Cost of Living Comparison Between El Calafate and Buenos Aires Cost of Living Comparison Between El Calafate and Buenos Aires

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $955 in El Calafate versus $1,393 in Buenos Aires.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,592 in El Calafate versus $2,191 in Buenos Aires.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,228 in El Calafate versus $2,988 in Buenos Aires.

Living in El Calafate costs roughly 31% less than in Buenos Aires, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: El Calafate is 28% below, Buenos Aires is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.37 ARS 15.3K

$14.82 ARS 21.9K

-30.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.18 ARS 49.0K

$60.1 ARS 88.8K

-44.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ARS 13.6K

$11.97 ARS 17.7K

-22.97%

Cappuccino

$2.76 ARS 4,085

$3.99 ARS 5,898

-30.83%

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

$1.72 ARS 2,547

$2.17 ARS 3,207

-20.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 ARS 2,296

$1.47 ARS 2,169

5.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ARS 3,173

$3.68 ARS 5,440

-41.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 ARS 4,454

$3.90 ARS 5,761

-22.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 ARS 1,874

$1.60 ARS 2,371

-20.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ARS 2,319

$2.53 ARS 3,738

-37.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 ARS 2,980

$2.22 ARS 3,279

-9.01%

Eggs

$2.19 ARS 3,235

$3.17 ARS 4,683

-30.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 ARS 15.1K

$12.03 ARS 17.8K

-15.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 ARS 9,148

$7.84 ARS 11.6K

-21.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ARS 13.8K

$9.25 ARS 13.7K

1.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 ARS 2,957

$2.45 ARS 3,624

-18.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 ARS 3,193

$2.04 ARS 3,012

5.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 ARS 1,929

$1.31 ARS 1,932

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 ARS 3,753

$2.53 ARS 3,745

0.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 ARS 1,697

$1.45 ARS 2,150

-20.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ARS 1,753

$1.48 ARS 2,191

-19.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 ARS 1,958

$1.79 ARS 2,643

-26.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 ARS 2,203

$1.45 ARS 2,141

2.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.15 ARS 4,662

$3.18 ARS 4,697

-0.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.11 ARS 7,549

$5.83 ARS 8,622

-12.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 ARS 2,924

$2.22 ARS 3,277

-10.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 ARS 4,466

$3.07 ARS 4,535

-1.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 ARS 1,129

$0.67 ARS 988

13.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.26 ARS 24.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 ARS 2,170

$1.58 ARS 2,333

-6.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.87 ARS 1,281

$0.86 ARS 1,267

1.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.02 ARS 8,894

$5.97 ARS 8,826

0.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 ARS 1,566

$1.12 ARS 1,653

-5.36%

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

$27.9K ARS 41.2M

$24.8K ARS 36.6M

12.47%

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

$30.5K ARS 45.1M

$29.2K ARS 43.2M

4.45%

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

$66.0 ARS 97.5K

$109 ARS 161.0K

-39.45%

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

$17.47 ARS 25.8K

$21.47 ARS 31.7K

-18.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.11 ARS 32.7K

$28.58 ARS 42.2K

-22.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.57 ARS 39.3K

$41.73 ARS 61.7K

-36.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.87 ARS 20.5K

$11.77 ARS 17.4K

17.84%

Cinema Ticket

$6.22 ARS 9,195

$9.25 ARS 13.7K

-32.76%

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

$216 ARS 319.0K

$325 ARS 479.6K

-33.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,690 ARS 4.0M

$5,275 ARS 7.8M

-49.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.5 ARS 108.6K

$112 ARS 165.0K

-34.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.4 ARS 102.6K

$85.9 ARS 127.0K

-19.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 ARS 167.9K

$123 ARS 181.5K

-7.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 ARS 163.0K

$129 ARS 190.6K

-14.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$340 ARS 502.4K

$657 ARS 970.6K

-48.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$236 ARS 348.8K

$448 ARS 661.6K

-47.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$694 ARS 1.0M

$1,150 ARS 1.7M

-39.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$533 ARS 787.1K

$814 ARS 1.2M

-34.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,872 ARS 2.8M

$2,577 ARS 3.8M

-27.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,594 ARS 2.4M

$1,844 ARS 2.7M

-13.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$842 ARS 1.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

58.5

52.71

10.98%

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

Last update for El Calafate: July 14, 2026

Last update for Buenos Aires: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $340 in El Calafate and $657 in Buenos Aires. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in El Calafate vs $60.0 in Buenos Aires for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $231 vs $269 per month, with El Calafate 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

El Calafate vs Buenos Aires: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

El Calafate and Buenos Aires differ by about 46% in total monthly costs ($955 vs $1,393 including rent). El Calafate is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,433 in El Calafate and $2,090 in Buenos Aires 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: $340 in El Calafate versus $657 in Buenos Aires. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $216 in El Calafate versus $325 in Buenos Aires. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in El Calafate – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $60.0 in Buenos Aires. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $955 in El Calafate versus $1,393 in Buenos Aires, a $2,000 budget is realistic in El Calafate but tight or insufficient in Buenos Aires. The gap between the two cities makes El Calafate 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, El Calafate 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 El Calafate gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Buenos Aires. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.