Living and costs

Cost of living in Buenos Aires in October 2026: rent by barrio, bills, transport and a sample budget

By Nico F. · Updated October 14, 2026

General information, not legal, immigration or tax advice. Rules, exchange rates and prices change and every case has its own details. Before you pay, sign or apply for residency, check the current rules with an Argentine notary (escribano), lawyer or accountant.

Quick answer Rent is the largest line for one person; for a couple on a private health plan, the plan costs more than rent. A sample budget using median peso asking rents (mob.ar, September 2026) comes to ARS 1,734,489 a month for one person and ARS 2,795,289 for a couple, about USD 1,130 and USD 1,821 at ARS 1,535, both with an OSDE 210 plan at list price for ages 36 and over. The totals are floors: a furnished dollar-priced one-bedroom costs USD 750 to 1,150 in rent alone, and the one-person total leaves out building fees. Prices for ages 60 and over vary by plan, so a written quote is needed.

Terms used: an ambiente is the room count in rental listings (a 2 ambientes flat has one bedroom), barrio is a city neighborhood, expensas are building fees, a prepaga is a private health plan, SUBE is the public transport card, subte is the metro, DNI is the Argentine national ID, ICL is the rent-adjustment index published by the Central Bank and still used by agreement, and ENREGE is the new national energy regulator. USD conversions on this page use ARS 1,535 per US dollar, the Banco Nación selling rate on October 9, 2026 (El Cronista). They are rounded arithmetic, not source figures. The selling rate is used; at the buying rate of ARS 1,485 the dollar figures are about 3.4% higher. The national picture, inflation and city comparisons are in cost of living in Argentina.

How much is rent in Buenos Aires by barrio?

Three sources are shown separately because they use different methods and months. They are asking prices on published listings, not signed contracts, and they are not blended.

City statistics office (IDECBA), second quarter 2026. Average published rent for used apartments listed in pesos on Argenprop (provisional), in ARS per month:

Barrio 1 ambiente 2 ambientes 3 ambientes
City total 565,658 764,485 1,174,304
Palermo 613,037 839,053 1,307,505
Núñez 612,301 870,185 1,406,326
Belgrano 608,654 814,247 1,318,512
Recoleta 595,906 800,626 1,207,040
San Telmo 536,602 706,699 988,800

IDECBA reports year-on-year rises per square meter of 32.0%, 31.0% and 34.8% for the three sizes. It also reports that 25.4% of Argenprop listings of one to five rooms were priced in dollars on average, and that Comunas 14 (Palermo), 13 (Belgrano, Núñez, Colegiales) and 2 (Recoleta) account for 61.0% of the dollar-priced listings (82.0% with Comuna 1, which includes San Telmo and Puerto Madero). The peso table therefore leaves out a large share of listings in the northern barrios.

Zonaprop Index, September 2026 (reported by Infobae on October 8, 2026). Average asking rent for a standard unit: studio of 40 m2 ARS 779,370, two-room of 50 m2 ARS 898,154 and three-room of 70 m2 ARS 1,214,267. The two-room figure rose 1.3% in September, and rents in general rose 20.8% since January and 28.7% over the year (Zonaprop, via Infobae). Two-room averages by barrio ranged from Puerto Madero ARS 1,268,186 and Palermo ARS 1,005,424 to Lugano ARS 660,673 (the lowest listed).

mob.ar, September 2026. Median asking rent from 13,008 listings in pesos, with dollar-priced ads, houses, listings older than 90 days and the top and bottom 5% removed, in ARS per month:

Barrio 1 ambiente 2 ambientes 3 ambientes
City median 650,000 780,000 1,150,000
Palermo 700,000 850,000 1,300,000
Recoleta 600,000 750,000 1,300,000
Belgrano 700,000 830,000 1,300,000
Caballito 600,000 760,000 1,200,000
Núñez 700,000 920,000 1,400,000
Villa Urquiza 650,000 850,000 1,300,000

The three figures differ because IDECBA averages used apartments on one portal, Zonaprop indexes a fixed standard unit, and mob.ar takes a median of all trimmed ads.

Furnished, dollar-priced rentals are a separate market. According to Argentina Visa Law (updated September 2026), a firm that sells visa services, furnished one-bedrooms in Palermo, Recoleta and Belgrano run USD 750 to 1,150 a month and studios USD 650 to 700, for terms of one to twelve months or more, often with services and Wi-Fi included and no guarantor.

