Cost of Living Comparison Between Ushuaia and Buenos Aires Cost of Living Comparison Between Ushuaia and Buenos Aires

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $975 in Ushuaia versus $1,633 in Buenos Aires.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,583 in Ushuaia versus $2,744 in Buenos Aires.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,191 in Ushuaia versus $3,855 in Buenos Aires.

Living in Ushuaia costs roughly 40% less than in Buenos Aires, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ushuaia is 29% below, Buenos Aires is 18% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.59 ARS 16.0K

$18.99 ARS 28.6K

-44.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.44 ARS 50.4K

$69.7 ARS 105.1K

-52.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.17 ARS 13.8K

$12.75 ARS 19.2K

-28.08%

Cappuccino

$2.77 ARS 4,177

$3.81 ARS 5,755

-27.30%

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

$1.70 ARS 2,568

$2.16 ARS 3,262

-21.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 ARS 2,323

$1.70 ARS 2,566

-9.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.09 ARS 3,149

$3.61 ARS 5,452

-42.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ARS 4,412

$4.55 ARS 6,865

-35.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 ARS 1,891

$1.41 ARS 2,132

-11.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ARS 2,457

$2.46 ARS 3,717

-33.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 ARS 3,065

$1.58 ARS 2,390

28.48%

Eggs

$2.19 ARS 3,303

$2.79 ARS 4,212

-21.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.92 ARS 15.0K

$10.16 ARS 15.3K

-2.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.11 ARS 9,217

$10.03 ARS 15.1K

-39.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.19 ARS 13.9K

$13.76 ARS 20.8K

-33.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 ARS 3,048

$2.78 ARS 4,194

-27.34%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 ARS 3,208

$2.07 ARS 3,125

2.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 ARS 1,993

$1.42 ARS 2,142

-7.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.65 ARS 3,996

$2.06 ARS 3,100

28.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 ARS 1,716

$1.19 ARS 1,796

-4.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 ARS 1,885

$1.15 ARS 1,728

8.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 ARS 1,913

$1.75 ARS 2,634

-27.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 ARS 2,230

$1.74 ARS 2,626

-14.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.15 ARS 4,757

$4.27 ARS 6,436

-26.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.89 ARS 7,371

$5.65 ARS 8,528

-13.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 ARS 3,117

$2.21 ARS 3,336

-6.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 ARS 4,563

$2.69 ARS 4,052

12.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 ARS 1,172

$0.72 ARS 1,093

8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.88 ARS 42.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 ARS 2,237

$1.62 ARS 2,443

-8.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 ARS 1,360

$1.02 ARS 1,546

-11.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.17 ARS 9,307

$7.61 ARS 11.5K

-18.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 ARS 1,587

$1.34 ARS 2,024

-21.64%

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

$27.2K ARS 41.0M

$28.8K ARS 43.4M

-5.64%

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

$30.1K ARS 45.5M

$34.2K ARS 51.6M

-11.91%

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

$67.1 ARS 101.1K

$202 ARS 305.1K

-66.85%

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

$16.94 ARS 25.6K

$23.17 ARS 35.0K

-26.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.69 ARS 34.2K

$31.01 ARS 46.8K

-26.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.85 ARS 39.0K

$51.1 ARS 77.1K

-49.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.57 ARS 20.5K

$17.08 ARS 25.8K

-20.55%

Cinema Ticket

$6.06 ARS 9,136

$10.99 ARS 16.6K

-44.86%

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

$224 ARS 337.5K

$459 ARS 692.9K

-51.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,661 ARS 4.0M

$8,949 ARS 13.5M

-70.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.0 ARS 111.7K

$113 ARS 170.6K

-34.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.6 ARS 103.5K

$91.7 ARS 138.4K

-25.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ARS 173.6K

$116 ARS 175.5K

-1.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 ARS 168.5K

$135 ARS 203.0K

-16.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$337 ARS 508.8K

$714 ARS 1.1M

-52.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ARS 360.3K

$506 ARS 763.5K

-52.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$683 ARS 1.0M

$1,622 ARS 2.4M

-57.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$530 ARS 799.2K

$1,288 ARS 1.9M

-58.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,900 ARS 2.9M

$2,636 ARS 4.0M

-27.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,608 ARS 2.4M

$1,847 ARS 2.8M

-12.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$907 ARS 1.4M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

58.5

56.56

3.43%

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

Last update for Ushuaia: September 5, 2026

Last update for Buenos Aires: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $337 in Ushuaia and $714 in Buenos Aires. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ushuaia vs $70.0 in Buenos Aires for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $282 per month, with Ushuaia 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

Ushuaia vs Buenos Aires: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ushuaia and Buenos Aires differ by about 67% in total monthly costs ($975 vs $1,633 including rent). Ushuaia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,463 in Ushuaia and $2,449 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: $337 in Ushuaia versus $714 in Buenos Aires. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $224 in Ushuaia versus $459 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 Ushuaia – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $70.0 in Buenos Aires. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $975 in Ushuaia versus $1,633 in Buenos Aires, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ushuaia but tight or insufficient in Buenos Aires. The gap between the two cities makes Ushuaia 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, Ushuaia 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 Ushuaia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 67% less than in Buenos Aires. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.