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: $907 in San Rafael versus $1,393 in Buenos Aires.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,430 in San Rafael versus $2,191 in Buenos Aires.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,954 in San Rafael versus $2,988 in Buenos Aires.

Living in San Rafael costs roughly 35% less than in Buenos Aires, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: San Rafael is 32% below, Buenos Aires is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.97 ARS 14.7K

$14.82 ARS 21.9K

-32.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.95 ARS 29.5K

$60.1 ARS 88.8K

-66.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.97 ARS 8,817

$11.97 ARS 17.7K

-50.13%

Cappuccino

$1.76 ARS 2,606

$3.99 ARS 5,898

-55.89%

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

$1.01 ARS 1,494

$2.17 ARS 3,207

-53.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 ARS 1,440

$1.47 ARS 2,169

-34.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 ARS 1,452

$3.68 ARS 5,440

-73.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 ARS 2,177

$3.90 ARS 5,761

-62.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 ARS 1,507

$1.60 ARS 2,371

-36.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ARS 2,284

$2.53 ARS 3,738

-38.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 ARS 2,111

$2.22 ARS 3,279

-35.59%

Eggs

$1.58 ARS 2,341

$3.17 ARS 4,683

-50.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.43 ARS 8,031

$12.03 ARS 17.8K

-54.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.38 ARS 10.9K

$7.84 ARS 11.6K

-5.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.55 ARS 9,684

$9.25 ARS 13.7K

-29.19%

Apples (1kg)

$1.76 ARS 2,605

$2.45 ARS 3,624

-28.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 ARS 2,198

$2.04 ARS 3,012

-26.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 ARS 2,172

$1.31 ARS 1,932

12.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.92 ARS 1,356

$2.53 ARS 3,745

-63.64%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ARS 1,030

$1.45 ARS 2,150

-51.72%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 ARS 1,015

$1.48 ARS 2,191

-53.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 ARS 895

$1.79 ARS 2,643

-65.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 ARS 1,888

$1.45 ARS 2,141

-11.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.79 ARS 2,651

$3.18 ARS 4,697

-43.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.90 ARS 7,241

$5.83 ARS 8,622

-15.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 ARS 1,659

$2.22 ARS 3,277

-49.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ARS 2,445

$3.07 ARS 4,535

-46.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 ARS 1,220

$0.67 ARS 988

23.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.26 ARS 24.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 ARS 667

$1.58 ARS 2,333

-71.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ARS 1,511

$0.86 ARS 1,267

18.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.78 ARS 7,059

$5.97 ARS 8,826

-19.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 ARS 1,228

$1.12 ARS 1,653

-25.89%

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

$31.5K ARS 46.6M

$24.8K ARS 36.6M

27.22%

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

$32.9K ARS 48.6M

$29.2K ARS 43.2M

12.49%

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

$77.6 ARS 114.6K

$109 ARS 161.0K

-28.80%

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

$6.57 ARS 9,713

$21.47 ARS 31.7K

-69.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.45 ARS 22.8K

$28.58 ARS 42.2K

-45.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.43 ARS 39.1K

$41.73 ARS 61.7K

-36.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.94 ARS 20.6K

$11.77 ARS 17.4K

18.44%

Cinema Ticket

$5.89 ARS 8,703

$9.25 ARS 13.7K

-36.32%

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

$102 ARS 151.2K

$325 ARS 479.6K

-68.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,138 ARS 3.2M

$5,275 ARS 7.8M

-59.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.1 ARS 119.8K

$112 ARS 165.0K

-27.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.6 ARS 111.7K

$85.9 ARS 127.0K

-12.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 ARS 219.7K

$123 ARS 181.5K

21.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 ARS 178.2K

$129 ARS 190.6K

-6.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$338 ARS 499.6K

$657 ARS 970.6K

-48.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$236 ARS 348.3K

$448 ARS 661.6K

-47.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$676 ARS 999.0K

$1,150 ARS 1.7M

-41.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$539 ARS 797.1K

$814 ARS 1.2M

-33.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,551 ARS 3.8M

$2,577 ARS 3.8M

-1.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,596 ARS 2.4M

$1,844 ARS 2.7M

-13.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$842 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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Buenos Aires: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $338 in San Rafael and $657 in Buenos Aires. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $20.00 in San Rafael vs $60.0 in Buenos Aires for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $179 vs $269 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 54% in total monthly costs ($907 vs $1,393 including rent). San Rafael is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,360 in San Rafael and $2,090 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 $657 in Buenos Aires. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $102 in San Rafael versus $325 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 $60.0 in Buenos Aires. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $907 in San Rafael versus $1,393 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 54% less than in Buenos Aires. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.