Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenos Aires and St. Moritz

For one person, living is cheaper in Buenos Aires: $1,656 a month against $3,609 in St. Moritz, rent and utilities included – about $23,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Buenos Aires
🇦🇷 Argentina
$1,656
/mo nomad
St. Moritz
🇨🇭 Switzerland
$3,609
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Buenos Aires and in St. Moritz

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,656 in Buenos Aires versus $3,609 in St. Moritz.

  • Buenos Aires $1,656
  • St. Moritz $3,609

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,697 in Buenos Aires versus $6,451 in St. Moritz.

  • Buenos Aires $2,697
  • St. Moritz $6,451

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,737 in Buenos Aires versus $9,292 in St. Moritz.

  • Buenos Aires $3,737
  • St. Moritz $9,292

Living in Buenos Aires costs roughly 54% less than in St. Moritz, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Buenos Aires 23% above, St. Moritz 167% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Buenos Aires
St. Moritz
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.09 ARS 29.0K
$35.22 CHF 29.01
-45.80%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$65.8 ARS 99.9K
$143 CHF 118
-54.12%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.20 ARS 20.0K
$14.44 CHF 11.89
-8.59%
Cappuccino
$3.85 ARS 5,841
$6.14 CHF 5.05
-37.30%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99 ARS 3,020
$5.49 CHF 4.52
-63.75%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.60 ARS 2,430
$4.60 CHF 3.79
-65.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.93 ARS 5,959
$9.64 CHF 7.94
-59.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61 ARS 7,003
$6.07 CHF 5.00
-24.05%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Buenos Aires
St. Moritz
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 ARS 2,272
$1.79 CHF 1.48
-16.20%
White Bread (500g)
$2.53 ARS 3,837
$3.76 CHF 3.09
-32.71%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.61 ARS 2,445
$3.69 CHF 3.04
-56.37%
Eggs
$2.84 ARS 4,316
$7.46 CHF 6.14
-61.93%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.30 ARS 15.6K
$26.32 CHF 21.68
-60.87%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.00 ARS 15.2K
$27.45 CHF 22.61
-63.57%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.30 ARS 20.2K
$60.5 CHF 49.86
-78.03%
Apples (1kg)
$2.88 ARS 4,366
$4.03 CHF 3.32
-28.54%
Banana (1kg)
$2.20 ARS 3,334
$2.82 CHF 2.32
-21.99%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.40 ARS 2,120
$3.36 CHF 2.77
-58.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.98 ARS 3,004
$4.50 CHF 3.71
-56.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.21 ARS 1,835
$2.53 CHF 2.08
-52.17%
Onion (1kg)
$1.26 ARS 1,910
$2.14 CHF 1.76
-41.12%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.71 ARS 2,592
$2.41 CHF 1.99
-29.05%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.72 ARS 2,603
$1.25 CHF 1.03
37.60%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.29 ARS 6,505
$10.91 CHF 8.98
-60.68%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.70 ARS 8,645
$14.04 CHF 11.56
-59.40%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.17 ARS 3,288
$2.74 CHF 2.26
-20.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76 ARS 4,188
$3.12 CHF 2.57
-11.54%
🚌 Getting Around
Buenos Aires
St. Moritz
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.75 ARS 1,141
$3.77 CHF 3.10
-80.11%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.27 ARS 41.4K
$92.4 CHF 76.1
-70.49%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.57 ARS 2,375
$8.02 CHF 6.60
-80.42%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.03 ARS 1,558
$4.58 CHF 3.77
-77.51%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.90 ARS 12.0K
$88.1 CHF 72.5
-91.03%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.42 ARS 2,160
$2.10 CHF 1.73
-32.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K ARS 42.4M
$39.8K CHF 32.8K
-29.75%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.0K ARS 53.1M
$38.2K CHF 31.4K
-8.39%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Buenos Aires
St. Moritz
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$195 ARS 296.2K
$97.5 CHF 80.3
100.31%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.16 ARS 38.2K
$36.42 CHF 30.00
-30.92%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.54 ARS 47.9K
$56.0 CHF 46.14
-43.70%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Buenos Aires
St. Moritz
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.9 ARS 77.3K
$73.2 CHF 60.3
-30.47%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.73 ARS 25.4K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.34 ARS 15.7K
$18.35 CHF 15.11
-43.65%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Buenos Aires
St. Moritz
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$463 ARS 703.2K
$3,525 CHF 2,903
-86.85%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,793 ARS 13.3M
$42.5K CHF 35.0K
-79.32%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Buenos Aires
St. Moritz
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$120 ARS 181.8K
$140 CHF 115
-14.50%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$95.5 ARS 144.9K
$59.2 CHF 48.72
61.39%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$114 ARS 173.1K
$163 CHF 134
-30.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$139 ARS 211.4K
$250 CHF 206
-44.35%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Buenos Aires
St. Moritz
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$756 ARS 1.1M
$1,799 CHF 1,481
-57.95%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$520 ARS 788.8K
$1,740 CHF 1,433
-70.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,590 ARS 2.4M
$5,419 CHF 4,463
-70.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,198 ARS 1.8M
$4,642 CHF 3,823
-74.19%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,713 ARS 4.1M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,901 ARS 2.9M
$12.1K CHF 9,973
-84.30%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Buenos Aires
St. Moritz
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$938 ARS 1.4M
$4,707 CHF 3,877
-80.08%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
57.25
1.8
3080.56%