What does starting a lease cost, and what rules apply?

Item Price or rule As of Source
Expensas Median ARS 171,545 for a two-room apartment citywide; ARS 190,000 in Palermo June 2026 Argentina Visa Law
Move-in example About ARS 3.5 million for a Palermo two-room on a 24-month lease at ARS 990,748 a month: first rent, one-month deposit, guarantee insurance at the cash-discounted premium, first expensas of ARS 190,000, no commission. About ARS 4.0 million at the full premium, without the 25% cash discount (arithmetic) September 2026 Argentina Visa Law, illustrative
Guarantee insurance (seguro de caución) One provider's example: 7.6% of the whole contract paid once, so ARS 912,000 on 24 months at ARS 500,000 (ARS 684,000 if paid in cash); a different guarantee provider asks for a DNI and income of twice the first month's rent plus expensas September 2026 Argentina Visa Law
Agency commission In the City, the commission is capped at 4.15% of the total contract, charged to the landlord, and commission and report fees are banned for individual tenants in housing leases (Ley 5.859, arts. 1 to 3). Limits are listed below Law published September 8, 2017; applied by the IVC in its 2026 pages Ley 5.859 of the City; IVC
City guarantee programs Garantía+Fácil (up to 70% off the insurance premium) requires an Argentine DNI. Alquilar+Fácil (an interest-free loan of up to three months' rent) requires a DNI or permanent residence. The IVC pages show no application dates October 2026 IVC pages for Garantía+Fácil and Alquilar+Fácil

The move-in total depends on the premium. The 7.6% premium on 24 months at ARS 990,748 is about ARS 1.81 million, or about ARS 1.36 million with the 25% cash discount. The ARS 3.5 million total holds only with the discount, and Argentina Visa Law does not say which price it used. Guarantee-insurance costs vary by provider, so a written quote is needed.

The limits of Ley 5.859: it covers only housing leases in the City with an individual as tenant, so a company tenant and leases outside the City are outside it. In April 2019 the City's administrative appeals court declared the law unconstitutional in actions brought by brokers' groups (iProfesional, April 10, 2019). In July 2021 the City's Superior Court rejected CUCICBA's challenge and upheld the law (CELS, July 2021). The IVC applies it in 2026. A City Legislature committee dispatch of June 12, 2024 describes reports that agencies ask tenants for commissions. For the full rules, see apartments for rent in Buenos Aires: what foreigners need to know. According to Argentina Visa Law, a guarantor who owns property in Argentina is hard for a newcomer to supply, and furnished monthly rentals ask for a passport.

According to Primera Edición (July 6, 2026), contracts signed after DNU 70/2023 follow a free-contract regime: the parties choose the term (two years for permanent housing if the contract sets none), the currency, the deposit and the adjustment index. Unless the contract sets otherwise, the tenant may end the lease at any time by paying 10% of the rent remaining from the notice date to the agreed end date (art. 262). Eight opposition blocs have requested a special session of the Chamber of Deputies on October 15, 2026 to reject DNU 70/2023; it needs a quorum of 129 and its outcome was not known on October 14, 2026. A rejection could change the rental rules, so a lawyer should confirm what applies and what the contract says before signing. The ICL is still used by agreement. For October 2026, El Cronista (September 25, citing BCRA Comunicación B 13228/2026) reported quarterly +6.72%, four-monthly +9.83%, six-monthly +17.04% and annual +31.67%. The BCRA's ICL series (daily) shows 36.54 on October 1, 2026 against 27.75 a year earlier, a rise of 31.68% (arithmetic).

What do electricity, gas and water cost?

Item Published tariff or bill As of Source
Electricity, Edenor, category R1 (up to 150 kWh), before taxes Fixed ARS 1,812.81 plus ARS 159.128 per kWh October 2026 ENRE tariff table
Electricity, Edesur, category R1, before taxes Fixed ARS 1,771.06 plus ARS 157.116 per kWh October 2026 ENRE tariff table
Gas, Metrogas, City, category R1, before taxes, without subsidy Fixed ARS 4,534.59 plus ARS 324.31 per cubic meter From October 1, 2026 Metrogas, ENREGE resolution 720/2026
Water and sewer, AySA Projected average residential bill ARS 38,002.57 before taxes; tariff up 2.17% October 2026 Infobae and El Cronista

As arithmetic on those tariffs, 150 kWh on Edenor R1 costs ARS 25,682 and 80 cubic meters on Metrogas R1 costs ARS 30,479, both before taxes. The kWh and cubic-meter levels are assumptions, taxes and municipal charges are extra, and a real invoice is higher. Metrogas assigns the gas category from the last 12 months of use, so a household that heats may fall in a higher category with a higher fixed charge.

