Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Elmina and Buenos Aires

For one person, living is cheaper in Elmina: $668 a month against $1,656 in Buenos Aires, rent and utilities included – about $11,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Elmina
🇬🇭 Ghana
$668
/mo nomad
Buenos Aires
🇦🇷 Argentina
$1,656
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Elmina 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 Elmina and in Buenos Aires actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $668 in Elmina versus $1,656 in Buenos Aires.

  • Elmina $668
  • Buenos Aires $1,656

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,125 in Elmina versus $2,697 in Buenos Aires.

  • Elmina $1,125
  • Buenos Aires $2,697

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,582 in Elmina versus $3,737 in Buenos Aires.

  • Elmina $1,582
  • Buenos Aires $3,737

Living in Elmina costs roughly 60% less than in Buenos Aires, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

The two cities straddle the global median: Elmina is 51% below, Buenos Aires is 23% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Elmina
Buenos Aires
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.82 GHS 90.8
$19.09 ARS 28.9K
-59.04%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$50.8 GHS 590
$65.8 ARS 99.5K
-22.74%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.26 GHS 119
$13.20 ARS 20.0K
-22.27%
Cappuccino
$4.46 GHS 51.7
$3.85 ARS 5,821
15.84%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.53 GHS 17.80
$1.99 ARS 3,010
-23.12%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.44 GHS 5.11
$1.60 ARS 2,422
-72.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.81 GHS 20.98
$3.93 ARS 5,940
-53.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17 GHS 25.12
$4.61 ARS 6,979
-52.93%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Elmina
Buenos Aires
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.67 GHS 42.57
$1.50 ARS 2,264
144.67%
White Bread (500g)
$1.67 GHS 19.32
$2.53 ARS 3,825
-33.99%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.06 GHS 35.54
$1.61 ARS 2,437
90.06%
Eggs
$2.68 GHS 31.13
$2.84 ARS 4,302
-5.63%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.03 GHS 140
$10.30 ARS 15.6K
16.80%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.08 GHS 82.1
$10.00 ARS 15.1K
-29.20%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.62 GHS 112
$13.30 ARS 20.1K
-27.67%
Apples (1kg)
$3.61 GHS 41.82
$2.88 ARS 4,351
25.35%
Banana (1kg)
$1.40 GHS 16.28
$2.20 ARS 3,323
-36.36%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.77 GHS 20.53
$1.40 ARS 2,113
26.43%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.56 GHS 41.34
$1.98 ARS 2,994
79.80%
Potato (1kg)
$2.69 GHS 31.21
$1.21 ARS 1,829
122.31%
Onion (1kg)
$2.65 GHS 30.74
$1.26 ARS 1,904
110.32%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.72 GHS 8.32
$1.71 ARS 2,583
-57.89%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.60 GHS 7.01
$1.72 ARS 2,595
-65.12%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.51 GHS 29.12
$4.29 ARS 6,484
-41.49%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.06 GHS 81.9
$5.70 ARS 8,617
23.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.21 GHS 14.07
$2.17 ARS 3,277
-44.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.33 GHS 27.07
$2.76 ARS 4,174
-15.58%
🚌 Getting Around
Elmina
Buenos Aires
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.75 ARS 1,137
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$27.27 ARS 41.3K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.74 GHS 20.24
$1.57 ARS 2,367
10.83%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.26 GHS 14.61
$1.03 ARS 1,553
22.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.30 GHS 49.87
$7.90 ARS 11.9K
-45.57%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.34 GHS 15.54
$1.42 ARS 2,153
-5.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$7,913 GHS 91.8K
$27.9K ARS 42.3M
-71.69%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$9,662 GHS 112.1K
$35.0K ARS 52.9M
-72.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Elmina
Buenos Aires
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$73.7 GHS 855
$195 ARS 295.2K
-62.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.07 GHS 221
$25.16 ARS 38.0K
-24.21%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.25 GHS 490
$31.54 ARS 47.7K
33.96%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Elmina
Buenos Aires
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$50.9 ARS 77.0K
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.73 ARS 25.3K
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.66 GHS 147
$10.34 ARS 15.6K
22.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Elmina
Buenos Aires
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$470 GHS 5,450
$463 ARS 700.9K
1.39%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.6K GHS 216.0K
$8,793 ARS 13.3M
111.77%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Elmina
Buenos Aires
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$14.18 GHS 164
$120 ARS 181.2K
-88.17%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$18.59 GHS 216
$95.5 ARS 144.4K
-80.53%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$36.74 GHS 426
$114 ARS 172.6K
-67.80%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$52.0 GHS 603
$139 ARS 210.7K
-62.66%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Elmina
Buenos Aires
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$756 ARS 1.1M
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$520 ARS 786.2K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,590 ARS 2.4M
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,198 ARS 1.8M
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$2,713 ARS 4.1M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,901 ARS 2.9M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Elmina
Buenos Aires
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$938 ARS 1.4M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
26.75
57.25
-53.28%

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

Last update for Elmina: October 11, 2026

Last update for Buenos Aires: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Elmina
$276
Buenos Aires
$283 2.5% $6.9
Eating Out
Elmina
$168
Buenos Aires
$282 67.5% $114
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Elmina
$135
Buenos Aires
$252 86.6% $117
Clothing & Footwear
Elmina
$55
Buenos Aires
$211 286% $156
Sport & Entertainment
Elmina
$25 *
Buenos Aires
$72 183% $46
Getting Around
Elmina
$8 *
Buenos Aires
$37 360% $29
Accommodation & Living
Elmina
- *
Buenos Aires
$520

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $51.0 in Elmina vs $66.0 in Buenos Aires for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $283 per month, with Elmina cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇭 Elmina
🇦🇷 Buenos Aires
🕒 Local time
11:23 11:23 AM
08:23 8:23 AM
3 h behind Elmina
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
34,403
2,891,082 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

ARS, USD, EUR to GHS – Ghanaian Cedi Converter

Ghanaian Cedi exchange rates as of October 16, 2026: 1 USD = 11.6 GHS (100 GHS = 8.62 USD). 1 EUR = 13.01 GHS (100 GHS = 7.69 EUR).

Argentine Peso exchange rates as of October 16, 2026: 1 USD = 1,513 ARS (10,000 ARS = 6.61 USD). 1 EUR = 1,696 ARS (10,000 ARS = 5.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Elmina Buenos Aires 7,420 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Elmina
  • 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
Elmina vs Buenos Aires: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Elmina and in Buenos Aires?
Elmina and Buenos Aires differ by about 148% in total monthly costs ($668 vs $1,656 including rent). Elmina is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Elmina compared to Buenos Aires?
You'd need roughly $1,001 in Elmina and $2,484 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.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Elmina and Buenos Aires?
Childcare runs $470 in Elmina versus $463 in Buenos Aires. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Elmina – a meal for two runs $51.0 versus $66.0 in Buenos Aires. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $668 in Elmina versus $1,656 in Buenos Aires, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Elmina but tight or insufficient in Buenos Aires. The gap between the two cities makes Elmina the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Elmina and Buenos Aires?
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 Elmina or Buenos Aires safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Elmina 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.
Where should expats move: Elmina or Buenos Aires?
Expats usually find Elmina gentler on the wallet – expenses run 148% less than in Buenos Aires. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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