Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenos Aires and Zakho

For one person, living is cheaper in Zakho: $759 a month against $1,646 in Buenos Aires, rent and utilities included – about $10,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Buenos Aires
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Buenos Aires Living Index
37

Cost of Living Index in Zakho
Learn more

Zakho Living Index

Jump to prices

Buenos Aires

🇦🇷 Argentina

$1,646

/mo nomad

Zakho

🇮🇶 Iraq

$759

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,646 in Buenos Aires versus $759 in Zakho.

Buenos Aires $1,646
Zakho $759

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,680 in Buenos Aires versus $1,210 in Zakho.

Buenos Aires $2,680
Zakho $1,210

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,714 in Buenos Aires versus $1,661 in Zakho.

Buenos Aires $3,714
Zakho $1,661

Living in Buenos Aires is roughly 117% more expensive than in Zakho, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

The two cities straddle the global median: Buenos Aires is 21% above, Zakho is 44% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.81 ARS 27.0K

$6.52 IQD 9,855

173.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.2 ARS 98.9K

$36.45 IQD 55.1K

78.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.12 ARS 19.9K

$7.08 IQD 10.7K

85.31%

Cappuccino

$3.86 ARS 5,863

$3.38 IQD 5,101

14.20%

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

$2.06 ARS 3,133

$0.90 IQD 1,356

128.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 ARS 2,542

$0.36 IQD 550

366.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.10 ARS 6,218

$5.36 IQD 8,101

-23.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.73 ARS 7,181

$4.06 IQD 6,130

16.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 ARS 2,285

$1.07 IQD 1,613

41.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.60 ARS 3,950

$0.67 IQD 1,019

288.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 ARS 2,380

$1.47 IQD 2,221

6.80%

Eggs

$2.73 ARS 4,144

$1.52 IQD 2,290

79.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.86 ARS 16.5K

$7.21 IQD 10.9K

50.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.07 ARS 15.3K

$4.32 IQD 6,524

133.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.22 ARS 20.1K

$12.87 IQD 19.4K

2.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.80 ARS 4,255

$0.97 IQD 1,463

188.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 ARS 3,170

$0.95 IQD 1,437

120.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 ARS 2,194

$1.02 IQD 1,543

42.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 ARS 3,040

$0.69 IQD 1,046

189.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 ARS 1,826

$0.59 IQD 895

103.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ARS 1,821

$0.58 IQD 874

106.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 ARS 2,569

$0.66 IQD 997

156.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ARS 2,711

$0.51 IQD 777

250.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 ARS 6,074

$2.11 IQD 3,189

89.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.53 ARS 8,388

$10.84 IQD 16.4K

-48.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 ARS 3,219

$1.45 IQD 2,197

46.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ARS 4,212

$1.84 IQD 2,782

51.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 ARS 1,049

$0.39 IQD 594

76.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.90 ARS 42.3K

$20.25 IQD 30.6K

37.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.63 ARS 2,471

$1.64 IQD 2,474

-0.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.97 ARS 1,478

$1.60 IQD 2,418

-39.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 ARS 12.0K

$5.53 IQD 8,350

42.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 ARS 2,156

$0.57 IQD 863

149.12%

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

$23.3K ARS 35.4M

$16.7K IQD 25.3M

39.50%

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

$31.9K ARS 48.5M

$17.3K IQD 26.2M

84.10%

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

$199 ARS 302.7K

$113 IQD 170.8K

76.40%

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

$23.36 ARS 35.4K

$11.83 IQD 17.9K

97.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.44 ARS 47.7K

$24.03 IQD 36.3K

30.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.81 ARS 75.6K

$37.45 IQD 56.6K

33.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.63 ARS 25.2K

Cinema Ticket

$10.80 ARS 16.4K

$9.95 IQD 15.0K

8.54%

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

$462 ARS 701.7K

$313 IQD 473.3K

47.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,790 ARS 13.3M

$2,762 IQD 4.2M

218.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$120 ARS 181.6K

$26.29 IQD 39.7K

355.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$94.6 ARS 143.6K

$19.70 IQD 29.8K

380.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 ARS 176.4K

$49.08 IQD 74.2K

136.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 ARS 208.6K

$40.75 IQD 61.6K

237.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$750 ARS 1.1M

$172 IQD 260.4K

335.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$514 ARS 780.5K

$132 IQD 199.9K

288.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,567 ARS 2.4M

$379 IQD 572.2K

313.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,196 ARS 1.8M

$308 IQD 466.0K

287.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,632 ARS 4.0M

$711 IQD 1.1M

270.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,874 ARS 2.8M

$576 IQD 870.1K

225.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$924 ARS 1.4M

$660 IQD 997.7K

40.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

57.25

2.53

2162.85%

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

Last update for Buenos Aires: October 19, 2026

Last update for Zakho: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Buenos Aires

$514 31.3%

Zakho

$132 17.4% 74.3% $382

Groceries & Markets

Buenos Aires

$285 17.3%

Zakho

$174 22.9% 39% $111

Eating Out

Buenos Aires

$273 16.6%

Zakho

$154 20.3% 43.7% $119

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Buenos Aires

$254 15.5%

Zakho

$149 19.6% 41.4% $105

Clothing & Footwear

Buenos Aires

$211 12.8%

Zakho

$61 8.1% 71% $149

Sport & Entertainment

Buenos Aires

$71 4.3%

Zakho

$57 7.6% 19.7% $14

Getting Around

Buenos Aires

$37 2.3%

Zakho

$31 4.2% 15.3% $5.7

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $750 in Buenos Aires and $172 in Zakho. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buenos Aires pays 40% 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: $65.0 in Buenos Aires vs $36.00 in Zakho for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $285 vs $174 per month, with Zakho cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇦🇷 Buenos Aires

🇮🇶 Zakho

🕒 Local time

19:06 7:06 PM

01:06 1:06 AM

6 h ahead of Buenos Aires

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,891,082 Capital

197,163

💱 Currency

Argentine Peso ARS $

Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD

10,000 ARS = 5.86 EUR

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

IQD, USD, EUR to ARS – Argentine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇦🇷 Argentine Peso ($)

Argentine Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1,517 ARS (10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD). 1 EUR = 1,706 ARS (10,000 ARS = 5.86 EUR).

Iraqi Dinar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1,511 IQD (10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD). 1 EUR = 1,699 IQD (10,000 IQD = 5.89 EUR).

USD to ARS in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Buenos Aires Zakho 13,120 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Buenos Aires
Zakho

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 Zakho: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Buenos Aires and Zakho differ by about 117% in total monthly costs ($1,646 vs $759 including rent). Zakho is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 40% higher in Buenos Aires, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $750 in Buenos Aires versus $172 in Zakho. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $462 in Buenos Aires versus $313 in Zakho. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 64% higher in Buenos Aires. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $759 in Zakho versus $1,646 in Buenos Aires, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Zakho but tight or insufficient in Buenos Aires. The gap between the two cities makes Zakho 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 Zakho 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 Zakho gentler on the wallet – expenses run 117% less than in Buenos Aires. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.