somerset West

$60 5.1% 16.7% $12

Getting Around

Buenos Aires

$37 2.2%

Somerset West

$72 6.2% 94.5% $35

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $756 in Buenos Aires and $637 in Somerset West. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Somerset West pays 52% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $66.0 in Buenos Aires vs $46.00 in Somerset West for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $202 per month, with Somerset West cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇦🇷 Buenos Aires

🇿🇦 Somerset West

🕒 Local time

07:19 7:19 AM

12:19 12:19 PM

5 h ahead of Buenos Aires

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,891,082 Capital

55,166

💱 Currency

Argentine Peso ARS $

South African Rand ZAR R

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD

10,000 ARS = 5.86 EUR

100 ZAR = 6.07 USD

100 ZAR = 5.4 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ZAR, USD, EUR to ARS – Argentine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇦🇷 Argentine Peso ($)

Argentine Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1,517 ARS (10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD). 1 EUR = 1,706 ARS (10,000 ARS = 5.86 EUR).

South African Rand exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 16.48 ZAR (100 ZAR = 6.07 USD). 1 EUR = 18.52 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.4 EUR).

USD to ARS in detail →

On the map

Lowest

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Between locations

Buenos Aires Somerset West 6,900 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Buenos Aires
Somerset West

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 Somerset West: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Buenos Aires and Somerset West differ by about 43% in total monthly costs ($1,656 vs $1,162 including rent). Somerset West is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 52% lower in Somerset West. 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: $756 in Buenos Aires versus $637 in Somerset West. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $463 in Buenos Aires versus $261 in Somerset West. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 41% higher in Buenos Aires. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,162 in Somerset West versus $1,656 in Buenos Aires, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Somerset West but tight or insufficient in Buenos Aires. The gap between the two cities makes Somerset West 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 Somerset West 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 Somerset West gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Buenos Aires. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.