Cost of Living Comparison Between La Plata and Buenos Aires Cost of Living Comparison Between La Plata and Buenos Aires

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $886 in La Plata versus $1,393 in Buenos Aires.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,486 in La Plata versus $2,191 in Buenos Aires.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,086 in La Plata versus $2,988 in Buenos Aires.

Living in La Plata costs roughly 36% less than in Buenos Aires, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: La Plata is 34% below, Buenos Aires is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.18 ARS 18.0K

$14.82 ARS 21.9K

-17.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.25 ARS 41.7K

$60.1 ARS 88.8K

-52.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.13 ARS 7,586

$11.97 ARS 17.7K

-57.14%

Cappuccino

$3.04 ARS 4,494

$3.99 ARS 5,898

-23.81%

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

$0.71 ARS 1,054

$2.17 ARS 3,207

-67.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 ARS 1,061

$1.47 ARS 2,169

-51.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 ARS 1,447

$3.68 ARS 5,440

-73.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 ARS 5,834

$3.90 ARS 5,761

1.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 ARS 1,734

$1.60 ARS 2,371

-26.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 ARS 2,426

$2.53 ARS 3,738

-35.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ARS 2,287

$2.22 ARS 3,279

-30.18%

Eggs

$2.29 ARS 3,378

$3.17 ARS 4,683

-27.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.71 ARS 11.4K

$12.03 ARS 17.8K

-35.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.81 ARS 8,589

$7.84 ARS 11.6K

-25.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.17 ARS 12.1K

$9.25 ARS 13.7K

-11.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.55 ARS 3,763

$2.45 ARS 3,624

4.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 ARS 2,802

$2.04 ARS 3,012

-6.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.10 ARS 1,626

$1.31 ARS 1,932

-16.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 ARS 3,892

$2.53 ARS 3,745

3.95%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 ARS 1,083

$1.45 ARS 2,150

-49.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ARS 1,635

$1.48 ARS 2,191

-25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 ARS 2,637

$1.79 ARS 2,643

-0.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 ARS 1,908

$1.45 ARS 2,141

-11.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.05 ARS 4,504

$3.18 ARS 4,697

-4.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.89 ARS 7,229

$5.83 ARS 8,622

-16.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 ARS 3,242

$2.22 ARS 3,277

-1.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 ARS 4,470

$3.07 ARS 4,535

-1.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 ARS 479

$0.67 ARS 988

-52.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.26 ARS 24.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 ARS 2,226

$1.58 ARS 2,333

-4.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 ARS 1,341

$0.86 ARS 1,267

5.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.03 ARS 8,908

$5.97 ARS 8,826

1.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 ARS 1,386

$1.12 ARS 1,653

-16.07%

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

$25.1K ARS 37.1M

$24.8K ARS 36.6M

1.40%

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

$29.0K ARS 42.8M

$29.2K ARS 43.2M

-0.95%

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

$35.35 ARS 52.2K

$109 ARS 161.0K

-67.55%

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

$16.51 ARS 24.4K

$21.47 ARS 31.7K

-23.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.18 ARS 34.3K

$28.58 ARS 42.2K

-18.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.41 ARS 33.1K

$41.73 ARS 61.7K

-46.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.87 ARS 20.5K

$11.77 ARS 17.4K

17.84%

Cinema Ticket

$6.94 ARS 10.3K

$9.25 ARS 13.7K

-24.97%

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

$324 ARS 479.5K

$325 ARS 479.6K

-0.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,133 ARS 7.6M

$5,275 ARS 7.8M

-2.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.0 ARS 137.4K

$112 ARS 165.0K

-16.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$84.4 ARS 124.8K

$85.9 ARS 127.0K

-1.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 ARS 178.9K

$123 ARS 181.5K

-1.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 ARS 192.6K

$129 ARS 190.6K

1.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$296 ARS 437.6K

$657 ARS 970.6K

-54.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 ARS 274.5K

$448 ARS 661.6K

-58.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$647 ARS 956.9K

$1,150 ARS 1.7M

-43.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ARS 763.6K

$814 ARS 1.2M

-36.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,968 ARS 2.9M

$2,577 ARS 3.8M

-23.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,468 ARS 2.2M

$1,844 ARS 2.7M

-20.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 ARS 995.0K

$842 ARS 1.2M

-20.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

52.71

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

Last update for La Plata: July 13, 2026

Last update for Buenos Aires: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $296 in La Plata and $657 in Buenos Aires. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buenos Aires pays 25% 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: $28.00 in La Plata vs $60.0 in Buenos Aires for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $216 vs $269 per month, with La Plata 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

La Plata vs Buenos Aires: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

La Plata and Buenos Aires differ by about 57% in total monthly costs ($886 vs $1,393 including rent). La Plata is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 25% lower in Buenos Aires. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $296 in La Plata versus $657 in Buenos Aires. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $324 in La Plata 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 La Plata – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $60.0 in Buenos Aires. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $886 in La Plata versus $1,393 in Buenos Aires, a $2,000 budget is realistic in La Plata but tight or insufficient in Buenos Aires. The gap between the two cities makes La Plata 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, La Plata 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 La Plata gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Buenos Aires. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.