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: $1,426 in Buenos Aires versus $948 in Ushuaia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,203 in Buenos Aires versus $1,569 in Ushuaia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Buenos Aires versus $2,189 in Ushuaia.

Living in Buenos Aires is roughly 50% more expensive than Ushuaia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Buenos Aires is 6% above, Ushuaia is 29% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.90 ARS 21.0K

$10.68 ARS 15.0K

39.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.5 ARS 85.2K

$33.62 ARS 47.3K

79.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.09 ARS 17.0K

$9.22 ARS 13.0K

31.13%

Cappuccino

$4.09 ARS 5,757

$2.68 ARS 3,770

52.61%

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

$2.09 ARS 2,947

$1.72 ARS 2,428

21.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 ARS 2,134

$1.54 ARS 2,170

-1.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.63 ARS 5,107

$2.14 ARS 3,016

69.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 ARS 5,656

$2.94 ARS 4,141

36.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 ARS 2,165

$1.30 ARS 1,824

18.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.42 ARS 3,414

$1.59 ARS 2,232

52.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ARS 3,090

$2.03 ARS 2,856

7.88%

Eggs

$3.19 ARS 4,488

$2.28 ARS 3,213

39.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.22 ARS 17.2K

$10.30 ARS 14.5K

18.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.05 ARS 11.3K

$6.34 ARS 8,925

26.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.65 ARS 13.6K

$9.12 ARS 12.8K

5.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.49 ARS 3,506

$2.01 ARS 2,835

23.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 ARS 2,957

$2.06 ARS 2,902

1.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 ARS 1,849

$1.31 ARS 1,841

Tomato (1kg)

$2.65 ARS 3,738

$2.65 ARS 3,725

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 ARS 2,009

$1.19 ARS 1,677

20.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 ARS 2,167

$1.24 ARS 1,743

24.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.79 ARS 2,523

$1.32 ARS 1,856

35.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 ARS 2,024

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.22 ARS 4,537

$3.18 ARS 4,476

1.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.67 ARS 9,391

$4.93 ARS 6,949

35.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 ARS 3,180

$2.08 ARS 2,924

8.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 ARS 4,272

$3.09 ARS 4,348

-1.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 ARS 1,020

$0.81 ARS 1,143

-11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.07 ARS 22.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 ARS 2,237

$1.49 ARS 2,098

6.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ARS 1,295

$0.86 ARS 1,217

6.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.89 ARS 8,292

$6.07 ARS 8,545

-2.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ARS 1,582

$1.09 ARS 1,538

2.75%

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

$24.5K ARS 34.5M

$27.4K ARS 38.5M

-10.42%

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

$28.9K ARS 40.7M

$30.6K ARS 43.0M

-5.38%

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

$110 ARS 154.8K

$67.7 ARS 95.4K

62.32%

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

$21.81 ARS 30.7K

$17.41 ARS 24.5K

25.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.52 ARS 40.2K

$22.47 ARS 31.6K

26.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.83 ARS 58.9K

$26.40 ARS 37.2K

58.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.59 ARS 16.3K

$13.71 ARS 19.3K

-15.46%

Cinema Ticket

$8.79 ARS 12.4K

$6.05 ARS 8,525

45.29%

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

$322 ARS 453.7K

$224 ARS 315.7K

43.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,120 ARS 7.2M

$2,666 ARS 3.8M

92.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 ARS 156.0K

$72.5 ARS 102.1K

52.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$86.1 ARS 121.3K

$70.4 ARS 99.1K

22.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 ARS 177.0K

$116 ARS 163.0K

8.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 ARS 186.6K

$113 ARS 159.0K

17.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$650 ARS 915.8K

$341 ARS 480.8K

90.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$444 ARS 625.6K

$241 ARS 338.8K

84.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,154 ARS 1.6M

$685 ARS 964.3K

68.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 ARS 1.1M

$538 ARS 757.7K

46.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,679 ARS 3.8M

$1,864 ARS 2.6M

43.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,994 ARS 2.8M

$1,567 ARS 2.2M

27.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$796 ARS 1.1M

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Ushuaia: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $650 in Buenos Aires and $341 in Ushuaia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $60.0 in Buenos Aires vs $34.00 in Ushuaia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $232 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 50% in total monthly costs ($1,426 vs $948 including rent). Ushuaia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,138 in Buenos Aires and $1,422 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: $650 in Buenos Aires versus $341 in Ushuaia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $322 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 $34.00 versus $60.0 in Buenos Aires. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $948 in Ushuaia versus $1,426 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 50% less than in Buenos Aires. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.