For an average Greater Buenos Aires household without subsidies, the IIEP UBA-CONICET tariff observatory reported September 2026 bills of ARS 49,770 for electricity, ARS 49,370 for gas and ARS 42,576 for water (Infobae, September 22, 2026). These are seasonal lows: electricity was 18.8% and gas 19.9% lower than in August, which press coverage attributes to the end of winter, and Dinamicarg reported July 2026 averages of ARS 68,210 for electricity and ARS 64,862 for gas. The IIEP does not publish the consumption it assumes, and its water figure may include taxes.

Subsidies are uncertain for a foreigner. The targeted energy subsidy (SEF) is registration-based: Metrogas states that eligibility depends on being registered and on household income at or below a ceiling tied to INDEC's total basket. A foreigner without a DNI should ask the utility whether registration is possible. Block sizes and bonuses change by month, and the regulator's table and Perfil give different subsidized block sizes for October, so no discount is assumed in this page.

What do buses, the subte, taxis and apps cost?

Item Price As of Source
City bus lines, minimum fare, registered SUBE ARS 920.48 (up 3.7%) October 2026 Infobae and El Cronista
Subte, one trip ARS 1,817, with discounts of 20%, 30% and 40% after 20, 30 and 40 trips a month October 2026 Infobae and El Cronista
Premetro, registered and unregistered ARS 635.95 and ARS 1,011.16 October 2026 Infobae and El Cronista
Taxi, day Flag fall ARS 1,920, then ARS 192 per 200 m or minute stopped; night trips cost 20% more In force on October 12, 2026 City of Buenos Aires tariff page

On the day tariff, a 10 km trip with no waiting costs ARS 11,520 (1,920 plus 50 units of 192, arithmetic on the City tariff). The budget below uses the registered-SUBE fare. An unregistered card pays more; the premetro, for example, charges ARS 1,011.16 unregistered against ARS 635.95 registered. A foreigner should ask whether a passport can be used to register a SUBE card.

The tariff above was in force on October 12, 2026. Decree 309/2026 called a public hearing for October 13, 2026 from 12:00 (virtual by Zoom, livestreamed, per the City government). The final tariff is to be confirmed on the City government taxi tariff page. iProfesional reported on September 11, 2026 that the proposal is a day flag fall of ARS 2,550 and ARS 255 per unit, then ARS 3,100 and ARS 310 in February 2027.

Uber publishes no fare table; the price appears only in the app. AirConnect, a transfer seller quoting Uber's own figures for the previous month and verified on September 30, 2026, gives an average UberX fare of ARS 34,157 from the city to Ezeiza airport (32 km, 43 minutes).

What do food and eating out cost?

For baskets, see the official food baskets in cost of living in Argentina. IDECBA's minimum food basket for an older couple who own their home was ARS 456,411 in August 2026. It is a statistical minimum diet, not a shopping bill.

Numbeo, a crowdsourced site, listed these prices for Buenos Aires on October 7, 2026: a meal at an inexpensive restaurant ARS 28,847, a mid-range three-course meal for two without drinks ARS 98,588, a cappuccino ARS 5,860 and a 0.5 L draft beer ARS 5,996. These are user entries, not measurements. Prices at ferias (street markets) and supermarkets can be compared locally; the budget assumes no saving.

What do phone and internet cost?

Plan Promotional price (ARS per month) List price after promotion As of
Personal mobile, 8 GB 23,000 64,120 October 6, 2026
Personal fiber, 300 Mbps 27,000 90,220 October 6, 2026
Movistar fiber, 600 Mbps 22,000 with a Movistar mobile line, 26,000 without 81,932 October 6 and 12, 2026

Source: iProfesional (October 6, 2026), quoting operator offers for new customers, with the Movistar fiber price also confirmed on Movistar's own page on October 12. Promotions last about six months. Numbeo's October 7 entries for a 10 GB mobile plan (ARS 38,666.66) and 60 Mbps broadband (ARS 47,187.36) sit between promotion and list prices.

