Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Lee, NJ and Buenos Aires

For one person, living is cheaper in Buenos Aires: $1,685 a month against $3,937 in Fort Lee, NJ, rent and utilities included – about $27,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Fort Lee, NJ
🇺🇸 United States
$3,937
/mo nomad
Buenos Aires
🇦🇷 Argentina
$1,685
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,937 in Fort Lee, NJ versus $1,685 in Buenos Aires.

  • Fort Lee, NJ $3,937
  • Buenos Aires $1,685

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,241 in Fort Lee, NJ versus $2,742 in Buenos Aires.

  • Fort Lee, NJ $6,241
  • Buenos Aires $2,742

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,546 in Fort Lee, NJ versus $3,799 in Buenos Aires.

  • Fort Lee, NJ $8,546
  • Buenos Aires $3,799

Living in Fort Lee, NJ is roughly 134% more expensive than in Buenos Aires, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fort Lee, NJ 194% above, Buenos Aires 26% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Fort Lee, NJ
Buenos Aires
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.14 $25.14
$18.73 ARS 28.4K
34.22%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$82.1 $82.1
$64.5 ARS 97.8K
27.37%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.02 $11.02
$12.88 ARS 19.5K
-14.44%
Cappuccino
$5.48 $5.48
$3.98 ARS 6,029
37.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.23 $2.23
$2.05 ARS 3,103
8.78%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.60 $1.60
$1.55 ARS 2,349
3.23%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.15 $8.15
$3.84 ARS 5,830
112.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.09 $8.09
$4.60 ARS 6,970
75.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Fort Lee, NJ
Buenos Aires
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.33 $1.33
$1.44 ARS 2,181
-7.64%
White Bread (500g)
$3.76 $3.76
$2.46 ARS 3,738
52.85%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$6.66 $6.66
$1.63 ARS 2,467
308.59%
Eggs
$4.79 $4.79
$2.89 ARS 4,385
65.74%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.36 $12.36
$10.65 ARS 16.1K
16.06%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.82 $11.82
$10.00 ARS 15.2K
18.20%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.34 $17.34
$13.74 ARS 20.8K
26.20%
Apples (1kg)
$5.43 $5.43
$2.75 ARS 4,166
97.45%
Banana (1kg)
$1.80 $1.80
$2.18 ARS 3,300
-17.43%
Oranges (1kg)
$6.48 $6.48
$1.45 ARS 2,205
346.90%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.35 $5.35
$1.99 ARS 3,013
168.84%
Potato (1kg)
$3.97 $3.97
$1.24 ARS 1,885
220.16%
Onion (1kg)
$3.90 $3.90
$1.27 ARS 1,921
207.09%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.87 $2.87
$1.70 ARS 2,575
68.82%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.82 $2.82
$1.73 ARS 2,617
63.01%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.60 $11.60
$4.18 ARS 6,337
177.51%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.84 $11.84
$5.80 ARS 8,790
104.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.75 $1.75
$2.09 ARS 3,163
-16.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99 $1.99
$2.77 ARS 4,198
-28.16%
🚌 Getting Around
Fort Lee, NJ
Buenos Aires
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.76 $2.76
$0.75 ARS 1,132
268.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$139 $139
$27.15 ARS 41.2K
410.53%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.95 $2.95
$1.62 ARS 2,451
82.10%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.08 $2.08
$0.98 ARS 1,481
112.24%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$23.65 $23.65
$7.72 ARS 11.7K
206.35%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.87 $0.87
$1.36 ARS 2,058
-36.03%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.9K $31.9K
$28.0K ARS 42.5M
13.96%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.8K $25.8K
$34.5K ARS 52.4M
-25.38%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Fort Lee, NJ
Buenos Aires
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$214 $214
$216 ARS 326.9K
-0.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$74.4 $74.4
$25.61 ARS 38.8K
190.39%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$65.4 $65.4
$31.36 ARS 47.6K
108.61%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Fort Lee, NJ
Buenos Aires
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$125 $125
$49.82 ARS 75.6K
150.38%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.06 ARS 25.9K
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.61 $14.61
$10.43 ARS 15.8K
40.08%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Fort Lee, NJ
Buenos Aires
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,983 $1,983
$466 ARS 706.7K
325.44%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$24.1K $24.1K
$9,057 ARS 13.7M
166.33%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Fort Lee, NJ
Buenos Aires
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$41.22 $41.22
$122 ARS 185.2K
-66.24%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$56.5 $56.5
$97.4 ARS 147.8K
-41.97%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.4 $77.4
$117 ARS 177.4K
-33.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.5 $85.5
$140 ARS 211.9K
-38.81%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Fort Lee, NJ
Buenos Aires
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,933 $2,933
$763 ARS 1.2M
284.21%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,298 $2,298
$505 ARS 766.1K
354.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$6,476 $6,476
$1,598 ARS 2.4M
305.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$4,974 $4,974
$1,185 ARS 1.8M
319.81%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,302 $4,302
$2,678 ARS 4.1M
60.61%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,810 $3,810
$1,858 ARS 2.8M
105.06%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Fort Lee, NJ
Buenos Aires
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$6,520 $6,520
$954 ARS 1.4M
583.09%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.75
57.25
-88.21%

