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: $906 in San Isidro versus $1,412 in Buenos Aires.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,485 in San Isidro versus $2,197 in Buenos Aires.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,063 in San Isidro versus $2,982 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 32% below, Buenos Aires is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.94 ARS 12.8K

$15.09 ARS 21.5K

-40.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.59 ARS 43.6K

$60.7 ARS 86.6K

-49.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.15 ARS 13.1K

$11.89 ARS 17.0K

-23.04%

Cappuccino

$1.69 ARS 2,409

$4.01 ARS 5,720

-57.86%

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

$1.34 ARS 1,906

$2.09 ARS 2,976

-35.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 ARS 1,684

$1.48 ARS 2,115

-20.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.21 ARS 1,725

$3.58 ARS 5,111

-66.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ARS 4,029

$4.08 ARS 5,816

-30.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 ARS 1,758

$1.60 ARS 2,276

-23.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ARS 2,331

$2.53 ARS 3,603

-35.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 ARS 2,616

$2.28 ARS 3,259

-19.74%

Eggs

$2.18 ARS 3,106

$3.32 ARS 4,739

-34.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.99 ARS 17.1K

$12.15 ARS 17.3K

-1.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.94 ARS 8,473

$7.85 ARS 11.2K

-24.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.51 ARS 13.6K

$9.66 ARS 13.8K

-1.55%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 ARS 2,575

$2.49 ARS 3,548

-27.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 ARS 2,921

$2.06 ARS 2,938

-0.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 ARS 1,306

$1.27 ARS 1,805

-27.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 ARS 3,749

$2.55 ARS 3,631

3.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 ARS 2,115

$1.49 ARS 2,126

-0.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 ARS 2,060

$1.47 ARS 2,094

-2.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 ARS 1,246

$1.84 ARS 2,628

-52.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 ARS 2,064

$1.44 ARS 2,059

0.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.27 ARS 4,669

$3.27 ARS 4,671

Wine (Bottle)

$4.64 ARS 6,623

$5.75 ARS 8,199

-19.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 ARS 1,763

$2.24 ARS 3,202

-44.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 ARS 4,369

$3.20 ARS 4,565

-4.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 ARS 1,123

$0.72 ARS 1,026

9.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.12 ARS 23.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 ARS 2,260

$1.65 ARS 2,347

-4.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 ARS 1,324

$0.91 ARS 1,294

2.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.86 ARS 8,358

$5.93 ARS 8,461

-1.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 ARS 1,459

$1.11 ARS 1,584

-8.11%

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

$24.3K ARS 34.7M

$24.6K ARS 35.0M

-1.07%

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

$26.5K ARS 37.7M

$28.8K ARS 41.1M

-8.15%

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

$56.4 ARS 80.4K

$109 ARS 155.6K

-48.33%

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

$18.31 ARS 26.1K

$21.60 ARS 30.8K

-15.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.83 ARS 21.2K

$29.00 ARS 41.4K

-48.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.11 ARS 37.2K

$42.80 ARS 61.1K

-39.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.67 ARS 19.5K

$11.76 ARS 16.8K

16.24%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 ARS 7,111

$9.01 ARS 12.9K

-44.73%

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

$323 ARS 461.2K

$324 ARS 462.1K

-0.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,085 ARS 1.5M

$5,180 ARS 7.4M

-79.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.6 ARS 115.0K

$109 ARS 154.9K

-25.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.7 ARS 98.0K

$86.8 ARS 123.8K

-20.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 ARS 153.2K

$124 ARS 176.4K

-13.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.0 ARS 137.0K

$133 ARS 189.3K

-27.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$334 ARS 476.3K

$658 ARS 939.0K

-49.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$233 ARS 332.3K

$447 ARS 638.3K

-47.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$678 ARS 967.5K

$1,155 ARS 1.6M

-41.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$533 ARS 760.8K

$811 ARS 1.2M

-34.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,002 ARS 2.9M

$2,627 ARS 3.7M

-23.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,825 ARS 4.0M

$1,830 ARS 2.6M

54.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ARS 843.9K

$820 ARS 1.2M

-27.81%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Buenos Aires: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $334 in San Isidro and $658 in Buenos Aires. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buenos Aires pays 39% 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: $31.00 in San Isidro vs $61.0 in Buenos Aires for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $227 vs $272 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 56% in total monthly costs ($906 vs $1,412 including rent). San Isidro is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Buenos Aires earns 39% less. 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: $334 in San Isidro versus $658 in Buenos Aires. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $323 in San Isidro versus $324 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 $31.00 versus $61.0 in Buenos Aires. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $906 in San Isidro versus $1,412 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 56% less than in Buenos Aires. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.