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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $597 in San Juan versus $1,412 in Buenos Aires.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $986 in San Juan versus $2,197 in Buenos Aires.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,376 in San Juan versus $2,982 in Buenos Aires.

Living in San Juan costs roughly 58% less than in Buenos Aires, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: San Juan is 55% below, Buenos Aires is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.86 ARS 8,357

$15.09 ARS 21.5K

-61.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.78 ARS 42.5K

$60.7 ARS 86.6K

-50.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.23 ARS 11.7K

$11.89 ARS 17.0K

-30.78%

Cappuccino

$1.50 ARS 2,142

$4.01 ARS 5,720

-62.59%

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

$0.97 ARS 1,384

$2.09 ARS 2,976

-53.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ARS 1,226

$1.48 ARS 2,115

-41.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 ARS 2,828

$3.58 ARS 5,111

-44.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 ARS 4,179

$4.08 ARS 5,816

-28.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.72 ARS 1,022

$1.60 ARS 2,276

-55.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 ARS 1,016

$2.53 ARS 3,603

-71.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 ARS 1,736

$2.28 ARS 3,259

-46.49%

Eggs

$1.67 ARS 2,378

$3.32 ARS 4,739

-49.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.45 ARS 4,928

$12.15 ARS 17.3K

-71.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 ARS 5,080

$7.85 ARS 11.2K

-54.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.90 ARS 5,560

$9.66 ARS 13.8K

-59.63%

Apples (1kg)

$1.51 ARS 2,157

$2.49 ARS 3,548

-39.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 ARS 2,095

$2.06 ARS 2,938

-28.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 ARS 2,123

$1.27 ARS 1,805

17.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ARS 2,974

$2.55 ARS 3,631

-18.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.62 ARS 891

$1.49 ARS 2,126

-58.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 ARS 945

$1.47 ARS 2,094

-55.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.42 ARS 593

$1.84 ARS 2,628

-77.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ARS 1,222

$1.44 ARS 2,059

-40.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.70 ARS 2,430

$3.27 ARS 4,671

-48.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.11 ARS 7,295

$5.75 ARS 8,199

-11.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ARS 2,198

$2.24 ARS 3,202

-31.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ARS 2,619

$3.20 ARS 4,565

-42.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ARS 410

$0.72 ARS 1,026

-59.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.95 ARS 7,066

$16.12 ARS 23.0K

-69.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 ARS 587

$1.65 ARS 2,347

-75.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ARS 1,456

$0.91 ARS 1,294

12.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.04 ARS 7,187

$5.93 ARS 8,461

-15.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ARS 1,557

$1.11 ARS 1,584

-1.80%

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

$32.1K ARS 45.8M

$24.6K ARS 35.0M

30.66%

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

$21.3K ARS 30.4M

$28.8K ARS 41.1M

-26.12%

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

$76.8 ARS 109.6K

$109 ARS 155.6K

-29.58%

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

$4.97 ARS 7,083

$21.60 ARS 30.8K

-76.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.16 ARS 14.5K

$29.00 ARS 41.4K

-64.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.15 ARS 25.9K

$42.80 ARS 61.1K

-57.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.89 ARS 8,398

$11.76 ARS 16.8K

-49.91%

Cinema Ticket

$2.01 ARS 2,873

$9.01 ARS 12.9K

-77.69%

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

$104 ARS 147.8K

$324 ARS 462.1K

-68.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,153 ARS 3.1M

$5,180 ARS 7.4M

-58.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.46 ARS 70.6K

$109 ARS 154.9K

-54.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.96 ARS 71.3K

$86.8 ARS 123.8K

-42.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 ARS 143.1K

$124 ARS 176.4K

-18.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 ARS 167.8K

$133 ARS 189.3K

-11.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$148 ARS 211.7K

$658 ARS 939.0K

-77.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$89.6 ARS 127.7K

$447 ARS 638.3K

-79.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$247 ARS 352.9K

$1,155 ARS 1.6M

-78.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$197 ARS 281.2K

$811 ARS 1.2M

-75.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,548 ARS 3.6M

$2,627 ARS 3.7M

-3.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,112 ARS 3.0M

$1,830 ARS 2.6M

15.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$713 ARS 1.0M

$820 ARS 1.2M

-12.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

52.71

49.88%

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

Last update for San Juan: May 31, 2026

Last update for Buenos Aires: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $148 in San Juan and $658 in Buenos Aires. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buenos Aires pays 15% 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: $30.00 in San Juan vs $61.0 in Buenos Aires for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $135 vs $272 per month, with San Juan 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 Juan vs Buenos Aires: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Juan and Buenos Aires differ by about 137% in total monthly costs ($597 vs $1,412 including rent). San Juan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Buenos Aires earns 15% 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: $148 in San Juan versus $658 in Buenos Aires. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $104 in San Juan versus $324 in Buenos Aires. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 101% higher in Buenos Aires. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $597 in San Juan versus $1,412 in Buenos Aires, a $1,000 budget is realistic in San Juan but tight or insufficient in Buenos Aires. The gap between the two cities makes San Juan 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 Juan 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 Juan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 137% less than in Buenos Aires. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.