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: $1,633 in Buenos Aires versus $975 in Ushuaia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,744 in Buenos Aires versus $1,583 in Ushuaia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,855 in Buenos Aires versus $2,191 in Ushuaia.

Living in Buenos Aires is roughly 67% more expensive than in Ushuaia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Buenos Aires is 18% above, Ushuaia is 29% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.99 ARS 28.6K

$10.59 ARS 16.0K

79.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 ARS 105.1K

$33.44 ARS 50.4K

108.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.75 ARS 19.2K

$9.17 ARS 13.8K

39.04%

Cappuccino

$3.81 ARS 5,755

$2.77 ARS 4,177

37.55%

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

$2.16 ARS 3,262

$1.70 ARS 2,568

27.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 ARS 2,566

$1.54 ARS 2,323

10.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.61 ARS 5,452

$2.09 ARS 3,149

72.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 ARS 6,865

$2.92 ARS 4,412

55.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 ARS 2,132

$1.25 ARS 1,891

12.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 ARS 3,717

$1.63 ARS 2,457

50.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ARS 2,390

$2.03 ARS 3,065

-22.17%

Eggs

$2.79 ARS 4,212

$2.19 ARS 3,303

27.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.16 ARS 15.3K

$9.92 ARS 15.0K

2.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.03 ARS 15.1K

$6.11 ARS 9,217

64.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.76 ARS 20.8K

$9.19 ARS 13.9K

49.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 ARS 4,194

$2.02 ARS 3,048

37.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 ARS 3,125

$2.13 ARS 3,208

-2.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 ARS 2,142

$1.32 ARS 1,993

7.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 ARS 3,100

$2.65 ARS 3,996

-22.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 ARS 1,796

$1.14 ARS 1,716

4.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ARS 1,728

$1.25 ARS 1,885

-8.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.75 ARS 2,634

$1.27 ARS 1,913

37.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ARS 2,626

$1.48 ARS 2,230

17.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ARS 6,436

$3.15 ARS 4,757

35.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.65 ARS 8,528

$4.89 ARS 7,371

15.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 ARS 3,336

$2.07 ARS 3,117

6.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 ARS 4,052

$3.02 ARS 4,563

-10.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 ARS 1,093

$0.78 ARS 1,172

-7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.88 ARS 42.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.62 ARS 2,443

$1.48 ARS 2,237

9.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ARS 1,546

$0.90 ARS 1,360

13.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.61 ARS 11.5K

$6.17 ARS 9,307

23.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ARS 2,024

$1.05 ARS 1,587

27.62%

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

$28.8K ARS 43.4M

$27.2K ARS 41.0M

5.98%

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

$34.2K ARS 51.6M

$30.1K ARS 45.5M

13.52%

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

$202 ARS 305.1K

$67.1 ARS 101.1K

201.64%

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

$23.17 ARS 35.0K

$16.94 ARS 25.6K

36.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.01 ARS 46.8K

$22.69 ARS 34.2K

36.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.1 ARS 77.1K

$25.85 ARS 39.0K

97.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.08 ARS 25.8K

$13.57 ARS 20.5K

25.87%

Cinema Ticket

$10.99 ARS 16.6K

$6.06 ARS 9,136

81.35%

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

$459 ARS 692.9K

$224 ARS 337.5K

105.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,949 ARS 13.5M

$2,661 ARS 4.0M

236.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$113 ARS 170.6K

$74.0 ARS 111.7K

52.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$91.7 ARS 138.4K

$68.6 ARS 103.5K

33.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 ARS 175.5K

$115 ARS 173.6K

1.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 ARS 203.0K

$112 ARS 168.5K

20.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$714 ARS 1.1M

$337 ARS 508.8K

111.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$506 ARS 763.5K

$239 ARS 360.3K

111.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,622 ARS 2.4M

$683 ARS 1.0M

137.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,288 ARS 1.9M

$530 ARS 799.2K

143.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,636 ARS 4.0M

$1,900 ARS 2.9M

38.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,847 ARS 2.8M

$1,608 ARS 2.4M

14.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$907 ARS 1.4M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

56.56

58.5

-3.32%

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

Last update for Buenos Aires: September 7, 2026

Last update for Ushuaia: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $714 in Buenos Aires and $337 in Ushuaia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $70.0 in Buenos Aires vs $33.00 in Ushuaia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $282 vs $230 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 67% in total monthly costs ($1,633 vs $975 including rent). Ushuaia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,449 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: $714 in Buenos Aires versus $337 in Ushuaia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $459 in Buenos Aires versus $224 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 $70.0 in Buenos Aires. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $975 in Ushuaia versus $1,633 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 67% less than in Buenos Aires. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.