Cost of living in Buenos Aires
European-feeling architecture and culture at Latin American prices; the macro-economy is the standing risk.
Build your own budget
Monthly spending by category: Housing $550, Food $382, Transport $56, Utilities $81, Healthcare $19, Lifestyle $101, Other $51.
1-bed, city centre Median advertised rent for this unit type Estimated $550
Salary and tax in Buenos Aires
| Gross salary (USD/yr) | Income tax | Social contributions | Take-home / month | Effective rate | Left after costs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $6,246 | $6,800 | $2,246 | 32.6% | $1,007 |
| $75,000 | $18,136 | $12,750 | $3,676 | 41.2% | $2,436 |
| $120,000 | $33,886 | $20,400 | $5,476 | 45.2% | $4,236 |
| $200,000 | $61,886 | $34,000 | $8,676 | 47.9% | $7,436 |
- Brackets are indexed quarterly to inflation; treat this as directional only.
People who actually live in Buenos Aires
Quality of life
A year of weather in Buenos Aires
Average monthly temperature in Buenos Aires: January 25.1 degrees, February 25.1 degrees, March 23.2 degrees, April 17.6 degrees, May 14.3 degrees, June 11.8 degrees, July 10.5 degrees, August 12.3 degrees, September 14.8 degrees, October 18.3 degrees, November 20.7 degrees, December 23.3 degrees. The shaded band is the average daily high and low.
Where these numbers come from
Share of this budget, weighted by money rather than by field count, that rests on a published source rather than our model.
- Measured0%
- Taken directly from a published source. No modelling in between.
- Derived39%
- Anchored to a measured source, then adjusted. The adjustment is stated.
- Estimated61%
- Modelled from regional relationships. Nobody measured this one.
Prices in Buenos Aires
| Item | USD | ARS |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (monthly rent) | ||
| One-bedroom, city centre | $550 | ARS 840,545 |
| One-bedroom, outside the centre | $380 | ARS 580,740 |
| Three-bedroom, city centre | $1,100 | ARS 1,681,089 |
| Three-bedroom, outside the centre | $750 | ARS 1,146,197 |
| Buy price per m², city centre | $2,200 | ARS 3,362,179 |
| Bills | ||
| Utilities, 85m² apartment | $60 | ARS 91,696 |
| Home internet, 60 Mbps+ | $28 | ARS 42,791 |
| Mobile plan | $14 | ARS 21,396 |
| Food | ||
| Groceries, one adult per month | $239 | ARS 365,255 |
| Meal at an inexpensive restaurant | $7.03 | ARS 10,744 |
| Three-course dinner for two | $41 | ARS 62,659 |
| Coffee | $2.93 | ARS 4,478 |
| Beer in a bar | $4.10 | ARS 6,266 |
| Transport | ||
| Monthly transit pass | $25 | ARS 38,207 |
| Taxi, per km | $0.86 | ARS 1,314 |
| Petrol, per litre | $1.25 | ARS 1,910 |
| Health, family & lifestyle | ||
| Health insurance, per adult | $90 | ARS 137,544 |
| Doctor visit, out of pocket | $35 | ARS 53,489 |
| Full-time childcare, one child | $350 | ARS 534,892 |
| International school, per year | $14,000 | ARS 21,395,682 |
| Gym membership | $40 | ARS 61,131 |
| Cinema ticket | $6.00 | ARS 9,170 |
Prices are held in USD and converted at the August 2026 snapshot rate. Last reviewed 2026-08-01. Every figure carries its own provenance — see where these numbers come from.
Living and working here
A digital-nomad visa exists; currency controls and banking are the harder practical problem.
1 USD ≈ ARS 1,528.26
America/Argentina/Buenos Aires
subtropical climate
Compare Buenos Aires with…
Getting set up in Buenos Aires
The things people end up arranging in the first month in Buenos Aires — usually in roughly this order. We have picked services that work before you have local residency, which is the constraint that catches most people out.
- AiraloesimData eSIM for the first weeks before you get a local number.
- SafetyWinginsuranceHealth and travel cover written for people living outside their home country.
- WisetransferMoving money between currencies without the bank spread.
- RevolutbankingA multi-currency account that works before you have local residency.
- Kiwi.comflightsOne-way and multi-city routing for a move rather than a return trip.
- Booking.comstaysSomewhere to land for the first month while you look at flats.
These are affiliate links: if you sign up, we may be paid a commission at no extra cost to you. It does not change what any of them costs, and it has no bearing on the numbers anywhere else on this page — those come from the model, not from anyone paying us.
Know what things really cost here?
No submissions yet. Yours would be the first.
We publish the median, not the mean — one mis-keyed rent should not move the number.
Frequently asked
How much money do you need per month to live in Buenos Aires?
A single adult renting a one-bedroom in the centre and living moderately needs roughly $1,240 a month, of which $550 is rent. A couple sharing that flat needs about $1,774, and a family of four in a three-bedroom outside the centre with childcare needs about $3,376.
Is Buenos Aires expensive?
On our index Buenos Aires scores 19 where New York is 100 — about 81% below New York for the same household. The average local net salary of $600 a month covers 0.5× that budget.
What salary do you need in Buenos Aires?
To cover the single-adult budget of $1,240 a month after tax, you need roughly $19,500 gross a year — before any saving. Add 30–40% on top if you want to save meaningfully.
How much is rent in Buenos Aires?
A one-bedroom in the centre averages $550 a month, $380 outside the centre. A three-bedroom runs $1,100 central and $750 further out.
Can you work remotely from Buenos Aires?
A digital-nomad visa exists; currency controls and banking are the harder practical problem.
Sources
- World Bank – ICP price level & PPP indicators— price levels, purchasing power normalisation
- OECD – Prices and purchasing power parities— price levels, household consumption
- Open-Meteo historical climate archive— climate
- exchangerate.host / ECB reference rates— currency conversion
Figures are modelled estimates built for comparison between cities, not a quote for any individual. Read the full methodology.