Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenos Aires and Tetovo

For one person, living is cheaper in Tetovo: $995 a month against $1,656 in Buenos Aires, rent and utilities included – about $7,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Buenos Aires
🇦🇷 Argentina
$1,656
/mo nomad
Tetovo
🇲🇰 North Macedonia
$995
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,656 in Buenos Aires versus $995 in Tetovo.

  • Buenos Aires $1,656
  • Tetovo $995

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,697 in Buenos Aires versus $1,498 in Tetovo.

  • Buenos Aires $2,697
  • Tetovo $1,498

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,737 in Buenos Aires versus $2,001 in Tetovo.

  • Buenos Aires $3,737
  • Tetovo $2,001

Living in Buenos Aires is roughly 66% more expensive than in Tetovo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Buenos Aires is 23% above, Tetovo is 26% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Buenos Aires
Tetovo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.09 ARS 29.0K
$7.35 MKD 401
159.73%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$65.8 ARS 99.9K
$27.44 MKD 1,497
139.80%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.20 ARS 20.0K
$5.84 MKD 319
126.03%
Cappuccino
$3.85 ARS 5,841
$1.49 MKD 81.4
158.39%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99 ARS 3,020
$1.48 MKD 80.7
34.46%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.60 ARS 2,430
$0.92 MKD 50.4
73.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.93 ARS 5,959
$2.16 MKD 118
81.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61 ARS 7,003
$2.20 MKD 120
109.55%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Buenos Aires
Tetovo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 ARS 2,272
$1.25 MKD 68.2
20.00%
White Bread (500g)
$2.53 ARS 3,837
$0.63 MKD 34.44
301.59%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.61 ARS 2,445
$1.30 MKD 71.0
23.85%
Eggs
$2.84 ARS 4,316
$2.12 MKD 116
33.96%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.30 ARS 15.6K
$7.23 MKD 394
42.46%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.00 ARS 15.2K
$5.34 MKD 291
87.27%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.30 ARS 20.2K
$10.05 MKD 548
32.34%
Apples (1kg)
$2.88 ARS 4,366
$1.43 MKD 78.1
101.40%
Banana (1kg)
$2.20 ARS 3,334
$1.45 MKD 79.2
51.72%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.40 ARS 2,120
$0.99 MKD 54.0
41.41%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.98 ARS 3,004
$1.88 MKD 103
5.32%
Potato (1kg)
$1.21 ARS 1,835
$0.90 MKD 49.04
34.44%
Onion (1kg)
$1.26 ARS 1,910
$0.69 MKD 37.87
82.61%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.71 ARS 2,592
$0.58 MKD 31.79
194.83%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.72 ARS 2,603
$0.50 MKD 27.27
244.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.29 ARS 6,505
$3.04 MKD 166
41.12%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.70 ARS 8,645
$4.50 MKD 245
26.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.17 ARS 3,288
$1.01 MKD 55.1
114.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76 ARS 4,188
$1.43 MKD 78.1
93.01%
🚌 Getting Around
Buenos Aires
Tetovo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.75 ARS 1,141
$0.37 MKD 20.19
102.70%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.27 ARS 41.4K
$10.77 MKD 588
153.20%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.57 ARS 2,375
$1.07 MKD 58.6
46.73%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.03 ARS 1,558
$0.56 MKD 30.35
83.93%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.90 ARS 12.0K
$7.71 MKD 421
2.46%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.42 ARS 2,160
$1.49 MKD 81.4
-4.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K ARS 42.4M
$35.9K MKD 2.0M
-22.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.0K ARS 53.1M
$27.7K MKD 1.5M
26.03%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Buenos Aires
Tetovo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$195 ARS 296.2K
$158 MKD 8,610
23.67%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.16 ARS 38.2K
$17.78 MKD 970
41.51%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.54 ARS 47.9K
$18.94 MKD 1,033
66.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Buenos Aires
Tetovo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.9 ARS 77.3K
$70.1 MKD 3,822
-27.32%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.73 ARS 25.4K
$18.00 MKD 982
-7.06%
Cinema Ticket
$10.34 ARS 15.7K
$5.49 MKD 300
88.34%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Buenos Aires
Tetovo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$463 ARS 703.2K
$220 MKD 12.0K
110.86%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,793 ARS 13.3M
$2,152 MKD 117.4K
308.52%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Buenos Aires
Tetovo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$120 ARS 181.8K
$62.9 MKD 3,430
90.54%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$95.5 ARS 144.9K
$36.22 MKD 1,976
163.61%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$114 ARS 173.1K
$99.6 MKD 5,435
14.52%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$139 ARS 211.4K
$112 MKD 6,104
24.50%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Buenos Aires
Tetovo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$756 ARS 1.1M
$353 MKD 19.3K
114.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$520 ARS 788.8K
$275 MKD 15.0K
89.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,590 ARS 2.4M
$575 MKD 31.4K
176.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,198 ARS 1.8M
$489 MKD 26.7K
144.83%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,713 ARS 4.1M
$1,214 MKD 66.2K
123.55%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,901 ARS 2.9M
$1,079 MKD 58.8K
76.23%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Buenos Aires
Tetovo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$938 ARS 1.4M
$858 MKD 46.8K
9.30%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
57.25
3.75
1426.67%

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

Last update for Buenos Aires: October 11, 2026

Last update for Tetovo: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Buenos Aires
$520
Tetovo
$275 47.2% $245
Groceries & Markets
Buenos Aires
$283
Tetovo
$170 40.1% $114
Eating Out
Buenos Aires
$282
Tetovo
$119 57.7% $163
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Buenos Aires
$252
Tetovo
$195 22.8% $57
Clothing & Footwear
Buenos Aires
$211
Tetovo
$140 33.7% $71
Sport & Entertainment
Buenos Aires
$72
Tetovo
$81 13.2% $9.4
Getting Around
Buenos Aires
$37
Tetovo
$16 56.4% $21

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $756 in Buenos Aires and $353 in Tetovo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buenos Aires pays 9% 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 $27.00 in Tetovo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $170 per month, with Tetovo cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇦🇷 Buenos Aires
🇲🇰 Tetovo
🕒 Local time
05:07 5:07 AM
10:07 10:07 AM
5 h ahead of Buenos Aires
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,891,082 Capital
53,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MKD, 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).

North Macedonian Denar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 54.55 MKD (100 MKD = 1.83 USD). 1 EUR = 61.33 MKD (100 MKD = 1.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Buenos Aires Tetovo 11,730 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Buenos Aires
  • Tetovo

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 Tetovo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Buenos Aires and in Tetovo?
Buenos Aires and Tetovo differ by about 66% in total monthly costs ($1,656 vs $995 including rent). Tetovo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Buenos Aires or Tetovo?
Average pay runs 9% 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Buenos Aires and in Tetovo?
Rent for a central apartment: $756 in Buenos Aires versus $353 in Tetovo. 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 Tetovo?
Childcare runs $463 in Buenos Aires versus $220 in Tetovo. 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 67% 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 $995 in Tetovo versus $1,656 in Buenos Aires, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Tetovo but tight or insufficient in Buenos Aires. The gap between the two cities makes Tetovo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Buenos Aires and Tetovo?
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 Tetovo safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Buenos Aires and Tetovo 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 Tetovo?
Expats usually find Tetovo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% 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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