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: $868 in San Juan versus $1,633 in Buenos Aires.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,372 in San Juan versus $2,744 in Buenos Aires.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,877 in San Juan versus $3,855 in Buenos Aires.

Living in San Juan costs roughly 47% less than in Buenos Aires, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: San Juan is 37% below, Buenos Aires is 18% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.11 ARS 10.7K

$18.99 ARS 28.6K

-62.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.20 ARS 60.6K

$69.7 ARS 105.1K

-42.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.48 ARS 18.8K

$12.75 ARS 19.2K

-2.12%

Cappuccino

$2.58 ARS 3,890

$3.81 ARS 5,755

-32.28%

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

$2.19 ARS 3,301

$2.16 ARS 3,262

1.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ARS 2,640

$1.70 ARS 2,566

2.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.95 ARS 5,959

$3.61 ARS 5,452

9.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.40 ARS 6,638

$4.55 ARS 6,865

-3.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 ARS 1,998

$1.41 ARS 2,132

-6.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ARS 2,124

$2.46 ARS 3,717

-42.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 ARS 2,123

$1.58 ARS 2,390

-10.76%

Eggs

$1.46 ARS 2,201

$2.79 ARS 4,212

-47.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.79 ARS 4,207

$10.16 ARS 15.3K

-72.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.28 ARS 9,467

$10.03 ARS 15.1K

-37.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.79 ARS 16.3K

$13.76 ARS 20.8K

-21.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.39 ARS 2,092

$2.78 ARS 4,194

-50.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ARS 2,183

$2.07 ARS 3,125

-29.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 ARS 2,030

$1.42 ARS 2,142

-4.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 ARS 2,120

$2.06 ARS 3,100

-31.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ARS 2,098

$1.19 ARS 1,796

16.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 ARS 2,173

$1.15 ARS 1,728

25.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ARS 2,100

$1.75 ARS 2,634

-20.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 ARS 2,195

$1.74 ARS 2,626

-16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.83 ARS 4,263

$4.27 ARS 6,436

-33.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.07 ARS 7,642

$5.65 ARS 8,528

-10.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 ARS 2,175

$2.21 ARS 3,336

-34.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 ARS 2,122

$2.69 ARS 4,052

-47.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 ARS 1,547

$0.72 ARS 1,093

43.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.88 ARS 42.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.02 ARS 3,046

$1.62 ARS 2,443

24.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 ARS 1,478

$1.02 ARS 1,546

-3.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.86 ARS 7,328

$7.61 ARS 11.5K

-36.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ARS 1,687

$1.34 ARS 2,024

-16.42%

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

$26.6K ARS 40.2M

$28.8K ARS 43.4M

-7.52%

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

$33.1K ARS 50.0M

$34.2K ARS 51.6M

-3.19%

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

$137 ARS 206.8K

$202 ARS 305.1K

-32.21%

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

$10.18 ARS 15.4K

$23.17 ARS 35.0K

-56.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.04 ARS 27.2K

$31.01 ARS 46.8K

-41.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.82 ARS 45.0K

$51.1 ARS 77.1K

-41.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.08 ARS 25.8K

Cinema Ticket

$7.17 ARS 10.8K

$10.99 ARS 16.6K

-34.76%

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

$173 ARS 260.7K

$459 ARS 692.9K

-62.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,198 ARS 6.3M

$8,949 ARS 13.5M

-53.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 ARS 159.8K

$113 ARS 170.6K

-6.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.07 ARS 65.0K

$91.7 ARS 138.4K

-53.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.7 ARS 87.0K

$116 ARS 175.5K

-50.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.91 ARS 54.2K

$135 ARS 203.0K

-73.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$250 ARS 376.9K

$714 ARS 1.1M

-65.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$203 ARS 305.6K

$506 ARS 763.5K

-59.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$507 ARS 765.1K

$1,622 ARS 2.4M

-68.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$395 ARS 595.1K

$1,288 ARS 1.9M

-69.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,636 ARS 4.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,847 ARS 2.8M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$686 ARS 1.0M

$907 ARS 1.4M

-24.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

56.56

-4.53%

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

Last update for San Juan: September 6, 2026

Last update for Buenos Aires: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $250 in San Juan and $714 in Buenos Aires. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buenos Aires pays 32% 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: $40.00 in San Juan vs $70.0 in Buenos Aires for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $189 vs $282 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 88% in total monthly costs ($868 vs $1,633 including rent). San Juan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 32% 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: $250 in San Juan versus $714 in Buenos Aires. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $173 in San Juan versus $459 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 Juan – a meal for two runs $40.00 versus $70.0 in Buenos Aires. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $868 in San Juan versus $1,633 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 88% less than in Buenos Aires. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.