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

Last update for Fort Lee, NJ: October 3, 2026

Last update for Buenos Aires: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Fort Lee, NJ
$2.3K
Buenos Aires
$505 78% $1.8K
Groceries & Markets
Fort Lee, NJ
$437
Buenos Aires
$284 35% $153
Eating Out
Fort Lee, NJ
$372
Buenos Aires
$279 25.1% $93
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Fort Lee, NJ
$354
Buenos Aires
$273 22.9% $81
Getting Around
Fort Lee, NJ
$163
Buenos Aires
$37 77.5% $126
Sport & Entertainment
Fort Lee, NJ
$154
Buenos Aires
$71 54.1% $83
Clothing & Footwear
Fort Lee, NJ
$117
Buenos Aires
$214 82.7% $97

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,933 in Fort Lee, NJ and $763 in Buenos Aires. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort Lee, NJ pays 583% 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: $82.0 in Fort Lee, NJ vs $64.0 in Buenos Aires for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $437 vs $284 per month, with Buenos Aires cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Fort Lee, NJ
🇦🇷 Buenos Aires
🕒 Local time
21:43 9:43 PM
22:43 10:43 PM
1 h ahead of Fort Lee, NJ
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
37,008
2,891,082 Capital
Exchange rates and currency converter

ARS, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 11, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Argentine Peso exchange rates as of October 11, 2026: 1 USD = 1,517 ARS (10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD). 1 EUR = 1,699 ARS (10,000 ARS = 5.88 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Fort Lee, NJ Buenos Aires 8,540 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Fort Lee, NJ
  • 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
Fort Lee, NJ vs Buenos Aires: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Fort Lee, NJ and in Buenos Aires?
Fort Lee, NJ and Buenos Aires differ by about 134% in total monthly costs ($3,937 vs $1,685 including rent). Buenos Aires is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Fort Lee, NJ or Buenos Aires?
Average pay runs 583% higher in Fort Lee, NJ, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Fort Lee, NJ and in Buenos Aires?
Rent for a central apartment: $2,933 in Fort Lee, NJ versus $763 in Buenos Aires. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Fort Lee, NJ and Buenos Aires?
Childcare runs $1,983 in Fort Lee, NJ versus $466 in Buenos Aires. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 54% higher in Fort Lee, NJ. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $1,685 in Buenos Aires versus $3,937 in Fort Lee, NJ, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Buenos Aires but tight or insufficient in Fort Lee, NJ. The gap between the two cities makes Buenos Aires the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Fort Lee, NJ 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 Fort Lee, NJ or Buenos Aires safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Fort Lee, NJ 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: Fort Lee, NJ or Buenos Aires?
Expats usually find Buenos Aires gentler on the wallet – expenses run 134% less than in Fort Lee, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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