Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Des Plaines, IL and Buenos Aires

For one person, living is cheaper in Buenos Aires: $1,685 a month against $3,073 in Des Plaines, IL, rent and utilities included – about $16,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

146

Cost of Living Index in Des Plaines, IL
Learn more

Des Plaines, IL Living Index
81

Cost of Living Index in Buenos Aires
Learn more

Buenos Aires Living Index

Jump to prices

Des Plaines, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,073

/mo nomad

Buenos Aires

🇦🇷 Argentina

$1,685

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Des Plaines, IL and in Buenos Aires

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Des Plaines, IL and in Buenos Aires actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,073 in Des Plaines, IL versus $1,685 in Buenos Aires.

Des Plaines, IL $3,073
Buenos Aires $1,685

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,412 in Des Plaines, IL versus $2,742 in Buenos Aires.

Des Plaines, IL $4,412
Buenos Aires $2,742

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,750 in Des Plaines, IL versus $3,799 in Buenos Aires.

Des Plaines, IL $5,750
Buenos Aires $3,799

Living in Des Plaines, IL is roughly 82% more expensive than in Buenos Aires, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Des Plaines, IL 129% above, Buenos Aires 26% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.88 $20.88

$18.73 ARS 28.4K

11.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.5 $89.5

$64.5 ARS 97.8K

38.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.87 $12.87

$12.88 ARS 19.5K

-0.08%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$3.98 ARS 6,029

41.96%

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

$2.59 $2.59

$2.05 ARS 3,103

26.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 $2.32

$1.55 ARS 2,349

49.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.95 $6.95

$3.84 ARS 5,830

80.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.02 $8.02

$4.60 ARS 6,970

74.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.44 ARS 2,181

-34.03%

White Bread (500g)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.46 ARS 3,738

41.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.23 $4.23

$1.63 ARS 2,467

159.51%

Eggs

$4.16 $4.16

$2.89 ARS 4,385

43.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.67 $14.67

$10.65 ARS 16.1K

37.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.02 $13.02

$10.00 ARS 15.2K

30.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.95 $18.95

$13.74 ARS 20.8K

37.92%

Apples (1kg)

$4.75 $4.75

$2.75 ARS 4,166

72.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 $1.63

$2.18 ARS 3,300

-25.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.16 $4.16

$1.45 ARS 2,205

186.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.82 $4.82

$1.99 ARS 3,013

142.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$1.24 ARS 1,885

114.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$1.27 ARS 1,921

115.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.70 ARS 2,575

26.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 $2.41

$1.73 ARS 2,617

39.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.65 $10.65

$4.18 ARS 6,337

154.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.86 $14.86

$5.80 ARS 8,790

156.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.09 ARS 3,163

22.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 $3.53

$2.77 ARS 4,198

27.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.75 ARS 1,132

169.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.8 $60.8

$27.15 ARS 41.2K

123.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.62 ARS 2,451

95.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 $1.37

$0.98 ARS 1,481

39.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.93 $24.93

$7.72 ARS 11.7K

222.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.36 ARS 2,058

-22.79%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$28.0K ARS 42.5M

28.25%

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

$24.8K $24.8K

$34.5K ARS 52.4M

-28.10%

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

$195 $195

$216 ARS 326.9K

-9.57%

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

$60.5 $60.5

$25.61 ARS 38.8K

136.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.2 $77.2

$31.36 ARS 47.6K

146.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$125 $125

$49.82 ARS 75.6K

150.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.72 $40.72

$17.06 ARS 25.9K

138.69%

Cinema Ticket

$15.16 $15.16

$10.43 ARS 15.8K

45.35%

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

$1,545 $1,545

$466 ARS 706.7K

231.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K $23.5K

$9,057 ARS 13.7M

159.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.3 $65.3

$122 ARS 185.2K

-46.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.0 $51.0

$97.4 ARS 147.8K

-47.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$117 ARS 177.4K

-13.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 $123

$140 ARS 211.9K

-12.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,093 $2,093

$763 ARS 1.2M

174.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,521 $1,521

$505 ARS 766.1K

201.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,861 $3,861

$1,598 ARS 2.4M

141.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,536 $2,536

$1,185 ARS 1.8M

114.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,174 $3,174

$2,678 ARS 4.1M

18.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,521 $2,521

$1,858 ARS 2.8M

35.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,220 $6,220

$954 ARS 1.4M

551.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.77

57.25

-88.17%

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

Last update for Des Plaines, IL: October 4, 2026

Last update for Buenos Aires: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Des Plaines, IL

$1.5K 50.6%

Buenos Aires

$505 30.4% 66.8% $1K

Groceries & Markets

Des Plaines, IL

$419 14%

Buenos Aires

$284 17.1% 32.2% $135

Eating Out

Des Plaines, IL

$344 11.5%

Buenos Aires

$279 16.8% 18.9% $65

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Des Plaines, IL

$333 11.1%

Buenos Aires

$273 16.4% 18.1% $60

Sport & Entertainment

Des Plaines, IL

$155 5.2%

Buenos Aires

$71 4.3% 54.4% $84

Clothing & Footwear

Des Plaines, IL

$153 5.1%

Buenos Aires

$214 12.9% 40.3% $62

Getting Around

Des Plaines, IL

$79 2.6%

Buenos Aires

$37 2.2% 53.6% $42

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,093 in Des Plaines, IL and $763 in Buenos Aires. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Des Plaines, IL pays 552% 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: $89.0 in Des Plaines, IL vs $64.0 in Buenos Aires for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $419 vs $284 per month, with Buenos Aires cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Des Plaines, IL

🇦🇷 Buenos Aires

🕒 Local time

18:03 6:03 PM

20:03 8:03 PM

2 h ahead of Des Plaines, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

60,675

2,891,082 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Argentine Peso ARS $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD

10,000 ARS = 5.88 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ARS, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇦🇷 Argentine Peso ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Argentine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1,517 ARS (10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD). 1 EUR = 1,699 ARS (10,000 ARS = 5.88 EUR).

ARS to USD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Des Plaines, IL Buenos Aires 9,040 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Des Plaines, IL
Buenos Aires

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

Des Plaines, IL vs Buenos Aires: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Des Plaines, IL and Buenos Aires differ by about 82% in total monthly costs ($3,073 vs $1,685 including rent). Buenos Aires is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 552% higher in Des Plaines, IL, 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: $2,093 in Des Plaines, IL versus $763 in Buenos Aires. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,545 in Des Plaines, IL versus $466 in Buenos Aires. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 47% higher in Des Plaines, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,685 in Buenos Aires versus $3,073 in Des Plaines, IL, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Buenos Aires but tight or insufficient in Des Plaines, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Buenos Aires 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, Des Plaines, IL and Buenos Aires 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 Buenos Aires gentler on the wallet – expenses run 82% less than in Des Plaines, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.