Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenos Aires and Thunder Bay

For one person, living is cheaper in Buenos Aires: $1,656 a month against $2,179 in Thunder Bay, rent and utilities included – about $6,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

80

Cost of Living Index in Buenos Aires
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Buenos Aires Living Index
105

Cost of Living Index in Thunder Bay
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Thunder Bay Living Index

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Buenos Aires

🇦🇷 Argentina

$1,656

/mo nomad

Thunder Bay

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,179

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Buenos Aires and in Thunder Bay

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,656 in Buenos Aires versus $2,179 in Thunder Bay.

Buenos Aires $1,656
Thunder Bay $2,179

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,697 in Buenos Aires versus $3,301 in Thunder Bay.

Buenos Aires $2,697
Thunder Bay $3,301

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,737 in Buenos Aires versus $4,423 in Thunder Bay.

Buenos Aires $3,737
Thunder Bay $4,423

Living in Buenos Aires costs roughly 24% less than in Thunder Bay, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Buenos Aires 23% above, Thunder Bay 61% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.09 ARS 29.0K

$17.59 CA$24.87

8.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.8 ARS 99.9K

$60.1 CA$84.9

9.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.20 ARS 20.0K

$12.43 CA$17.57

6.19%

Cappuccino

$3.85 ARS 5,841

$3.31 CA$4.68

16.31%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 ARS 3,020

$1.86 CA$2.63

6.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 ARS 2,430

$1.56 CA$2.20

2.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.93 ARS 5,959

$5.33 CA$7.53

-26.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 ARS 7,003

$4.98 CA$7.04

-7.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 ARS 2,272

$2.28 CA$3.23

-34.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 ARS 3,837

$2.59 CA$3.67

-2.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 ARS 2,445

$3.33 CA$4.71

-51.65%

Eggs

$2.84 ARS 4,316

$3.58 CA$5.06

-20.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.30 ARS 15.6K

$16.32 CA$23.08

-36.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.00 ARS 15.2K

$15.86 CA$22.42

-36.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.30 ARS 20.2K

$16.23 CA$22.94

-18.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 ARS 4,366

$3.31 CA$4.68

-12.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 ARS 3,334

$1.16 CA$1.64

89.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 ARS 2,120

$3.91 CA$5.53

-64.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 ARS 3,004

$3.48 CA$4.92

-43.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 ARS 1,835

$2.48 CA$3.51

-51.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 ARS 1,910

$2.12 CA$3.00

-40.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 ARS 2,592

$2.85 CA$4.03

-40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ARS 2,603

$2.27 CA$3.22

-24.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 ARS 6,505

$10.55 CA$14.92

-59.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.70 ARS 8,645

$8.93 CA$12.62

-36.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 ARS 3,288

$2.01 CA$2.85

7.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ARS 4,188

$3.01 CA$4.26

-8.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 ARS 1,141

$2.24 CA$3.17

-66.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.27 ARS 41.4K

$63.5 CA$89.7

-57.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.57 ARS 2,375

$5.00 CA$7.07

-68.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ARS 1,558

$2.05 CA$2.90

-49.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.90 ARS 12.0K

$34.37 CA$48.58

-77.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 ARS 2,160

$1.18 CA$1.66

20.34%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.9K ARS 42.4M

$27.3K CA$38.6K

2.31%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$35.0K ARS 53.1M

$18.9K CA$26.7K

84.98%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$195 ARS 296.2K

$160 CA$226

22.34%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$25.16 ARS 38.2K

$56.8 CA$80.3

-55.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.54 ARS 47.9K

$80.8 CA$114

-60.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.9 ARS 77.3K

$28.63 CA$40.48

77.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.73 ARS 25.4K

$17.26 CA$24.41

-3.07%

Cinema Ticket

$10.34 ARS 15.7K

$17.28 CA$24.43

-40.16%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$463 ARS 703.2K

$663 CA$937

-30.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,793 ARS 13.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$120 ARS 181.8K

$77.0 CA$109

55.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$95.5 ARS 144.9K

$34.56 CA$48.86

176.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 ARS 173.1K

$76.5 CA$108

49.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 ARS 211.4K

$131 CA$185

6.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 ARS 1.1M

$1,040 CA$1,471

-27.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$520 ARS 788.8K

$925 CA$1,308

-43.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,590 ARS 2.4M

$1,837 CA$2,597

-13.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,198 ARS 1.8M

$1,675 CA$2,368

-28.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,713 ARS 4.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,901 ARS 2.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$938 ARS 1.4M

$2,601 CA$3,677

-63.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

57.25

4.58

1150.00%

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

Last update for Buenos Aires: October 11, 2026

Last update for Thunder Bay: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Buenos Aires

$520 31.4%

Thunder Bay

$925 42.5% 77.9% $405

Groceries & Markets

Buenos Aires

$283 17.1%

Thunder Bay

$394 18.1% 39.2% $111

Eating Out

Buenos Aires

$282 17%

Thunder Bay

$268 12.3% 4.9% $14

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Buenos Aires

$252 15.2%

Thunder Bay

$297 13.6% 18% $45

Clothing & Footwear

Buenos Aires

$211 12.7%

Thunder Bay

$143 6.6% 32% $68

Sport & Entertainment

Buenos Aires

$72 4.3%

Thunder Bay

$63 2.9% 11.7% $8.4

Getting Around

Buenos Aires

$37 2.2%

Thunder Bay

$88 4% 137% $51

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $756 in Buenos Aires and $1,040 in Thunder Bay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Thunder Bay pays 177% 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 $60.0 in Thunder Bay. Groceries flip the comparison at $283 vs $394, with Buenos Aires cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇦🇷 Buenos Aires

🇨🇦 Thunder Bay

🕒 Local time

13:47 1:47 PM

12:47 12:47 PM

1 h behind Buenos Aires

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,891,082 Capital

107,909

💱 Currency

Argentine Peso ARS $

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD

10,000 ARS = 5.86 EUR

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD, EUR to ARS – Argentine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇦🇷 Argentine Peso ($)

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).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

USD to ARS in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Buenos Aires Thunder Bay 9,720 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Buenos Aires
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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 Thunder Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Buenos Aires and Thunder Bay differ by about 32% in total monthly costs ($1,656 vs $2,179 including rent). Buenos Aires is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 177% lower in Thunder Bay. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $756 in Buenos Aires versus $1,040 in Thunder Bay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $463 in Buenos Aires versus $663 in Thunder Bay. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in Thunder Bay. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,656 in Buenos Aires versus $2,179 in Thunder Bay, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Buenos Aires but tight or insufficient in Thunder Bay. The gap between the two cities makes Buenos Aires the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Buenos Aires and Thunder Bay are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Buenos Aires gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Thunder Bay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.