Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreux and Buenos Aires

For one person, living is cheaper in Buenos Aires: $1,656 a month against $3,392 in Montreux, rent and utilities included – about $20,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Montreux
🇨🇭 Switzerland
$3,392
/mo nomad
Buenos Aires
🇦🇷 Argentina
$1,656
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,392 in Montreux versus $1,656 in Buenos Aires.

  • Montreux $3,392
  • Buenos Aires $1,656

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,203 in Montreux versus $2,697 in Buenos Aires.

  • Montreux $5,203
  • Buenos Aires $2,697

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,015 in Montreux versus $3,737 in Buenos Aires.

  • Montreux $7,015
  • Buenos Aires $3,737

Living in Montreux is roughly 105% more expensive than in Buenos Aires, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreux 151% above, Buenos Aires 23% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Montreux
Buenos Aires
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$30.50 CHF 25.12
$19.09 ARS 29.0K
59.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$132 CHF 109
$65.8 ARS 99.9K
100.79%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$18.41 CHF 15.16
$13.20 ARS 20.0K
39.47%
Cappuccino
$5.93 CHF 4.89
$3.85 ARS 5,841
54.03%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.86 CHF 4.00
$1.99 ARS 3,020
144.22%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.11 CHF 3.38
$1.60 ARS 2,430
156.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.83 CHF 8.10
$3.93 ARS 5,959
150.13%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.85 CHF 8.11
$4.61 ARS 7,003
113.67%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Montreux
Buenos Aires
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.12 CHF 1.75
$1.50 ARS 2,272
41.33%
White Bread (500g)
$3.35 CHF 2.76
$2.53 ARS 3,837
32.41%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.23 CHF 2.66
$1.61 ARS 2,445
100.62%
Eggs
$7.08 CHF 5.83
$2.84 ARS 4,316
149.30%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$24.74 CHF 20.37
$10.30 ARS 15.6K
140.19%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$28.15 CHF 23.19
$10.00 ARS 15.2K
181.50%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$39.23 CHF 32.31
$13.30 ARS 20.2K
194.96%
Apples (1kg)
$3.47 CHF 2.86
$2.88 ARS 4,366
20.49%
Banana (1kg)
$1.63 CHF 1.35
$2.20 ARS 3,334
-25.91%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.43 CHF 2.00
$1.40 ARS 2,120
73.57%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.62 CHF 3.81
$1.98 ARS 3,004
133.33%
Potato (1kg)
$1.79 CHF 1.47
$1.21 ARS 1,835
47.93%
Onion (1kg)
$1.92 CHF 1.58
$1.26 ARS 1,910
52.38%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.96 CHF 1.61
$1.71 ARS 2,592
14.62%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.72 CHF 1.42
$1.72 ARS 2,603
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.67 CHF 8.79
$4.29 ARS 6,505
148.72%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.98 CHF 9.87
$5.70 ARS 8,645
110.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.70 CHF 2.22
$2.17 ARS 3,288
24.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.16 CHF 2.60
$2.76 ARS 4,188
14.49%
🚌 Getting Around
Montreux
Buenos Aires
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.54 CHF 3.74
$0.75 ARS 1,141
505.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$101 CHF 82.8
$27.27 ARS 41.4K
268.68%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$7.52 CHF 6.20
$1.57 ARS 2,375
378.98%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.95 CHF 3.25
$1.03 ARS 1,558
283.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$62.4 CHF 51.4
$7.90 ARS 12.0K
689.62%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.30 CHF 1.89
$1.42 ARS 2,160
61.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.2K CHF 31.4K
$27.9K ARS 42.4M
36.57%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.8K CHF 32.0K
$35.0K ARS 53.1M
10.96%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreux
Buenos Aires
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$285 CHF 234
$195 ARS 296.2K
45.84%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$36.64 CHF 30.18
$25.16 ARS 38.2K
45.63%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$50.9 CHF 41.94
$31.54 ARS 47.9K
61.45%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Montreux
Buenos Aires
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$88.5 CHF 72.9
$50.9 ARS 77.3K
73.70%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$45.52 CHF 37.49
$16.73 ARS 25.4K
172.09%
Cinema Ticket
$23.83 CHF 19.63
$10.34 ARS 15.7K
130.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Montreux
Buenos Aires
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,416 CHF 1,990
$463 ARS 703.2K
421.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$35.8K CHF 29.5K
$8,793 ARS 13.3M
307.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Montreux
Buenos Aires
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$137 CHF 113
$120 ARS 181.8K
14.45%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$76.0 CHF 62.6
$95.5 ARS 144.9K
-20.44%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$163 CHF 134
$114 ARS 173.1K
42.59%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$185 CHF 152
$139 ARS 211.4K
32.53%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Montreux
Buenos Aires
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,673 CHF 1,378
$756 ARS 1.1M
121.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,440 CHF 1,186
$520 ARS 788.8K
177.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,879 CHF 2,371
$1,590 ARS 2.4M
81.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,458 CHF 2,025
$1,198 ARS 1.8M
105.17%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$15.6K CHF 12.9K
$2,713 ARS 4.1M
476.58%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$12.1K CHF 9,982
$1,901 ARS 2.9M
537.65%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Montreux
Buenos Aires
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$8,082 CHF 6,657
$938 ARS 1.4M
761.88%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
1.95
57.25
-96.59%

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

Last update for Montreux: October 11, 2026

Last update for Buenos Aires: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Montreux
$1.4K
Buenos Aires
$520 63.9% $920
Groceries & Markets
Montreux
$570
Buenos Aires
$283 50.3% $287
Eating Out
Montreux
$475
Buenos Aires
$282 40.7% $193
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreux
$372
Buenos Aires
$252 32.3% $120
Clothing & Footwear
Montreux
$252
Buenos Aires
$211 16.4% $41
Getting Around
Montreux
$146
Buenos Aires
$37 74.7% $109
Sport & Entertainment
Montreux
$136
Buenos Aires
$72 47.4% $65

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,673 in Montreux and $756 in Buenos Aires. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montreux pays 762% 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: $132 in Montreux vs $66.0 in Buenos Aires for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $570 vs $283 per month, with Buenos Aires cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇭 Montreux
🇦🇷 Buenos Aires
🕒 Local time
06:03 6:03 AM
01:03 1:03 AM
5 h behind Montreux
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
26,208
2,891,082 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

ARS, USD, EUR to CHF – Swiss Franc Converter

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.824 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.926 CHF (1 CHF = 1.08 EUR).

Argentine Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1,517 ARS (10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD). 1 EUR = 1,706 ARS (10,000 ARS = 5.86 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Montreux Buenos Aires 11,130 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Montreux
  • 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
Montreux vs Buenos Aires: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Montreux and in Buenos Aires?
Montreux and Buenos Aires differ by about 105% in total monthly costs ($3,392 vs $1,656 including rent). Buenos Aires is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Montreux or Buenos Aires?
Average pay runs 762% higher in Montreux, 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 Montreux and in Buenos Aires?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,673 in Montreux versus $756 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 Montreux and Buenos Aires?
Childcare runs $2,416 in Montreux 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 grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 101% higher in Montreux. 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 $1,656 in Buenos Aires versus $3,392 in Montreux, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Buenos Aires but tight or insufficient in Montreux. The gap between the two cities makes Buenos Aires the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Montreux 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 Montreux or Buenos Aires safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Montreux 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: Montreux or Buenos Aires?
Expats usually find Buenos Aires gentler on the wallet – expenses run 105% less than in Montreux. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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