Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenos Aires and Szombathely

For one person, living is cheaper in Szombathely: $1,231 a month against $1,656 in Buenos Aires, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Buenos Aires
🇦🇷 Argentina
$1,656
/mo nomad
Szombathely
🇭🇺 Hungary
$1,231
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,656 in Buenos Aires versus $1,231 in Szombathely.

  • Buenos Aires $1,656
  • Szombathely $1,231

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,697 in Buenos Aires versus $1,949 in Szombathely.

  • Buenos Aires $2,697
  • Szombathely $1,949

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,737 in Buenos Aires versus $2,666 in Szombathely.

  • Buenos Aires $3,737
  • Szombathely $2,666

Living in Buenos Aires is roughly 35% more expensive than in Szombathely, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Buenos Aires is 23% above, Szombathely is 9% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Buenos Aires
Szombathely
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.09 ARS 28.9K
$11.55 Ft 3,724
65.28%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$65.8 ARS 99.5K
$53.4 Ft 17.2K
23.20%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.20 ARS 20.0K
$8.89 Ft 2,866
48.48%
Cappuccino
$3.85 ARS 5,821
$2.37 Ft 763
62.45%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99 ARS 3,010
$1.35 Ft 434
47.41%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.60 ARS 2,422
$1.28 Ft 413
25.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.93 ARS 5,940
$1.72 Ft 555
128.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61 ARS 6,979
$2.32 Ft 749
98.71%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Buenos Aires
Szombathely
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 ARS 2,264
$1.21 Ft 389
23.97%
White Bread (500g)
$2.53 ARS 3,825
$1.57 Ft 508
61.15%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.61 ARS 2,437
$2.37 Ft 763
-32.07%
Eggs
$2.84 ARS 4,302
$3.14 Ft 1,014
-9.55%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.30 ARS 15.6K
$10.39 Ft 3,349
-0.87%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.00 ARS 15.1K
$6.55 Ft 2,111
52.67%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.30 ARS 20.1K
$15.99 Ft 5,153
-16.82%
Apples (1kg)
$2.88 ARS 4,351
$2.22 Ft 716
29.73%
Banana (1kg)
$2.20 ARS 3,323
$2.04 Ft 658
7.84%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.40 ARS 2,113
$2.52 Ft 813
-44.44%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.98 ARS 2,994
$3.38 Ft 1,089
-41.42%
Potato (1kg)
$1.21 ARS 1,829
$1.08 Ft 349
12.04%
Onion (1kg)
$1.26 ARS 1,904
$1.39 Ft 450
-9.35%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.71 ARS 2,583
$1.88 Ft 605
-9.04%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.72 ARS 2,595
$0.54 Ft 175
218.52%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.29 ARS 6,484
$8.82 Ft 2,842
-51.36%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.70 ARS 8,617
$4.54 Ft 1,462
25.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.17 ARS 3,277
$1.21 Ft 390
79.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76 ARS 4,174
$2.62 Ft 846
5.34%
🚌 Getting Around
Buenos Aires
Szombathely
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.75 ARS 1,137
$0.88 Ft 284
-14.77%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.27 ARS 41.3K
$27.09 Ft 8,734
0.66%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.57 ARS 2,367
$2.68 Ft 865
-41.42%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.03 ARS 1,553
$1.37 Ft 441
-24.82%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.90 ARS 11.9K
$23.64 Ft 7,620
-66.58%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.42 ARS 2,153
$1.85 Ft 596
-23.24%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K ARS 42.3M
$28.8K Ft 9.3M
-2.99%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.0K ARS 52.9M
$33.4K Ft 10.8M
4.73%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Buenos Aires
Szombathely
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$195 ARS 295.2K
$168 Ft 54.3K
15.90%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.16 ARS 38.0K
$20.42 Ft 6,584
23.21%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.54 ARS 47.7K
$20.92 Ft 6,744
50.76%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Buenos Aires
Szombathely
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.9 ARS 77.0K
$46.96 Ft 15.1K
8.43%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.73 ARS 25.3K
$20.68 Ft 6,666
-19.10%
Cinema Ticket
$10.34 ARS 15.6K
$4.65 Ft 1,500
122.37%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Buenos Aires
Szombathely
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$463 ARS 700.9K
$423 Ft 136.2K
9.66%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,793 ARS 13.3M
$7,637 Ft 2.5M
15.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Buenos Aires
Szombathely
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$120 ARS 181.2K
$103 Ft 33.0K
16.88%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$95.5 ARS 144.4K
$50.4 Ft 16.3K
89.33%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$114 ARS 172.6K
$96.9 Ft 31.2K
17.79%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$139 ARS 210.7K
$111 Ft 35.8K
25.34%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Buenos Aires
Szombathely
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$756 ARS 1.1M
$538 Ft 173.3K
40.69%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$520 ARS 786.2K
$339 Ft 109.3K
53.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,590 ARS 2.4M
$754 Ft 243.1K
110.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,198 ARS 1.8M
$645 Ft 208.0K
85.68%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,713 ARS 4.1M
$2,402 Ft 774.2K
12.97%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,901 ARS 2.9M
$1,980 Ft 638.3K
-4.02%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Buenos Aires
Szombathely
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$938 ARS 1.4M
$1,175 Ft 378.9K
-20.22%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
57.25
7.5
663.33%

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

Last update for Buenos Aires: October 11, 2026

Last update for Szombathely: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Buenos Aires
$520
Szombathely
$339 34.8% $181
Groceries & Markets
Buenos Aires
$283
Szombathely
$252 10.9% $31
Eating Out
Buenos Aires
$282
Szombathely
$171 39.2% $110
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Buenos Aires
$252
Szombathely
$210 16.7% $42
Clothing & Footwear
Buenos Aires
$211
Szombathely
$162 23% $48
Sport & Entertainment
Buenos Aires
$72
Szombathely
$56 21.4% $15
Getting Around
Buenos Aires
$37
Szombathely
$40 8.5% $3.2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $756 in Buenos Aires and $538 in Szombathely. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Szombathely pays 25% 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 $53.0 in Szombathely for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $252 per month, with Szombathely cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇦🇷 Buenos Aires
🇭🇺 Szombathely
🕒 Local time
14:40 2:40 PM
19:40 7:40 PM
5 h ahead of Buenos Aires
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,891,082 Capital
77,757
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

HUF, USD, EUR to ARS – Argentine Peso Converter

Argentine Peso exchange rates as of October 16, 2026: 1 USD = 1,513 ARS (10,000 ARS = 6.61 USD). 1 EUR = 1,696 ARS (10,000 ARS = 5.89 EUR).

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 16, 2026: 1 USD = 322 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 362 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.77 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Buenos Aires Szombathely 11,770 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Buenos Aires
  • Szombathely

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 Szombathely: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Buenos Aires and in Szombathely?
Buenos Aires and Szombathely differ by about 35% in total monthly costs ($1,656 vs $1,231 including rent). Szombathely 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 25% lower in Szombathely. 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 Szombathely?
Rent for a central apartment: $756 in Buenos Aires versus $538 in Szombathely. 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 Szombathely?
Childcare runs $463 in Buenos Aires versus $423 in Szombathely. 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 12% higher in Buenos Aires. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,231 in Szombathely versus $1,656 in Buenos Aires, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Szombathely but tight or insufficient in Buenos Aires. The gap between the two cities makes Szombathely the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Buenos Aires and Szombathely?
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 Szombathely safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Buenos Aires and Szombathely 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 Szombathely?
Expats usually find Szombathely gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% 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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