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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $899 in San Rafael versus $1,412 in Buenos Aires.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,427 in San Rafael versus $2,197 in Buenos Aires.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,955 in San Rafael versus $2,982 in Buenos Aires.

Living in San Rafael costs roughly 36% less than in Buenos Aires, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: San Rafael is 33% below, Buenos Aires is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.06 ARS 14.4K

$15.09 ARS 21.5K

-33.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.79 ARS 28.2K

$60.7 ARS 86.6K

-67.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.10 ARS 8,704

$11.89 ARS 17.0K

-48.70%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ARS 2,615

$4.01 ARS 5,720

-54.36%

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

$1.02 ARS 1,454

$2.09 ARS 2,976

-51.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 ARS 1,465

$1.48 ARS 2,115

-30.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 ARS 1,403

$3.58 ARS 5,111

-72.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 ARS 2,097

$4.08 ARS 5,816

-63.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 ARS 1,494

$1.60 ARS 2,276

-34.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 ARS 2,119

$2.53 ARS 3,603

-41.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 ARS 1,974

$2.28 ARS 3,259

-39.47%

Eggs

$1.58 ARS 2,249

$3.32 ARS 4,739

-52.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.64 ARS 8,047

$12.15 ARS 17.3K

-53.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.62 ARS 10.9K

$7.85 ARS 11.2K

-2.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.45 ARS 9,205

$9.66 ARS 13.8K

-33.23%

Apples (1kg)

$1.79 ARS 2,548

$2.49 ARS 3,548

-28.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 ARS 2,091

$2.06 ARS 2,938

-28.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 ARS 2,156

$1.27 ARS 1,805

18.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.85 ARS 1,217

$2.55 ARS 3,631

-66.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ARS 922

$1.49 ARS 2,126

-56.38%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 ARS 1,019

$1.47 ARS 2,094

-51.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 ARS 868

$1.84 ARS 2,628

-66.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 ARS 1,764

$1.44 ARS 2,059

-13.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.74 ARS 2,478

$3.27 ARS 4,671

-46.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.96 ARS 7,069

$5.75 ARS 8,199

-13.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 ARS 1,534

$2.24 ARS 3,202

-51.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 ARS 2,373

$3.20 ARS 4,565

-48.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 ARS 1,106

$0.72 ARS 1,026

8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.12 ARS 23.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 ARS 585

$1.65 ARS 2,347

-75.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 ARS 1,403

$0.91 ARS 1,294

7.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.94 ARS 7,050

$5.93 ARS 8,461

-16.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 ARS 1,287

$1.11 ARS 1,584

-18.92%

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

$31.8K ARS 45.4M

$24.6K ARS 35.0M

29.50%

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

$33.4K ARS 47.7M

$28.8K ARS 41.1M

16.06%

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

$76.9 ARS 109.7K

$109 ARS 155.6K

-29.49%

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

$6.92 ARS 9,874

$21.60 ARS 30.8K

-67.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.55 ARS 22.2K

$29.00 ARS 41.4K

-46.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.95 ARS 37.0K

$42.80 ARS 61.1K

-39.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.87 ARS 19.8K

$11.76 ARS 16.8K

17.94%

Cinema Ticket

$5.88 ARS 8,384

$9.01 ARS 12.9K

-34.74%

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

$104 ARS 148.7K

$324 ARS 462.1K

-67.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,181 ARS 3.1M

$5,180 ARS 7.4M

-57.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.2 ARS 118.7K

$109 ARS 154.9K

-23.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$76.4 ARS 108.9K

$86.8 ARS 123.8K

-11.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 ARS 212.4K

$124 ARS 176.4K

20.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 ARS 168.4K

$133 ARS 189.3K

-11.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$338 ARS 482.1K

$658 ARS 939.0K

-48.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ARS 344.7K

$447 ARS 638.3K

-45.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ARS 989.0K

$1,155 ARS 1.6M

-39.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ARS 757.3K

$811 ARS 1.2M

-34.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,059 ARS 2.9M

$2,627 ARS 3.7M

-21.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,830 ARS 2.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$820 ARS 1.2M

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 Rafael: May 31, 2026

Last update for Buenos Aires: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $338 in San Rafael and $658 in Buenos Aires. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $20.00 in San Rafael vs $61.0 in Buenos Aires for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $179 vs $272 per month, with San Rafael 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 Rafael vs Buenos Aires: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Rafael and Buenos Aires differ by about 57% in total monthly costs ($899 vs $1,412 including rent). San Rafael is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,349 in San Rafael and $2,119 in Buenos Aires to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $338 in San Rafael 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 Rafael 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 Rafael – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $61.0 in Buenos Aires. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $899 in San Rafael versus $1,412 in Buenos Aires, a $1,000 budget is realistic in San Rafael but tight or insufficient in Buenos Aires. The gap between the two cities makes San Rafael 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 Rafael 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 Rafael gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Buenos Aires. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.