Cost of living in Argentina
The cost of living in Argentina ran at about 45% of US prices in 2021, and INDEC's basic food basket in Greater Buenos Aires was 235,103 pesos for one adult in August 2026.
Official prices, where your money goes further, and a budget built from your own rent and insurance. Checked against official sources on Oct 8, 2026.
- Price level
- ~45% of the US Household consumption, 2021. World Bank. Checked Oct 7, 2026.
- Food basket, Greater Buenos Aires
- ARS 235,103/mo (about $150) Official, household of 1, August 2026. INDEC. Checked Oct 8, 2026.
- Per person
- $152/mo Food basket divided by household size
- Tax on a foreign pension
- Up to 35% Foreign pensions are taxed. PwC Tax Summaries. Checked Oct 8, 2026.
Build your Argentina budget
No official source tracks what expats pay in rent, and rent is the biggest line in any budget. So this starts from what is measured, the government's food basket, and adds your own numbers.
Get rent from current listings in the area you like and a written quote for health insurance at your age; the total then shows how far it sits above the $1,266 Pensionado minimum.
Your monthly budget
$0
The official food basket
INDEC, Argentina's statistics office, values a basic food basket (Canasta Básica Alimentaria) for Greater Buenos Aires every month; it sets the indigence line. The figure is the minimum monthly cost of food only for one adult equivalent, a man aged 30 to 60, in August 2026. On INDEC's scale a man aged 61 to 75 counts as 0.83 and a woman of that age as 0.67.
| Area | August 2026 |
|---|---|
| Greater Buenos Aires (GBA) | ARS 235,103 (about $150) |
INDEC. Checked Oct 8, 2026.
Cost of living questions
How much do I need a month to live in Argentina?
It depends mostly on rent, which no official source tracks for expats. Start from the official food basket ($152 a person), add your rent and insurance quotes in the calculator above, and keep the $1,266 Pensionado minimum in mind as a floor, not a budget.
Is Argentina cheaper than the US?
On average, yes: the World Bank puts household prices in Argentina at about 45% of US levels (2021). Imported goods, cars and electronics can cost as much as at home or more.
Is Argentina cheap to retire in?
On the World Bank's 2021 comparison, prices ran at about 45% of US levels. INDEC's basic food basket for Greater Buenos Aires was 235,103 pesos a month for one adult in August 2026, up 39.6% on a year earlier.
How much does food cost in Buenos Aires?
INDEC's basic food basket was 235,103 pesos a month for one adult in Greater Buenos Aires in August 2026. That is the minimum for food only, not a comfortable budget.
