Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenos Aires and Taif

For one person, living is cheaper in Taif: $1,239 a month against $1,656 in Buenos Aires, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Buenos Aires
🇦🇷 Argentina
$1,656
/mo nomad
Taif
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia
$1,239
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,656 in Buenos Aires versus $1,239 in Taif.

  • Buenos Aires $1,656
  • Taif $1,239

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,697 in Buenos Aires versus $1,827 in Taif.

  • Buenos Aires $2,697
  • Taif $1,827

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,737 in Buenos Aires versus $2,416 in Taif.

  • Buenos Aires $3,737
  • Taif $2,416

Living in Buenos Aires is roughly 34% more expensive than in Taif, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Buenos Aires is 23% above, Taif is 8% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Buenos Aires
Taif
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.09 ARS 29.0K
$5.28 SAR 19.82
261.55%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$65.8 ARS 99.9K
$37.38 SAR 140
76.03%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.20 ARS 20.0K
$7.31 SAR 27.41
80.57%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.08 SAR 7.80
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.36 SAR 5.11
-
Cappuccino
$3.85 ARS 5,841
$2.23 SAR 8.37
72.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99 ARS 3,020
$0.70 SAR 2.64
184.29%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.60 ARS 2,430
$0.17 SAR 0.64
841.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.93 ARS 5,959
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61 ARS 7,003
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Buenos Aires
Taif
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 ARS 2,272
$1.75 SAR 6.57
-14.29%
White Bread (500g)
$2.53 ARS 3,837
$0.26 SAR 0.97
873.08%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.61 ARS 2,445
$2.34 SAR 8.80
-31.20%
Eggs
$2.84 ARS 4,316
$2.74 SAR 10.26
3.65%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.30 ARS 15.6K
$5.97 SAR 22.40
72.53%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.00 ARS 15.2K
$7.11 SAR 26.68
40.65%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.30 ARS 20.2K
$9.46 SAR 35.50
40.59%
Apples (1kg)
$2.88 ARS 4,366
$2.38 SAR 8.94
21.01%
Banana (1kg)
$2.20 ARS 3,334
$1.72 SAR 6.45
27.91%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.40 ARS 2,120
$1.84 SAR 6.90
-23.91%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.98 ARS 3,004
$1.83 SAR 6.86
8.20%
Potato (1kg)
$1.21 ARS 1,835
$1.31 SAR 4.92
-7.63%
Onion (1kg)
$1.26 ARS 1,910
$1.42 SAR 5.33
-11.27%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.71 ARS 2,592
$0.94 SAR 3.54
81.91%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.72 ARS 2,603
$0.82 SAR 3.07
109.76%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$3.20 SAR 11.99
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.42 SAR 5.32
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.00 SAR 7.50
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.29 ARS 6,505
$7.36 SAR 27.63
-41.71%
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
Taif
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.75 ARS 1,141
$1.07 SAR 4.03
-29.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.27 ARS 41.4K
$36.19 SAR 136
-24.65%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.57 ARS 2,375
$1.30 SAR 4.86
20.77%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.03 ARS 1,558
$2.05 SAR 7.68
-49.76%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.90 ARS 12.0K
$9.42 SAR 35.34
-16.14%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.42 ARS 2,160
$0.60 SAR 2.26
136.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K ARS 42.4M
$44.6K SAR 167.3K
-37.31%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.0K ARS 53.1M
$20.8K SAR 78.1K
68.01%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Buenos Aires
Taif
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$195 ARS 296.2K
$138 SAR 519
41.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.16 ARS 38.2K
$28.04 SAR 105
-10.27%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.54 ARS 47.9K
$67.4 SAR 253
-53.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Buenos Aires
Taif
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.9 ARS 77.3K
$145 SAR 543
-64.81%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.73 ARS 25.4K
$13.23 SAR 49.64
26.46%
Cinema Ticket
$10.34 ARS 15.7K
$19.68 SAR 73.9
-47.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Buenos Aires
Taif
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$463 ARS 703.2K
$185 SAR 693
151.05%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,793 ARS 13.3M
$3,342 SAR 12.5K
163.14%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Buenos Aires
Taif
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$120 ARS 181.8K
$42.10 SAR 158
184.63%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$95.5 ARS 144.9K
$55.3 SAR 208
72.53%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$114 ARS 173.1K
$95.5 SAR 358
19.44%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$139 ARS 211.4K
$86.4 SAR 324
61.19%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Buenos Aires
Taif
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$756 ARS 1.1M
$583 SAR 2,187
29.75%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$520 ARS 788.8K
$368 SAR 1,380
41.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,590 ARS 2.4M
$803 SAR 3,012
98.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,198 ARS 1.8M
$566 SAR 2,124
111.68%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,713 ARS 4.1M
$2,395 SAR 8,986
13.31%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,901 ARS 2.9M
$1,368 SAR 5,132
38.98%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Buenos Aires
Taif
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$938 ARS 1.4M
$1,567 SAR 5,880
-40.16%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
57.25
5.54
933.39%

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

Last update for Buenos Aires: October 11, 2026

Last update for Taif: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Buenos Aires
$520
Taif
$368 29.2% $152
Groceries & Markets
Buenos Aires
$283
Taif
$181 36% $102
Eating Out
Buenos Aires
$282
Taif
$94 66.5% $187
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Buenos Aires
$252
Taif
$234 7.3% $18
Clothing & Footwear
Buenos Aires
$211
Taif
$126 40.4% $85
Sport & Entertainment
Buenos Aires
$72
Taif
$184 157% $112
Getting Around
Buenos Aires
$37
Taif
$52 40.6% $15

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $756 in Buenos Aires and $583 in Taif. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Taif pays 67% 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 $37.00 in Taif for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $181 per month, with Taif cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇦🇷 Buenos Aires
🇸🇦 Taif
🕒 Local time
22:23 10:23 PM
04:23 4:23 AM
6 h ahead of Buenos Aires
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,891,082 Capital
579,970
💱 Currency
Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س
Exchange rates and currency converter

SAR, 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).

Saudi Riyal exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3.75 SAR (1 SAR = 0.266 USD). 1 EUR = 4.22 SAR (1 SAR = 0.237 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Buenos Aires Taif 12,110 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Buenos Aires
  • Taif

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 Taif: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Buenos Aires and in Taif?
Buenos Aires and Taif differ by about 34% in total monthly costs ($1,656 vs $1,239 including rent). Taif 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 67% lower in Taif. 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 Taif?
Rent for a central apartment: $756 in Buenos Aires versus $583 in Taif. 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 Taif?
Childcare runs $463 in Buenos Aires versus $185 in Taif. 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 56% higher in Buenos Aires. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
At $1,239 in Taif versus $1,656 in Buenos Aires, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Taif but tight or insufficient in Buenos Aires. The gap between the two cities makes Taif the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Buenos Aires and Taif?
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 Taif safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Buenos Aires and Taif 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 Taif?
Expats usually find Taif gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% 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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