Cost of Living Comparison Between San Isidro and Buenos Aires Cost of Living Comparison Between San Isidro and Buenos Aires

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $888 in San Isidro versus $1,393 in Buenos Aires.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,460 in San Isidro versus $2,191 in Buenos Aires.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,033 in San Isidro versus $2,988 in Buenos Aires.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.82 ARS 13.0K

$14.82 ARS 21.9K

-40.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.44 ARS 43.5K

$60.1 ARS 88.8K

-51.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.82 ARS 13.0K

$11.97 ARS 17.7K

-26.32%

Cappuccino

$1.63 ARS 2,402

$3.99 ARS 5,898

-59.15%

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

$1.26 ARS 1,865

$2.17 ARS 3,207

-41.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 ARS 1,740

$1.47 ARS 2,169

-19.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.20 ARS 1,771

$3.68 ARS 5,440

-67.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 ARS 4,126

$3.90 ARS 5,761

-28.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 ARS 1,868

$1.60 ARS 2,371

-21.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ARS 2,404

$2.53 ARS 3,738

-35.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 ARS 2,635

$2.22 ARS 3,279

-19.82%

Eggs

$2.23 ARS 3,292

$3.17 ARS 4,683

-29.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.18 ARS 18.0K

$12.03 ARS 17.8K

1.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.83 ARS 8,617

$7.84 ARS 11.6K

-25.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.58 ARS 14.2K

$9.25 ARS 13.7K

3.57%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 ARS 2,775

$2.45 ARS 3,624

-23.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 ARS 2,968

$2.04 ARS 3,012

-1.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 ARS 1,355

$1.31 ARS 1,932

-29.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 ARS 3,710

$2.53 ARS 3,745

-0.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 ARS 2,134

$1.45 ARS 2,150

-0.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 ARS 2,024

$1.48 ARS 2,191

-7.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 ARS 1,304

$1.79 ARS 2,643

-50.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 ARS 2,105

$1.45 ARS 2,141

-2.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.15 ARS 4,659

$3.18 ARS 4,697

-0.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.78 ARS 7,060

$5.83 ARS 8,622

-18.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 ARS 1,858

$2.22 ARS 3,277

-43.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 ARS 4,671

$3.07 ARS 4,535

2.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 ARS 1,206

$0.67 ARS 988

22.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.26 ARS 24.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 ARS 2,345

$1.58 ARS 2,333

0.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ARS 1,367

$0.86 ARS 1,267

6.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 ARS 9,107

$5.97 ARS 8,826

3.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 ARS 1,588

$1.12 ARS 1,653

-4.46%

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

$24.0K ARS 35.5M

$24.8K ARS 36.6M

-3.11%

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

$26.2K ARS 38.7M

$29.2K ARS 43.2M

-10.43%

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

$54.8 ARS 81.0K

$109 ARS 161.0K

-49.69%

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

$18.16 ARS 26.8K

$21.47 ARS 31.7K

-15.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.69 ARS 21.7K

$28.58 ARS 42.2K

-48.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.07 ARS 38.5K

$41.73 ARS 61.7K

-37.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.55 ARS 20.0K

$11.77 ARS 17.4K

15.12%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 ARS 7,180

$9.25 ARS 13.7K

-47.46%

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

$322 ARS 475.4K

$325 ARS 479.6K

-0.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,079 ARS 1.6M

$5,275 ARS 7.8M

-79.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.4 ARS 120.3K

$112 ARS 165.0K

-27.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.2 ARS 103.7K

$85.9 ARS 127.0K

-18.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 ARS 158.8K

$123 ARS 181.5K

-12.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 ARS 137.6K

$129 ARS 190.6K

-27.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$331 ARS 488.9K

$657 ARS 970.6K

-49.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ARS 354.1K

$448 ARS 661.6K

-46.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$686 ARS 1.0M

$1,150 ARS 1.7M

-40.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$528 ARS 779.8K

$814 ARS 1.2M

-35.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,320 ARS 3.4M

$2,577 ARS 3.8M

-9.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,567 ARS 2.3M

$1,844 ARS 2.7M

-15.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ARS 871.4K

$842 ARS 1.2M

-29.94%

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 San Isidro: July 13, 2026

Last update for Buenos Aires: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $331 in San Isidro and $657 in Buenos Aires. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buenos Aires pays 43% 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: $29.00 in San Isidro vs $60.0 in Buenos Aires for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $227 vs $269 per month, with San Isidro 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

San Isidro vs Buenos Aires: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Isidro and Buenos Aires differ by about 57% in total monthly costs ($888 vs $1,393 including rent). San Isidro is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 43% 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: $331 in San Isidro versus $657 in Buenos Aires. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $322 in San Isidro 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 San Isidro – a meal for two runs $29.00 versus $60.0 in Buenos Aires. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $888 in San Isidro versus $1,393 in Buenos Aires, a $2,000 budget is realistic in San Isidro but tight or insufficient in Buenos Aires. The gap between the two cities makes San Isidro 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, San Isidro 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 San Isidro 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.