Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenos Aires and Ushuaia Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenos Aires and Ushuaia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,381 in Buenos Aires versus $976 in Ushuaia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,205 in Buenos Aires versus $1,579 in Ushuaia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,030 in Buenos Aires versus $2,183 in Ushuaia.

Living in Buenos Aires is roughly 42% more expensive than in Ushuaia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Buenos Aires is 4% above, Ushuaia is 27% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.11 ARS 22.6K

$10.48 ARS 15.7K

44.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.1 ARS 91.3K

$33.37 ARS 49.9K

83.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.08 ARS 18.1K

$9.17 ARS 13.7K

31.73%

Cappuccino

$4.03 ARS 6,030

$2.71 ARS 4,044

48.71%

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

$2.18 ARS 3,259

$1.64 ARS 2,446

32.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 ARS 2,309

$1.56 ARS 2,334

-1.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.68 ARS 5,495

$2.13 ARS 3,191

72.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 ARS 5,918

$2.93 ARS 4,378

35.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ARS 2,383

$1.24 ARS 1,857

28.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 ARS 3,805

$1.57 ARS 2,345

62.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 ARS 3,452

$1.98 ARS 2,957

16.67%

Eggs

$3.25 ARS 4,866

$2.25 ARS 3,356

44.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.05 ARS 18.0K

$10.08 ARS 15.1K

19.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.83 ARS 11.7K

$6.08 ARS 9,095

28.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.16 ARS 13.7K

$9.45 ARS 14.1K

-3.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.56 ARS 3,833

$1.97 ARS 2,946

29.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 ARS 3,056

$2.07 ARS 3,089

-1.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 ARS 1,882

$1.28 ARS 1,907

-1.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 ARS 3,839

$2.61 ARS 3,901

-1.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 ARS 2,155

$1.19 ARS 1,786

21.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ARS 2,208

$1.23 ARS 1,846

20.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.82 ARS 2,718

$1.26 ARS 1,890

44.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 ARS 2,158

$1.42 ARS 2,118

1.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.20 ARS 4,786

$3.19 ARS 4,774

0.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 ARS 8,598

$4.96 ARS 7,419

15.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 ARS 3,361

$2.05 ARS 3,060

9.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 ARS 4,704

$3.17 ARS 4,746

-0.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 ARS 1,084

$0.78 ARS 1,172

-7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.93 ARS 23.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 ARS 2,376

$1.51 ARS 2,262

5.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ARS 1,267

$0.91 ARS 1,354

-6.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 ARS 8,934

$5.84 ARS 8,726

2.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ARS 1,676

$1.10 ARS 1,646

1.82%

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

$25.3K ARS 37.9M

$26.9K ARS 40.3M

-5.94%

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

$28.6K ARS 42.7M

$30.2K ARS 45.2M

-5.50%

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

$111 ARS 165.6K

$67.6 ARS 101.1K

63.88%

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

$21.83 ARS 32.6K

$17.03 ARS 25.5K

28.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.16 ARS 43.6K

$22.46 ARS 33.6K

29.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.06 ARS 64.4K

$26.56 ARS 39.7K

62.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.39 ARS 17.0K

$13.53 ARS 20.2K

-15.82%

Cinema Ticket

$9.13 ARS 13.6K

$6.35 ARS 9,489

43.78%

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

$331 ARS 495.0K

$223 ARS 333.5K

48.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,203 ARS 7.8M

$2,665 ARS 4.0M

95.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 ARS 168.1K

$72.6 ARS 108.5K

54.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$87.7 ARS 131.1K

$69.7 ARS 104.1K

25.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 ARS 187.8K

$117 ARS 175.1K

7.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 ARS 194.5K

$112 ARS 168.0K

15.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$648 ARS 968.6K

$333 ARS 497.2K

94.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$441 ARS 658.6K

$240 ARS 358.3K

83.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,186 ARS 1.8M

$684 ARS 1.0M

73.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$804 ARS 1.2M

$546 ARS 816.7K

47.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,617 ARS 3.9M

$1,857 ARS 2.8M

40.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,898 ARS 2.8M

$1,610 ARS 2.4M

17.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$850 ARS 1.3M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

52.71

58.5

-9.90%

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

Last update for Buenos Aires: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ushuaia: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $648 in Buenos Aires and $333 in Ushuaia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $61.0 in Buenos Aires vs $33.00 in Ushuaia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $270 vs $229 per month, with Ushuaia cheaper across the board.

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 Ushuaia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Buenos Aires and Ushuaia differ by about 42% in total monthly costs ($1,381 vs $976 including rent). Ushuaia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,071 in Buenos Aires and $1,463 in Ushuaia to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $648 in Buenos Aires versus $333 in Ushuaia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $331 in Buenos Aires versus $223 in Ushuaia. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ushuaia – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $61.0 in Buenos Aires. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $976 in Ushuaia versus $1,381 in Buenos Aires, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ushuaia but tight or insufficient in Buenos Aires. The gap between the two cities makes Ushuaia 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 Ushuaia 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 Ushuaia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Buenos Aires. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.