Cost of Living Comparison Between Scranton, PA and Buenos Aires Cost of Living Comparison Between Scranton, PA and Buenos Aires

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,226 in Scranton, PA versus $1,393 in Buenos Aires.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,122 in Scranton, PA versus $2,191 in Buenos Aires.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,019 in Scranton, PA versus $2,988 in Buenos Aires.

Living in Scranton, PA is roughly 60% more expensive than in Buenos Aires, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Scranton, PA 67% above, Buenos Aires 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 $11.94

$14.82 ARS 21.9K

-19.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.0 $90.0

$60.1 ARS 88.8K

49.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.98 $5.98

$11.97 ARS 17.7K

-50.04%

Cappuccino

$4.58 $4.58

$3.99 ARS 5,898

14.79%

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

$1.54 $1.54

$2.17 ARS 3,207

-29.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.47 ARS 2,169

-32.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 $5.91

$3.68 ARS 5,440

60.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.04 $7.04

$3.90 ARS 5,761

80.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 $0.73

$1.60 ARS 2,371

-54.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.53 ARS 3,738

-45.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.22 ARS 3,279

-0.90%

Eggs

$3.46 $3.46

$3.17 ARS 4,683

9.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.10 $13.10

$12.03 ARS 17.8K

8.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 $10.05

$7.84 ARS 11.6K

28.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.13 $11.13

$9.25 ARS 13.7K

20.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 $3.68

$2.45 ARS 3,624

50.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 $1.34

$2.04 ARS 3,012

-34.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.21 $3.21

$1.31 ARS 1,932

145.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.49 $4.49

$2.53 ARS 3,745

77.47%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$1.45 ARS 2,150

133.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.48 ARS 2,191

97.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.79 ARS 2,643

10.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.45 ARS 2,141

-35.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.57 $6.57

$3.18 ARS 4,697

106.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.16 $12.16

$5.83 ARS 8,622

108.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.22 ARS 3,277

-11.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 $4.20

$3.07 ARS 4,535

36.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.79 $1.79

$0.67 ARS 988

167.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.8 $60.8

$16.26 ARS 24.0K

274.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.58 ARS 2,333

86.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

$0.86 ARS 1,267

65.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.34 $22.34

$5.97 ARS 8,826

274.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.12 ARS 1,653

-17.86%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$24.8K ARS 36.6M

10.78%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$29.2K ARS 43.2M

-12.56%

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

$268 $268

$109 ARS 161.0K

145.58%

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

$40.48 $40.48

$21.47 ARS 31.7K

88.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.37 $49.37

$28.58 ARS 42.2K

72.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.51 $30.51

$41.73 ARS 61.7K

-26.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.51 $15.51

$11.77 ARS 17.4K

31.78%

Cinema Ticket

$12.73 $12.73

$9.25 ARS 13.7K

37.62%

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

$782 $782

$325 ARS 479.6K

140.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.8K $43.8K

$5,275 ARS 7.8M

730.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.83 $44.83

$112 ARS 165.0K

-59.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.26 $30.26

$85.9 ARS 127.0K

-64.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.7 $71.7

$123 ARS 181.5K

-41.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.8 $82.8

$129 ARS 190.6K

-35.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,240 $1,240

$657 ARS 970.6K

88.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,111 $1,111

$448 ARS 661.6K

148.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,089 $2,089

$1,150 ARS 1.7M

81.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,522 $1,522

$814 ARS 1.2M

87.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,603 $1,603

$2,577 ARS 3.8M

-37.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,540 $1,540

$1,844 ARS 2.7M

-16.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,366 $3,366

$842 ARS 1.2M

299.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.68

52.71

-87.33%

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

Last update for Scranton, PA: July 12, 2026

Last update for Buenos Aires: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,240 in Scranton, PA and $657 in Buenos Aires. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Scranton, PA pays 300% 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: $90.0 in Scranton, PA vs $60.0 in Buenos Aires for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $306 vs $269 per month, with Buenos Aires 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

Scranton, PA vs Buenos Aires: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Scranton, PA and Buenos Aires differ by about 60% in total monthly costs ($2,226 vs $1,393 including rent). Buenos Aires is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 300% higher in Scranton, PA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,240 in Scranton, PA versus $657 in Buenos Aires. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $782 in Scranton, PA 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 14% higher in Scranton, PA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,393 in Buenos Aires versus $2,226 in Scranton, PA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Buenos Aires but tight or insufficient in Scranton, PA. The gap between the two cities makes Buenos Aires 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, Scranton, PA 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 Buenos Aires gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Scranton, PA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.