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

Last update for Buenos Aires: October 11, 2026

Last update for St. Moritz: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Buenos Aires
$520
St. Moritz
$1.7K 235% $1.2K
Groceries & Markets
Buenos Aires
$283
St. Moritz
$656 131% $372
Eating Out
Buenos Aires
$282
St. Moritz
$499 77.3% $218
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Buenos Aires
$252
St. Moritz
$190 24.6% $62
Clothing & Footwear
Buenos Aires
$211
St. Moritz
$276 30.7% $65
Sport & Entertainment
Buenos Aires
$72
St. Moritz
$110 53.5% $38
Getting Around
Buenos Aires
$37
St. Moritz
$138 274% $101

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $756 in Buenos Aires and $1,799 in St. Moritz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

St. Moritz pays 402% 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 $143 in St. Moritz for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $656 per month, with Buenos Aires cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇦🇷 Buenos Aires
🇨🇭 St. Moritz
🕒 Local time
22:23 10:23 PM
03:23 3:23 AM
5 h ahead of Buenos Aires
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,891,082 Capital
5,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CHF, USD, EUR to ARS – Argentine Peso Converter

Argentine Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1,517 ARS (10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD). 1 EUR = 1,706 ARS (10,000 ARS = 5.86 EUR).

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.824 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.926 CHF (1 CHF = 1.08 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Buenos Aires St. Moritz 11,310 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Buenos Aires
  • St. Moritz

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 St. Moritz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Buenos Aires and in St. Moritz?
Buenos Aires and St. Moritz differ by about 118% in total monthly costs ($1,656 vs $3,609 including rent). Buenos Aires is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 402% lower in St. Moritz. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Buenos Aires and in St. Moritz?
Rent for a central apartment: $756 in Buenos Aires versus $1,799 in St. Moritz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Buenos Aires and St. Moritz?
Childcare runs $463 in Buenos Aires versus $3,525 in St. Moritz. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 131% higher in St. Moritz. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $1,656 in Buenos Aires versus $3,609 in St. Moritz, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Buenos Aires but tight or insufficient in St. Moritz. The gap between the two cities makes Buenos Aires the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Buenos Aires and St. Moritz?
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 St. Moritz safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Buenos Aires and St. Moritz 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 St. Moritz?
Expats usually find Buenos Aires gentler on the wallet – expenses run 118% less than in St. Moritz. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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