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: $615 in San Juan versus $1,408 in Buenos Aires.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,006 in San Juan versus $2,203 in Buenos Aires.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,396 in San Juan versus $2,998 in Buenos Aires.

Living in San Juan costs roughly 56% less than in Buenos Aires, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: San Juan is 54% below, Buenos Aires is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.13 ARS 8,750

$15.07 ARS 21.5K

-59.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.55 ARS 43.6K

$61.2 ARS 87.4K

-50.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.13 ARS 11.6K

$11.91 ARS 17.0K

-31.74%

Cappuccino

$1.51 ARS 2,152

$4.05 ARS 5,784

-62.72%

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

$0.96 ARS 1,368

$2.17 ARS 3,102

-55.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 ARS 1,209

$1.54 ARS 2,199

-44.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 ARS 2,787

$3.59 ARS 5,126

-45.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ARS 4,165

$4.08 ARS 5,831

-28.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 ARS 1,120

$1.52 ARS 2,170

-48.68%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 ARS 944

$2.45 ARS 3,494

-73.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 ARS 1,733

$2.28 ARS 3,253

-46.93%

Eggs

$1.65 ARS 2,361

$3.22 ARS 4,600

-48.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.34 ARS 4,772

$11.87 ARS 17.0K

-71.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.44 ARS 4,920

$7.74 ARS 11.0K

-55.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.09 ARS 5,838

$9.60 ARS 13.7K

-57.40%

Apples (1kg)

$1.48 ARS 2,110

$2.50 ARS 3,571

-40.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 ARS 2,097

$2.03 ARS 2,900

-27.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 ARS 2,080

$1.30 ARS 1,852

12.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 ARS 3,001

$2.64 ARS 3,775

-20.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 ARS 950

$1.45 ARS 2,069

-54.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 ARS 947

$1.48 ARS 2,113

-55.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 ARS 547

$1.80 ARS 2,572

-78.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ARS 1,234

$1.50 ARS 2,148

-42.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.76 ARS 2,514

$3.30 ARS 4,709

-46.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.05 ARS 7,208

$5.90 ARS 8,429

-14.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 ARS 2,107

$2.20 ARS 3,150

-33.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ARS 2,503

$3.07 ARS 4,383

-43.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ARS 412

$0.69 ARS 982

-57.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.97 ARS 7,106

$15.91 ARS 22.7K

-68.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 ARS 644

$1.59 ARS 2,265

-71.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ARS 1,462

$0.93 ARS 1,322

9.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.99 ARS 7,123

$5.95 ARS 8,504

-16.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ARS 1,568

$1.13 ARS 1,613

-2.65%

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

$31.1K ARS 44.4M

$24.9K ARS 35.6M

24.96%

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

$20.7K ARS 29.6M

$28.8K ARS 41.1M

-27.98%

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

$76.0 ARS 108.5K

$113 ARS 161.3K

-32.71%

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

$4.99 ARS 7,127

$21.34 ARS 30.5K

-76.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.87 ARS 14.1K

$28.46 ARS 40.7K

-65.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.65 ARS 25.2K

$42.70 ARS 61.0K

-58.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.13 ARS 8,757

$11.57 ARS 16.5K

-47.02%

Cinema Ticket

$2.03 ARS 2,900

$9.19 ARS 13.1K

-77.91%

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

$102 ARS 145.6K

$329 ARS 470.5K

-69.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,116 ARS 3.0M

$5,149 ARS 7.4M

-58.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.5 ARS 72.2K

$109 ARS 156.3K

-53.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.3 ARS 71.9K

$87.3 ARS 124.7K

-42.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 ARS 143.1K

$124 ARS 176.7K

-19.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 ARS 170.4K

$132 ARS 189.1K

-9.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$153 ARS 218.2K

$659 ARS 941.3K

-76.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$89.6 ARS 128.0K

$443 ARS 632.9K

-79.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$247 ARS 353.2K

$1,167 ARS 1.7M

-78.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$196 ARS 280.3K

$789 ARS 1.1M

-75.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,502 ARS 3.6M

$2,561 ARS 3.7M

-2.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,087 ARS 3.0M

$1,788 ARS 2.6M

16.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$697 ARS 996.0K

$808 ARS 1.2M

-13.76%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Buenos Aires: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $153 in San Juan and $659 in Buenos Aires. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buenos Aires pays 16% 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 Juan vs $61.0 in Buenos Aires for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $134 vs $269 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 129% in total monthly costs ($615 vs $1,408 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 16% 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: $153 in San Juan versus $659 in Buenos Aires. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $102 in San Juan versus $329 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 $615 in San Juan versus $1,408 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 129% less than in Buenos Aires. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.