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: $953 in El Calafate versus $1,412 in Buenos Aires.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,554 in El Calafate versus $2,197 in Buenos Aires.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,156 in El Calafate versus $2,982 in Buenos Aires.

Living in El Calafate costs roughly 33% less than in Buenos Aires, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: El Calafate is 29% below, Buenos Aires is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.44 ARS 14.9K

$15.09 ARS 21.5K

-30.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.71 ARS 48.1K

$60.7 ARS 86.6K

-44.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.11 ARS 13.0K

$11.89 ARS 17.0K

-23.38%

Cappuccino

$2.74 ARS 3,915

$4.01 ARS 5,720

-31.67%

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

$1.71 ARS 2,441

$2.09 ARS 2,976

-18.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 ARS 2,191

$1.48 ARS 2,115

4.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ARS 3,071

$3.58 ARS 5,111

-39.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ARS 4,203

$4.08 ARS 5,816

-27.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 ARS 1,783

$1.60 ARS 2,276

-21.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ARS 2,322

$2.53 ARS 3,603

-35.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 ARS 2,922

$2.28 ARS 3,259

-10.09%

Eggs

$2.27 ARS 3,237

$3.32 ARS 4,739

-31.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.21 ARS 14.6K

$12.15 ARS 17.3K

-15.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.09 ARS 8,690

$7.85 ARS 11.2K

-22.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.39 ARS 13.4K

$9.66 ARS 13.8K

-2.80%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ARS 2,805

$2.49 ARS 3,548

-20.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 ARS 2,975

$2.06 ARS 2,938

1.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 ARS 1,867

$1.27 ARS 1,805

3.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.62 ARS 3,730

$2.55 ARS 3,631

2.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 ARS 1,681

$1.49 ARS 2,126

-20.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 ARS 1,774

$1.47 ARS 2,094

-15.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 ARS 1,874

$1.84 ARS 2,628

-28.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 ARS 2,063

$1.44 ARS 2,059

0.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.08 ARS 4,393

$3.27 ARS 4,671

-5.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.14 ARS 7,335

$5.75 ARS 8,199

-10.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 ARS 2,957

$2.24 ARS 3,202

-7.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 ARS 4,527

$3.20 ARS 4,565

-0.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 ARS 1,114

$0.72 ARS 1,026

8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.12 ARS 23.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 ARS 2,198

$1.65 ARS 2,347

-6.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.88 ARS 1,250

$0.91 ARS 1,294

-3.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 ARS 8,781

$5.93 ARS 8,461

3.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ARS 1,555

$1.11 ARS 1,584

-1.80%

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

$27.6K ARS 39.3M

$24.6K ARS 35.0M

12.25%

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

$30.9K ARS 44.0M

$28.8K ARS 41.1M

7.11%

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

$67.7 ARS 96.5K

$109 ARS 155.6K

-37.96%

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

$17.29 ARS 24.7K

$21.60 ARS 30.8K

-19.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.23 ARS 31.7K

$29.00 ARS 41.4K

-23.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.54 ARS 37.9K

$42.80 ARS 61.1K

-37.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.72 ARS 19.6K

$11.76 ARS 16.8K

16.67%

Cinema Ticket

$6.08 ARS 8,672

$9.01 ARS 12.9K

-32.52%

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

$217 ARS 309.9K

$324 ARS 462.1K

-32.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,719 ARS 3.9M

$5,180 ARS 7.4M

-47.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.1 ARS 107.2K

$109 ARS 154.9K

-30.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.6 ARS 100.7K

$86.8 ARS 123.8K

-18.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ARS 161.6K

$124 ARS 176.4K

-8.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ARS 158.9K

$133 ARS 189.3K

-16.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$336 ARS 478.6K

$658 ARS 939.0K

-49.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ARS 339.2K

$447 ARS 638.3K

-46.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$686 ARS 979.2K

$1,155 ARS 1.6M

-40.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$538 ARS 767.9K

$811 ARS 1.2M

-33.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,864 ARS 2.7M

$2,627 ARS 3.7M

-29.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,588 ARS 2.3M

$1,830 ARS 2.6M

-13.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$820 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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Buenos Aires: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $336 in El Calafate and $658 in Buenos Aires. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $34.00 in El Calafate vs $61.0 in Buenos Aires for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $272 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 48% in total monthly costs ($953 vs $1,412 including rent). El Calafate is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,429 in El Calafate and $2,119 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: $336 in El Calafate versus $658 in Buenos Aires. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $217 in El Calafate versus $324 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 $34.00 versus $61.0 in Buenos Aires. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $953 in El Calafate versus $1,412 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 48% less than in Buenos Aires. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.