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: $981 in Ushuaia versus $1,408 in Buenos Aires.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,605 in Ushuaia versus $2,203 in Buenos Aires.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,230 in Ushuaia versus $2,998 in Buenos Aires.

Living in Ushuaia costs roughly 30% less than in Buenos Aires, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ushuaia is 27% below, Buenos Aires is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.35 ARS 14.8K

$15.07 ARS 21.5K

-31.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.15 ARS 48.8K

$61.2 ARS 87.4K

-44.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ARS 12.7K

$11.91 ARS 17.0K

-25.27%

Cappuccino

$2.78 ARS 3,966

$4.05 ARS 5,784

-31.36%

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

$1.63 ARS 2,329

$2.17 ARS 3,102

-24.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 ARS 2,139

$1.54 ARS 2,199

-2.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 ARS 2,963

$3.59 ARS 5,126

-42.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 ARS 4,318

$4.08 ARS 5,831

-25.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 ARS 1,795

$1.52 ARS 2,170

-17.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ARS 2,235

$2.45 ARS 3,494

-36.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 ARS 2,773

$2.28 ARS 3,253

-14.91%

Eggs

$2.26 ARS 3,231

$3.22 ARS 4,600

-29.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.05 ARS 14.4K

$11.87 ARS 17.0K

-15.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.16 ARS 8,796

$7.74 ARS 11.0K

-20.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ARS 13.3K

$9.60 ARS 13.7K

-3.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 ARS 2,913

$2.50 ARS 3,571

-18.40%

Banana (1kg)

$2.15 ARS 3,069

$2.03 ARS 2,900

5.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ARS 1,858

$1.30 ARS 1,852

Tomato (1kg)

$2.53 ARS 3,612

$2.64 ARS 3,775

-4.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 ARS 1,689

$1.45 ARS 2,069

-18.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 ARS 1,789

$1.48 ARS 2,113

-15.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 ARS 1,865

$1.80 ARS 2,572

-27.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 ARS 2,109

$1.50 ARS 2,148

-1.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.11 ARS 4,437

$3.30 ARS 4,709

-5.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.86 ARS 6,949

$5.90 ARS 8,429

-17.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 ARS 2,867

$2.20 ARS 3,150

-8.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 ARS 4,524

$3.07 ARS 4,383

3.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 ARS 1,198

$0.69 ARS 982

21.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.91 ARS 22.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 ARS 2,159

$1.59 ARS 2,265

-5.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 ARS 1,327

$0.93 ARS 1,322

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.91 ARS 8,442

$5.95 ARS 8,504

-0.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ARS 1,576

$1.13 ARS 1,613

-2.65%

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

$27.0K ARS 38.5M

$24.9K ARS 35.6M

8.28%

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

$30.2K ARS 43.1M

$28.8K ARS 41.1M

4.82%

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

$67.1 ARS 95.9K

$113 ARS 161.3K

-40.56%

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

$16.95 ARS 24.2K

$21.34 ARS 30.5K

-20.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.86 ARS 32.7K

$28.46 ARS 40.7K

-19.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.91 ARS 37.0K

$42.70 ARS 61.0K

-39.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.67 ARS 19.5K

$11.57 ARS 16.5K

18.15%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 ARS 8,824

$9.19 ARS 13.1K

-32.75%

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

$216 ARS 309.1K

$329 ARS 470.5K

-34.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,682 ARS 3.8M

$5,149 ARS 7.4M

-47.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.6 ARS 105.2K

$109 ARS 156.3K

-32.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.3 ARS 97.6K

$87.3 ARS 124.7K

-21.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ARS 161.8K

$124 ARS 176.7K

-8.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 ARS 157.0K

$132 ARS 189.1K

-16.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$344 ARS 490.7K

$659 ARS 941.3K

-47.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ARS 335.9K

$443 ARS 632.9K

-46.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$688 ARS 983.4K

$1,167 ARS 1.7M

-40.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$546 ARS 780.3K

$789 ARS 1.1M

-30.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,870 ARS 2.7M

$2,561 ARS 3.7M

-26.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,572 ARS 2.2M

$1,788 ARS 2.6M

-12.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$808 ARS 1.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

58.5

52.71

10.98%

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

Last update for Ushuaia: June 7, 2026

Last update for Buenos Aires: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $344 in Ushuaia and $659 in Buenos Aires. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $34.00 in Ushuaia vs $61.0 in Buenos Aires for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $269 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 44% in total monthly costs ($981 vs $1,408 including rent). Ushuaia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,471 in Ushuaia and $2,113 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: $344 in Ushuaia versus $659 in Buenos Aires. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $216 in Ushuaia versus $329 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 $34.00 versus $61.0 in Buenos Aires. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $981 in Ushuaia versus $1,408 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 44% less than in Buenos Aires. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.