Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenos Aires and Yens

For one person, living is cheaper in Buenos Aires: $1,656 a month against $3,329 in Yens, rent and utilities included – about $20,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Buenos Aires
🇦🇷 Argentina
$1,656
/mo nomad
Yens
🇨🇭 Switzerland
$3,329
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,656 in Buenos Aires versus $3,329 in Yens.

  • Buenos Aires $1,656
  • Yens $3,329

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,697 in Buenos Aires versus $5,100 in Yens.

  • Buenos Aires $2,697
  • Yens $5,100

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,737 in Buenos Aires versus $6,872 in Yens.

  • Buenos Aires $3,737
  • Yens $6,872

Living in Buenos Aires costs roughly 50% less than in Yens, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Buenos Aires 23% above, Yens 147% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Buenos Aires
Yens
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.09 ARS 29.0K
$29.34 CHF 24.16
-34.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$65.8 ARS 99.9K
$119 CHF 98.0
-44.71%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.20 ARS 20.0K
$15.95 CHF 13.14
-17.24%
Cappuccino
$3.85 ARS 5,841
$6.00 CHF 4.94
-35.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99 ARS 3,020
$4.95 CHF 4.08
-59.80%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.60 ARS 2,430
$4.27 CHF 3.51
-62.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.93 ARS 5,959
$9.07 CHF 7.47
-56.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61 ARS 7,003
$7.69 CHF 6.34
-40.05%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Buenos Aires
Yens
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 ARS 2,272
$2.13 CHF 1.76
-29.58%
White Bread (500g)
$2.53 ARS 3,837
$2.99 CHF 2.46
-15.38%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.61 ARS 2,445
$3.18 CHF 2.62
-49.37%
Eggs
$2.84 ARS 4,316
$7.17 CHF 5.91
-60.39%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.30 ARS 15.6K
$23.95 CHF 19.73
-56.99%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.00 ARS 15.2K
$28.06 CHF 23.11
-64.36%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.30 ARS 20.2K
$39.38 CHF 32.44
-66.23%
Apples (1kg)
$2.88 ARS 4,366
$3.63 CHF 2.99
-20.66%
Banana (1kg)
$2.20 ARS 3,334
$1.95 CHF 1.61
12.82%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.40 ARS 2,120
$2.52 CHF 2.08
-44.44%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.98 ARS 3,004
$4.43 CHF 3.65
-55.30%
Potato (1kg)
$1.21 ARS 1,835
$1.62 CHF 1.34
-25.31%
Onion (1kg)
$1.26 ARS 1,910
$1.94 CHF 1.60
-35.05%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.71 ARS 2,592
$1.98 CHF 1.63
-13.64%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.72 ARS 2,603
$1.27 CHF 1.05
35.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.29 ARS 6,505
$10.70 CHF 8.81
-59.91%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.70 ARS 8,645
$11.98 CHF 9.87
-52.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.17 ARS 3,288
$2.24 CHF 1.85
-3.13%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76 ARS 4,188
$2.86 CHF 2.36
-3.50%
🚌 Getting Around
Buenos Aires
Yens
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.75 ARS 1,141
$4.58 CHF 3.77
-83.62%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.27 ARS 41.4K
$98.4 CHF 81.0
-72.29%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.57 ARS 2,375
$7.70 CHF 6.34
-79.61%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.03 ARS 1,558
$4.56 CHF 3.75
-77.41%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.90 ARS 12.0K
$84.2 CHF 69.3
-90.62%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.42 ARS 2,160
$2.36 CHF 1.94
-39.83%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K ARS 42.4M
$41.9K CHF 34.5K
-33.28%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.0K ARS 53.1M
$39.7K CHF 32.7K
-11.92%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Buenos Aires
Yens
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$195 ARS 296.2K
$274 CHF 225
-28.67%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.16 ARS 38.2K
$27.35 CHF 22.52
-8.01%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.54 ARS 47.9K
$51.4 CHF 42.31
-38.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Buenos Aires
Yens
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.9 ARS 77.3K
$89.6 CHF 73.8
-43.14%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.73 ARS 25.4K
$45.51 CHF 37.48
-63.24%
Cinema Ticket
$10.34 ARS 15.7K
$24.00 CHF 19.76
-56.92%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Buenos Aires
Yens
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$463 ARS 703.2K
$2,954 CHF 2,433
-84.31%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,793 ARS 13.3M
$30.3K CHF 25.0K
-70.99%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Buenos Aires
Yens
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$120 ARS 181.8K
$141 CHF 116
-14.90%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$95.5 ARS 144.9K
$61.4 CHF 50.6
55.40%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$114 ARS 173.1K
$138 CHF 114
-17.21%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$139 ARS 211.4K
$197 CHF 162
-29.38%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Buenos Aires
Yens
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$756 ARS 1.1M
$1,679 CHF 1,383
-54.96%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$520 ARS 788.8K
$1,440 CHF 1,186
-63.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,590 ARS 2.4M
$2,839 CHF 2,338
-43.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,198 ARS 1.8M
$2,494 CHF 2,054
-51.95%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,713 ARS 4.1M
$16.2K CHF 13.3K
-83.21%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,901 ARS 2.9M
$12.0K CHF 9,900
-84.19%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Buenos Aires
Yens
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$938 ARS 1.4M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
57.25
1.95
2835.90%

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

Last update for Buenos Aires: October 11, 2026

Last update for Yens: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Buenos Aires
$520
Yens
$1.4K 177% $920
Groceries & Markets
Buenos Aires
$283
Yens
$558 96.9% $275
Eating Out
Buenos Aires
$282
Yens
$452 60.5% $170
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Buenos Aires
$252
Yens
$352 39.9% $100
Clothing & Footwear
Buenos Aires
$211
Yens
$242 14.6% $31
Sport & Entertainment
Buenos Aires
$72
Yens
$138 92.1% $66
Getting Around
Buenos Aires
$37
Yens
$147 298% $110

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $756 in Buenos Aires and $1,679 in Yens. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $66.0 in Buenos Aires vs $119 in Yens for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $558 per month, with Buenos Aires cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇦🇷 Buenos Aires
🇨🇭 Yens
🕒 Local time
04:09 4:09 AM
09:09 9:09 AM
5 h ahead of Buenos Aires
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,891,082 Capital
2,200
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CHF, USD, EUR to ARS – Argentine Peso Converter

Argentine Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1,517 ARS (10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD). 1 EUR = 1,706 ARS (10,000 ARS = 5.86 EUR).

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.824 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.926 CHF (1 CHF = 1.08 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Buenos Aires Yens 11,110 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Buenos Aires
  • Yens

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 Yens: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Buenos Aires and in Yens?
Buenos Aires and Yens differ by about 101% in total monthly costs ($1,656 vs $3,329 including rent). Buenos Aires is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Buenos Aires compared to Yens?
You'd need roughly $2,484 in Buenos Aires and $4,993 in Yens 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Buenos Aires and in Yens?
Rent for a central apartment: $756 in Buenos Aires versus $1,679 in Yens. 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 Yens?
Childcare runs $463 in Buenos Aires versus $2,954 in Yens. 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 97% higher in Yens. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $1,656 in Buenos Aires versus $3,329 in Yens, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Buenos Aires but tight or insufficient in Yens. The gap between the two cities makes Buenos Aires the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Buenos Aires and Yens?
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 Yens safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Buenos Aires and Yens 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 Yens?
Expats usually find Buenos Aires gentler on the wallet – expenses run 101% less than in Yens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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