Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenos Aires and Soroca

For one person, living is cheaper in Soroca: $390 a month against $1,656 in Buenos Aires, rent and utilities included – about $15,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Buenos Aires
🇦🇷 Argentina
$1,656
/mo nomad
Soroca
🇲🇩 Moldova
$390
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Buenos Aires and in Soroca

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,656 in Buenos Aires versus $390 in Soroca.

  • Buenos Aires $1,656
  • Soroca $390

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,697 in Buenos Aires versus $631 in Soroca.

  • Buenos Aires $2,697
  • Soroca $631

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,737 in Buenos Aires versus $872 in Soroca.

  • Buenos Aires $3,737
  • Soroca $872

Living in Buenos Aires is roughly 325% more expensive than in Soroca, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Buenos Aires is 23% above, Soroca is 71% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Buenos Aires
Soroca
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.09 ARS 29.0K
$11.37 MDL 202
67.90%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$65.8 ARS 99.9K
$22.05 MDL 392
198.41%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.20 ARS 20.0K
$4.45 MDL 79.1
196.63%
Cappuccino
$3.85 ARS 5,841
$1.37 MDL 24.28
181.02%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99 ARS 3,020
$0.76 MDL 13.48
161.84%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.60 ARS 2,430
$0.46 MDL 8.17
247.83%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.93 ARS 5,959
$1.10 MDL 19.56
257.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61 ARS 7,003
$1.43 MDL 25.38
222.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Buenos Aires
Soroca
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 ARS 2,272
$1.02 MDL 18.17
47.06%
White Bread (500g)
$2.53 ARS 3,837
$0.35 MDL 6.22
622.86%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.61 ARS 2,445
$1.13 MDL 20.13
42.48%
Eggs
$2.84 ARS 4,316
$1.95 MDL 34.66
45.64%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.30 ARS 15.6K
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.00 ARS 15.2K
-
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.30 ARS 20.2K
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.88 ARS 4,366
-
-
Banana (1kg)
$2.20 ARS 3,334
$2.00 MDL 35.49
10.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.40 ARS 2,120
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$1.98 ARS 3,004
-
-
Potato (1kg)
$1.21 ARS 1,835
$0.67 MDL 11.86
80.60%
Onion (1kg)
$1.26 ARS 1,910
-
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.71 ARS 2,592
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.72 ARS 2,603
$0.52 MDL 9.18
230.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.29 ARS 6,505
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$5.70 ARS 8,645
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.17 ARS 3,288
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76 ARS 4,188
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Buenos Aires
Soroca
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.75 ARS 1,141
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.27 ARS 41.4K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.57 ARS 2,375
$1.10 MDL 19.52
42.73%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.03 ARS 1,558
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.90 ARS 12.0K
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.42 ARS 2,160
$1.72 MDL 30.47
-17.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K ARS 42.4M
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.0K ARS 53.1M
$20.7K MDL 368.0K
68.75%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Buenos Aires
Soroca
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$195 ARS 296.2K
$58.9 MDL 1,046
231.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.16 ARS 38.2K
$8.14 MDL 145
209.09%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.54 ARS 47.9K
$13.07 MDL 232
141.32%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Buenos Aires
Soroca
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.9 ARS 77.3K
$27.67 MDL 491
84.03%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.73 ARS 25.4K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.34 ARS 15.7K
$3.33 MDL 59.1
210.51%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Buenos Aires
Soroca
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$463 ARS 703.2K
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,793 ARS 13.3M
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Buenos Aires
Soroca
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$120 ARS 181.8K
$33.04 MDL 587
262.68%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$95.5 ARS 144.9K
$33.97 MDL 603
181.07%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$114 ARS 173.1K
$108 MDL 1,910
6.09%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$139 ARS 211.4K
$34.12 MDL 606
308.26%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Buenos Aires
Soroca
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$756 ARS 1.1M
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$520 ARS 788.8K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,590 ARS 2.4M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,198 ARS 1.8M
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,713 ARS 4.1M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,901 ARS 2.9M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Buenos Aires
Soroca
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$938 ARS 1.4M
$502 MDL 8,917
86.77%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
57.25
0
-

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

Last update for Buenos Aires: October 11, 2026

Last update for Soroca: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Buenos Aires
$520
Soroca
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Buenos Aires
$283
Soroca
$46 * 83.7% $237
Eating Out
Buenos Aires
$282
Soroca
$134 52.4% $148
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Buenos Aires
$252
Soroca
$80 68.2% $172
Clothing & Footwear
Buenos Aires
$211
Soroca
$94 55.5% $117
Sport & Entertainment
Buenos Aires
$72
Soroca
$34 52.1% $37
Getting Around
Buenos Aires
$37
Soroca
$1.1 * 97% $36

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

Cost Breakdown

Buenos Aires pays 87% 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: $66.0 in Buenos Aires vs $22.00 in Soroca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $46.00 per month, with Soroca cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇦🇷 Buenos Aires
🇲🇩 Soroca
🕒 Local time
22:36 10:36 PM
04:36 4:36 AM
6 h ahead of Buenos Aires
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,891,082 Capital
37,400
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MDL, USD, EUR to ARS – Argentine Peso Converter

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).

Moldovan Leu exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 17.76 MDL (100 MDL = 5.63 USD). 1 EUR = 19.97 MDL (100 MDL = 5.01 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Buenos Aires Soroca 12,570 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Buenos Aires
  • Soroca

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 Soroca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Buenos Aires and in Soroca?
Buenos Aires and Soroca differ by about 325% in total monthly costs ($1,656 vs $390 including rent). Soroca is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Buenos Aires or Soroca?
Average pay runs 87% 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.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Soroca – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $66.0 in Buenos Aires. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Buenos Aires or Soroca?
All in, you'll spend $1,656 per month in Buenos Aires versus $390 in Soroca – a 325% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $390 in Soroca versus $1,656 in Buenos Aires, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Soroca but tight or insufficient in Buenos Aires. The gap between the two cities makes Soroca the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Buenos Aires and Soroca?
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.
Is Buenos Aires or Soroca safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Buenos Aires and Soroca are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Buenos Aires or Soroca?
Expats usually find Soroca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 325% less than in Buenos Aires. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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