Cost of Living in Buenos Aires 2012
Argentine Money, Feature — By DiegoBelow is a list of different prices in Buenos Aires. Our most recent update was on Feb. 10th. Surprisingly, there were quite a few prices that decreased in the food category. This is a nice change from the typical inflation that is usually experienced in Buenos Aires. We update our cost of living every quarter, and usually there is about a 6-7% increase in prices, although this number varies greatly between categories.
Feel free to comment below with prices you have noticed going up or down, or what your monthly costs are.
EBA Staff
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It is impossible to give a number on how much you can expect to spend while living or visiting Buenos Aires. It all depends on how you like to spend your money, and how much of it you have to spend. Below are approximate numbers to give you an idea of what your monthly cost of living could be in Buenos Aires. Remember that all prices are in Argentine Pesos. These are current prices as of May 2010. Keep in mind, there is inflation in Argentina of about 2% – 3% every month.
Here is my monthly budget for Buenos Aires – what you can expect to spend in Argentine pesos. For more detailed information, see below.
Monthly Cost of Living in Buenos Aires
Monthly Budget in Argentine Pesos
Apartment
$1,700
(Living in a shared apartment, all inclusive)
Food
$700
Necessities
$200
Things like soap, shampoo, garbage bags, etc.
Transportation
$100
includes the odd taxi ride, but mostly bus and subway
Cell
$60
Entertainment
$1,400
(bars, theatre, clubbing, eating out, etc)
Total
$4,160
Total of what you can expect to spend converted into major currencies:
US$
$957.22
CAN$
$958.88
EUR €
$725.92
UK ₤
$607.78
Apartments in Buenos Aires
**prices stated are in Argentine pesos**
Variations in cost are because it depends on the location, size, and quality of your apartment. These prices are all based on apartments that you´d find in the most popular neighbourhoods for travellers: San Telmo, Recoleta, Centro, Barrio Norte, Palermo, Belgrano, Colegiales, Villa Crespo. Keep in mind though that prices vary depending on which of these neighborhoods you are looking in. Palermo, Recoleta, Barrio Norte, tend to be the most expensive, with Belgrano right up there as well.
A room in a shared apartment: $ 1350+
**This usually includes internet, phone, cable, condo expenses, etc.
Your own studio apartment, as a temporary furnished rental: $2800 + A decent place will likely cost you around $3100 +
**This usually includes internet, phone, cable, condo expenses, etc.
Your own one bedroom, as a temporary furnished rental: $3000 + A decent place will likely cost you around $3300 +
**This usually includes internet, phone, cable, etc.
Your own studio, renting long term with a garantia: $1800+
**this includes apartment fees (known as expensas). But not things like phone, internet, cable, and electricity.
Your own one bedroom, renting long term with a garantia: $2200+
**this includes apartment fees. But not things like phone, internet, cable, and electricity.
Extras
**prices stated are in Argentine pesos**
Internet: $85 – $145 depending on company and if you can get a special starting offer. This is for 3M high speed cable, DSL or ADSL. Also can depend on the arrangement your building has with the internet company.
Cable TV: $80+
Electricity: $20+ *Much higher if you use electric heat or air conditioning.
Phone: $25+ *$25 gets you a phone line, but you have to pay to make calls to cell phones and of course, long distance.
New cell phone: $140 and up, for an unlocked pay as you go phone (although they are hard to find at that price)
Cell phone monthly payments: $20+ Can be a plan or pay as you go. $20 would be if you don´t make many calls, only lots of texts. You can get a decent plan on a smart phone for $80+ pesos per month.
Food
**prices stated are in Argentine pesos**
Food will probably cost you about $600 – $800 pesos a month. If you are very careful about eating cheaply, and don´t eat a lot of expensive meat or chicken, you might be able to keep it between $450 – $600.
| Food | Curent Price in pesos | Unit | Price in Oct 2011 | % increase |
| Filet Mignon | $53.99 | kg | $53.99 | 0.0% |
| Good Ground Beef | $22.99 | kg | $25.99 | -11.5% |
| Whole Chicken | $11.99 | kg | $8.25 | 45.3% |
| Skinned/ boneless Chicken Breast | $32.89 | kg | $33.99 | -3.2% |
| Salmon Filet | $94.99 | kg | $95.99 | -1.0% |
| Hake | $29.99 | kg | $29.99 | 0.0% |
| Mussels, frozen and without shell | $29.99 | kg | $29.99 | 0.0% |
| extra virgin olive oil: | $34.35 | 500 g | $32.69 | 5.1% |
| Can of good tuna | $9.45 | 170g | $9.29 | 1.7% |
| Good Rice | $5.25 | 500g | $5.45 | -3.7% |
| pasta | $5.85 | 500g | $5.99 | -2.3% |
| Jar of Strawberry Jam | $14.77 | 390 g | $13.99 | 5.6% |
| 6 eggs | $6.59 | 6 | $6.79 | -2.9% |
| Milk | $4.19 | 1L | $4.07 | 2.9% |
| Stick of Butter | $4.45 | 100g | $4.39 | 1.4% |
| Ground Coffee | $8.32 | 250g | $8.32 | 0.0% |
| Fruits and Veggies | ||||
| Red Pepper | $12.99 | kg | $15.99 | -18.8% |
| Carrots | $6.99 | kg | $4.49 | 55.7% |
| Tomatoes | $8.99 | kg | $8.99 | 0.0% |
| Zucchini | $9.99 | kg | $13.99 | -28.6% |
| White Potatoes | $3.49 | kg | $3.99 | -12.5% |
| Brown Onions | $3.99 | kg | $7.99 | -50.1% |
| Bananas | $7.99 | kg | $5.99 | 33.4% |
