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: $607 in San Juan versus $1,393 in Buenos Aires.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $996 in San Juan versus $2,191 in Buenos Aires.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,384 in San Juan versus $2,988 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 55% below, Buenos Aires is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.85 ARS 8,646

$14.82 ARS 21.9K

-60.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.44 ARS 43.5K

$60.1 ARS 88.8K

-51.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.88 ARS 11.6K

$11.97 ARS 17.7K

-34.17%

Cappuccino

$1.54 ARS 2,278

$3.99 ARS 5,898

-61.40%

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

$0.96 ARS 1,417

$2.17 ARS 3,207

-55.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 ARS 1,341

$1.47 ARS 2,169

-38.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.94 ARS 2,875

$3.68 ARS 5,440

-47.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 ARS 4,402

$3.90 ARS 5,761

-23.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.71 ARS 1,055

$1.60 ARS 2,371

-55.63%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 ARS 975

$2.53 ARS 3,738

-73.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 ARS 1,828

$2.22 ARS 3,279

-44.14%

Eggs

$1.74 ARS 2,568

$3.17 ARS 4,683

-45.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.34 ARS 4,940

$12.03 ARS 17.8K

-72.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.49 ARS 5,157

$7.84 ARS 11.6K

-55.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.09 ARS 6,047

$9.25 ARS 13.7K

-55.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.48 ARS 2,186

$2.45 ARS 3,624

-39.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 ARS 2,260

$2.04 ARS 3,012

-25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 ARS 2,272

$1.31 ARS 1,932

17.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 ARS 3,173

$2.53 ARS 3,745

-15.02%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 ARS 943

$1.45 ARS 2,150

-55.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.62 ARS 916

$1.48 ARS 2,191

-58.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 ARS 570

$1.79 ARS 2,643

-78.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ARS 1,272

$1.45 ARS 2,141

-40.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.78 ARS 2,626

$3.18 ARS 4,697

-44.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.91 ARS 7,253

$5.83 ARS 8,622

-15.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 ARS 2,184

$2.22 ARS 3,277

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ARS 2,727

$3.07 ARS 4,535

-40.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ARS 427

$0.67 ARS 988

-56.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.10 ARS 7,537

$16.26 ARS 24.0K

-68.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 ARS 609

$1.58 ARS 2,333

-74.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ARS 1,522

$0.86 ARS 1,267

19.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.99 ARS 7,381

$5.97 ARS 8,826

-16.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ARS 1,634

$1.12 ARS 1,653

-0.89%

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

$31.6K ARS 46.6M

$24.8K ARS 36.6M

27.34%

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

$21.0K ARS 31.1M

$29.2K ARS 43.2M

-28.01%

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

$77.7 ARS 114.9K

$109 ARS 161.0K

-28.65%

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

$5.10 ARS 7,544

$21.47 ARS 31.7K

-76.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.17 ARS 15.0K

$28.58 ARS 42.2K

-64.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.83 ARS 26.3K

$41.73 ARS 61.7K

-57.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.07 ARS 8,967

$11.77 ARS 17.4K

-48.43%

Cinema Ticket

$1.97 ARS 2,916

$9.25 ARS 13.7K

-78.70%

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

$102 ARS 150.9K

$325 ARS 479.6K

-68.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,197 ARS 3.2M

$5,275 ARS 7.8M

-58.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.17 ARS 72.7K

$112 ARS 165.0K

-55.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.82 ARS 73.6K

$85.9 ARS 127.0K

-42.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.7 ARS 147.4K

$123 ARS 181.5K

-18.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 ARS 173.8K

$129 ARS 190.6K

-8.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$150 ARS 221.1K

$657 ARS 970.6K

-77.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$91.6 ARS 135.3K

$448 ARS 661.6K

-79.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$250 ARS 369.7K

$1,150 ARS 1.7M

-78.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$204 ARS 301.1K

$814 ARS 1.2M

-74.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,550 ARS 3.8M

$2,577 ARS 3.8M

-1.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,083 ARS 3.1M

$1,844 ARS 2.7M

12.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$709 ARS 1.0M

$842 ARS 1.2M

-15.75%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Buenos Aires: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $150 in San Juan and $657 in Buenos Aires. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buenos Aires pays 19% 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 Juan vs $60.0 in Buenos Aires for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $135 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 ($607 vs $1,393 including rent). San Juan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 19% 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: $150 in San Juan versus $657 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 $325 in Buenos Aires. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 100% higher in Buenos Aires. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $607 in San Juan versus $1,393 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.