Cost of Living in Buenos Aires 2010
Argentine Money, Feature — By MattIt 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. For more detailed information, see below.
| Monthly Budget | ||
| Cost | ||
| Apartment | $1,200 | (Living in a shared apartment, all inclusive) |
| Food | $450 | |
| Necessities | $80 | Things like soap, shampoo, garbage bags, etc. |
| Transportation | $80 | includes the odd taxi ride, but mostly bus and subway |
| Cell | $40 | |
| Entertainment | $1,000 | (bars, theatre, clubbing, eating out, etc) |
| Total | $2,850 | |
| (approximately US $730 CA $770 Euro €580 Pounds £500) | ||
Apartments in Buenos Aires
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.
A room in a shared apartment: $ 950+
**This usually includes internet, phone, cable, condo expenses, etc.
Your own studio apartment, as a temporary furnished rental: $2100 +
**This usually includes internet, phone, cable, condo expenses, etc.
Your own one bedroom, as a temporary furnished rental: $2300 +
**This usually includes internet, phone, cable, etc.
Your own studio, renting long term with a garantia: $1000+
**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: $1200+
**this includes apartment fees. But not things like phone, internet, cable, and electricity.
Extras
Internet: $65 – $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: $100 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
Laundry Detergent: $6 for 500g
Body Wash: $8-$10 for 250 ml
Shampoo: $10 250ml Pantene shampoo
Clarín Newspaper: $2.50 during the week
Toothpaste: $3 – $10
Internet Cafe: $1.50 – $3.00 per hour
Food
Food will probably cost you about $500 – $600 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 $3350 – $400.
Cheap cuts of meat: $15 – $35 per kilo
Good cuts of meat: $25 – $85 per kilo
Full Chicken: $15 – $30
Skinned and boned chicken breast: $25 – $35 per kilo
Salmon filet: $45 – $85 per kilo
Hake: $20 – $22
500 ml extra virgin olive oil: $15 – $25
Can of tuna: $3 – $9
500g Rice: $4 – $9
1KG bag pasta: $4 – $7
Jar of Jam: $7 – $25
6 eggs: $3 – $6
1L Milk: $2.75 – $5
500g Coffee: $12 – $40
Fruits and Veggies (per Kilo)
**The variation is how the price per kilo varies throughout the year, and also depends on where you buy your produce**
Red Pepper: $4 – $14
Avocado: $8 – $14
Carrots: $3 – $5
Zucchini: $3 – $8
Tomatoes: $3 – $8
Potatoes: $2 – $4
Onion: $2.50 – $4
Bananas: $4 – $5
Apples: $4 – $8
Plums: $4 – $8
Strawberries: $8 – $30
Kiwi: $8 – $12
Mandarins: $2 – $3
Lemons: $5 – $12
Entertainment
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: $8 – $20
Bottle of very good wine: $20 and up
1L beer: $2.70 – $5.00
Entrance to clubs: $20 – $50
Bottle of beer in bar/club: $6 – $20
Highball: $12 – $35
Entrée in a nice restaurant: $35 – $65
Glass of wine in a nice restaurant: $12 – $25
Bottle of mediocre to decent wine in a nice restaurant: $25 – $60
Dinner for two, incl. 1 appetizer, two main courses, one dessert, and a bottle of wine:
*Cheap restaurant: $100
*Nice restaurant: $175
Dessert in a nice restaurant: $12 – $25
Theater: $20 – $250+
Museum: Free – $25
Live music show: $15 – $100+
Transportation
Taxi: $3.80 and up
Bus: $1.10 – $1.75
Subway: $1.10
Train: $0.80-$4.30 (mainly used to go from the suburbs into Buenos Aires).
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16 Comments
Nice article, what about the cost of healthcare? Is there health/dental/vision insurance in BA?
Thanks for your input, I´ll get some costs up for health care in the next little while. I actually have a few posts coming out in the next couple of days about health care
- Matt
I have found an apartment on my own for $700 a month, it is a small one bedroom in palermo soho, i think the costs in this article are quite high.
Hi Ben,
Keep in mind these prices are in pesos. Basically, for a one bedroom, you can find one for around US$550 and up.
- Matt
We have created bugets for all kinds of pocket books and are happy to share our findings. If your coming and want some ideas on how to spend what you do have, give us call.
Mark Cervantes
http://www.toursthroughargentina.com
mcervantes@toursthroughargentina.com
713-370-0048
011-54-11-37935017
Are you sure? I live in Buenos Aires and I promise living in this city is more expensive of that. Perhaps is cheaper when you just go to visit a place and have minimun expenses…
Hi Roberto, thanks for input. I’ve lived here for 3 and a half years, I’d say my expenses are pretty much what any person living here would have. What part are you referring to? Im guessing my budget, because the price quotes aren’t arbitrary, whereas the budget is. Obviously, a budget can vary hugely, depending on how you want to live. What is your budget like?
m_) thanks for the info. It helps a lot. And I will see if I can estimate on my own.
– Dan
Nice costs breakdown. BA wasn’t quite as cheap as I had hoped for, but it still is quite affordable, and you can eat Beef like a King!
Hello guys and gals
I would like to ask a few things.
Is the currency sign on the top for us dollars or argentinian currency.. if it is for argentinian currency than my calculation could be correct.
Would $ 9000 argentinian currency be enough to settle down with my wife and 3 year old daughter?
Thanking in advance
All prices are in pesos (argentine currency). However, at the very top of the post, I do an estimate in dollars. Thats a monthly budget for myself, living alright, but not going crazy.
(approximately US $730 CA $770 Euro €580 Pounds £500)
Its hard to say if $9000 pesos is enough to settle down. Depends on if you can find work or not. $9000 will probably last you about 2-3 months here, supporting two other people. A one bedroom apartment will set you back at least $2000, probably more, like $2200, $2400 (for a furnished, all included place). If you want a 2 bedroom, it will be a lot more. Food will probably cost close to $1000 pesos. Plus, if you are here with family, you are going to want a health plan, which for three, I have no idea, but probably over $300, if not a lot more (all depends on the kind of plan you want).
Anyway, take a look at my Cost of Living page, prices are in pesos, and if you are wondering about other prices, let me know.
Good luck,
Cheers,
Matt
Hello Matt.
I was wondering if you can help me with this calculations please.
I am from South Africa and I am 33 years old married and a 3 year old daughter. My dad passed away a few month back and left me with a property which I lease out every month. The income I get NET is about R 17 200 (rands) ie ($ 2300 US) and $ 9000 pesos. The person that is renting my property can transfer the funds into my account which i can always take out in Argentina every single month.
can you break down these expenses please.
Firstly, is it difficult getting a long term visa for Argentina?
1) 2 bedroom apartment not furnished. Well I would like to stay a minimum of 1 year so I would buy my own furniture. Even if it means that I am staying slightly out of the city in a quietier area.
1.a) what is the cost more or less for the rentals?
1.b) what is the cost more or less for the water ?
1.c) what is the cost for electricity?
I read somewher on this website about a 10% inflation? is it 10% per year or month?
Matt if possible can I keep asking other questions on costing on a daily basis so I can do my homework on my side before jumping the gun?
Thanking in advance.
With us$2300 per month, you can live well in the United States my friend.
This use of $ to represent pesos is confusing I must say… but I get that the bottom line is we’re talking around $750 US dollars per person per month living in the heart of BA.
That sounds cheap … you’re messing with my head my friend. It seems I need to double up on my Spanish classes.
Wow! Nice break down. Is the cost of living in Argentina pretty much the same (outside of Buenos Aires)? How about the other major cities?
It seems pretty cheap, but I guess that is all relative.