| Red Delicious Apples | $9.99 | kg | $9.99 | 0.0% |
| Pears | $9.99 | kg | $9.99 | 0.0% |
| Strawberries | $34.99 | kg | $16.99 | 105.9% |
| Kiwi | $18.99 | kg | $19.90 | -4.6% |
| Mandarins | $9.99 | kg | $9.99 | 0.0% |
| Lemons | $17.59 | kg | $5.99 | 193.7% |
| Beverages | ||||
| Bottle of good wine | $54.00 | 750ml | $56.19 | -3.9% |
| Bottle of decent cheap wine | $22.99 | 750ml | $23.99 | -4.2% |
| 26 oz bottle of Smirnoff | $50.68 | 750ml | $50.68 | 0.0% |
| 26 oz bottle of Jonny Walker Red | $104.46 | 750ml | $104.46 | 0.0% |
| Cleaning Supplies | ||||
| Liquid Laundry Detergent | $48.99 | 3L | $45.90 | 6.7% |
| Palmolive Body Wash – 250ml | $12.20 | 250ml | $12.79 | -4.6% |
| Pantene Shampoo | $34.67 | 750ml | $34.69 | -0.1% |
| Colgate Toothpaste | $8.40 | 180gr | $8.45 | -0.6% |
| Transportation | ||||
| Taxi | $7.30 | - | $5.80 | 25.9% |
| Subway | $2.50 | - | $1.10 | 127.3% |
| City Bus | $1.10 | - | $1.10 | 0.0% |
| Train | $0.80-$4.30 | - | $0.80-$4.30 | 0.0% |
Entertainment
**prices stated are in Argentine pesos**
Prices are the usual costs. It can be higher or lower, depending on where you go.
Movie: $16 – $25 in a nice theater
Bottle of decent wine: $12 – $20
Bottle of very good wine: $25 and up
1L beer: $4.70 – $8.00
Entrance to clubs: $20 – $50
Entrance to Milongas: $15 – $35
Bottle of beer in bar/club: $10 – $25
Highball or cocktail in bar/club: $15– $40
Entrée in a nice restaurant: $40 – $70
Dessert in a nice restaurant: $12 – $25
Glass of wine in a nice restaurant: $15 – $25
Bottle of mediocre to decent wine in a nice restaurant: $40 – $60
Dinner for two, incl. 1 appetizer, two main courses, one dessert, and a bottle of wine:
*Cheap restaurant: $125+
*Nice restaurant: $200 +
Theater: $20 – $250+ Typical price for a broadway-style show is around $100 – $150
Museum: Free – $25
Live music show: $15 – $100+
Transportation
**prices stated are in Argentine pesos**
Taxi: $7.30+ From Palermo to the Obelisk: $40
Bus: $1.10 – $1.75
Subway: $2.50
Train: $0.80-$4.30 (mainly used to go from the suburbs into Buenos Aires).
**prices stated are in Argentine pesos**
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62 Comments
Great information. Thank you. Here in Boston you need at least $5,000 a month just to get by..thats no extras -cooking at home. I do speak of a 3 bedroom in the down town area.
How much are gym memberships on average??
I have lived in both Uruguay and Argentina and I love both of them. It always amazed me that Buenos Aires, for being such a beautiful, robust city, is comparatively very inexpensive.
Hi,
A membership at a good gym will cost about $120 pesos and up per month.
- Diego
My costs are higher, but I am living in an expensive hood. If I was in a comparable area in Toronto my costs would be at least double, but likely more. Transportation, wine, beer and going out to eat is much cheaper. Mixed drinks are not and imported products are not. Subte is up to 2.50 btw and the collectivos will be going up next week for those who don’t have a sube card.
Those prices are pretty accurate.
As for gym membership, I’d say it averages out at about 200 pesos…a bit cheaper for a neighbourhood type gym and more expensive for one of the fancy gym chains.
How much do hookers cost in Buenos Aires?
great website, keep up the updates. i’m planning on heading over to B.A. in September for 6 months or so. Any tips on working visas or working in B.A. that long? extending visas etc? I know the tourist visa is good for 3 months.
I’m wondering what the availability of employment is for expat americans in argentina. Obviously it will vary based on your occupation, but are companies generally willing to hire foreigners? If I was willing to do manual labor, what would be the chances of getting a job?
If you’re only there for six months, you will be able to renew the visa by leaving the country and coming back in. If you hope to work, you can try to get a working visa, although that is not an easy feat, especially if only there for 6 months. Good luck!
Diego
Hi Robert,
I have never spoken to any expats that have done manual labour. However, keep in mind that working conditions and pay are often worse in Argentina for certain jobs, and my guess is that salaries for manual labour are very low.
Getting a job as an expat can be difficult, a lot of companies won’t hire you unless you have a working visa, and you can’t get a visa without having a company sponsor you (you can eventually get one on your own, but it takes a while). Also, you have to speak good Spanish to get a job at most companies.
There are certainly other options though, and companies that will help you get a visa. Check http://exposebuenosaires.com/work-in-buenos-aires/ for more info.
- Matt
i read this articale before i arrive at BA, sept 2011, and now i am reading it again. I can say the prices are almost correct. But one thing troubling being an expat here is converting our income in pesos to Dollars. Govt restricted so much, and now i am not able to send any money outside. I think this is not a good idea to work here as a expat. Very sad situation here, u have to earn and u have to spend here , no other go (officially). Only way is grey market. But we have to pay 20% premium, which means we can save only 80% what we can save. I recommend not come, untill everything settles here.