A non-resident foreigner can buy a prepaid SIM with a passport: ENACOM Resolution 263/2023 requires operators to ask non-resident foreigners for a valid passport or travel document, and the line is registered to a named holder. Expats Argentina (updated October 2026, in Spanish) reports that the operator asks the planned length of stay and switches the line off at the end. A foreigner who wants a billed plan should ask the operator whether it can be opened with a passport.

What does a health plan cost in Buenos Aires?

According to Prepagaya, a price comparator, the October 2026 list price for OSDE 210 is ARS 208,430 up to age 27, ARS 320,904 from 28 to 35 and ARS 520,047 from 36 up. Swiss Medical SMG20 is ARS 353,333 up to age 35 and ARS 1,042,331 from 61. Fees rose between 1.7% and 2.9% among the companies Infobae lists in October 2026, and Decree 102/2025 caps the top age band at three times the first. Other comparators quote different prices for the same plan, so a written quote is needed. Details, the Feather international plan example and the hospital charging rule for foreigners are in cost of living in Argentina and the Argentina expat guide.

What would a monthly budget look like?

The table is an illustration built from the listed sources, not a statistic. Each line is taken as shown, from different months, and the sum of rounded lines is the total.

Line One person (ARS) Couple (ARS) How the line was taken As of and source
Rent 650,000 780,000 Median asking rent, citywide: one-room for one person, two-room for a couple September 2026, mob.ar
Expensas not included 171,545 Median for a two-room apartment citywide; no figure for a one-room unit June 2026, Argentina Visa Law
Electricity 49,770 49,770 September 2026 average household without subsidies, the seasonal low; July was ARS 68,210 September 2026, IIEP via Infobae
Gas 49,370 49,370 Same; July was ARS 64,862 September 2026, IIEP via Infobae
Water 42,576 42,576 Same; the figure may include taxes September 2026, IIEP via Infobae
Food 296,371 456,411 IDECBA minimum food basket: a man aged 25 who owns his home (IDECBA Hogar 3); an older couple who own their home (IDECBA Hogar 2) August 2026, IDECBA
Transport 40,501 81,002 44 bus trips a month per person at the registered-SUBE fare of ARS 920.48 (trip count assumed) October 2026, Infobae and El Cronista
Mobile 38,667 77,334 One 10 GB plan per person October 7, 2026, Numbeo
Home internet 47,187 47,187 One 60 Mbps connection October 7, 2026, Numbeo
Subtotal, no health plan 1,214,442 1,755,195 Sum of the lines above
Health plan 520,047 1,040,094 OSDE 210, age 36 and over, per person October 2026, Prepagaya
Total 1,734,489 2,795,289

At ARS 1,535 per dollar, the totals are about USD 1,130 for one person and USD 1,821 for a couple, or USD 791 and USD 1,143 without the health plan. With Swiss Medical SMG20 at age 61 and over (ARS 1,042,331 per person) in place of OSDE 210, the totals are ARS 2,256,773 (about USD 1,470) and ARS 3,839,857 (about USD 2,502). Prices for ages 60 and over vary by plan and need a written quote.

If rent is a furnished dollar rental at USD 750 to 1,150, replace the rent line with ARS 1,151,250 to 1,765,250. The totals then become about USD 1,457 to 1,857 for one person and USD 2,063 to 2,463 for a couple (ARS 2,235,739 to 2,849,739 and ARS 3,166,539 to 3,780,539). The Defensoría's renters' basket put food for a retired couple at ARS 638,994 in August 2026 (EconoBlog), about 40% above the couple's food line.

The food lines are minimum diets, so they are a floor. Going out, clothing, leisure, travel, medicines, deposits, guarantee insurance and taxes are not included, and the utilities line is a household average rather than one person's use. The result can be compared with the vendor ranges in cost of living in Argentina, where the retiree baskets are also described. Foreign cards and exchange rates are explained in the blue dollar page.

How can current prices be checked?

See also: cost of living in Argentina, Argentina expat guide, buying an apartment in Buenos Aires as a foreigner, buying a house or apartment in Argentina as a foreigner, retire in Argentina, best places to live in Argentina.

Sources

Argentina updates

Rule changes, prices and new guides for buying property and living in Argentina. No fixed schedule.