São Paulo vs Buenos Aires Cost of Living
São Paulo (Brazil) · Overall index 35.9 — Buenos Aires (Argentina) · Overall index 37.3
Summary
- Overall, Buenos Aires is 4% more expensive than São Paulo.
- Telecom in Buenos Aires is 9% more expensive than in São Paulo.
- Transport in Buenos Aires is 9% more expensive than in São Paulo.
| Item | São Paulo | Buenos Aires | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +2% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $966 | $1,039 | +8% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $665 | $720 | +8% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $2,186 | $1,957 | -10% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,366 | $1,427 | +4% |
| Groceries | +2% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.55 | $0.67 | +22% |
| White bread (500g) | $1.73 | $1.94 | +12% |
| Rice (1kg) | $2.36 | $2.2 | -7% |
| Eggs (12) | $2.35 | $2.15 | -9% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $7.12 | $6.64 | -7% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $6.35 | $6.42 | +1% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $8.01 | $9.29 | +16% |
| Apples (1kg) | $2.5 | $2.55 | +2% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.05 | $1.03 | -2% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $1.99 | $2.18 | +10% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $2.58 | $2.51 | -3% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.33 | $1.39 | +5% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.38 | $1.22 | -12% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.07 | $1.13 | +6% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.12 | $1.19 | +6% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $6.84 | $7 | +2% |
| Transport | +9% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $0.91 | $1 | +10% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $42.2 | $46.7 | +11% |
| Taxi, base fare | $1.64 | $1.79 | +9% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.64 | $0.85 | +33% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.37 | $0.37 | 0% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $10,655 | $10,087 | -5% |
| Dining out | +3% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $8.37 | $8.77 | +5% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $48.8 | $51.1 | +5% |
| Fast food combo meal | $4.92 | $5.02 | +2% |
| Cappuccino | $2.15 | $2.15 | 0% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.15 | $1.06 | -8% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $2.74 | $2.96 | +8% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $3.05 | $3.3 | +8% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.75 | $0.8 | +7% |
| Telecom | +9% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $33.7 | $35.3 | +5% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $33 | $39.4 | +19% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.18 | $0.18 | 0% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $7.35 | $8.1 | +10% |
| Utilities & household | +3% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $88.5 | $77.6 | -12% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.11 | $0.11 | 0% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $2.26 | $2.47 | +9% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.64 | $0.67 | +5% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $10.7 | $11.9 | +11% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $34 | $40.9 | +20% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $6.59 | $8.07 | +22% |
| Men's haircut | $13.8 | $14.3 | +4% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $12.6 | $11.8 | -6% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,022 | $888 | -13% |
2,944 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
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