Argentina · ECONOMY
If you are moving to Buenos Aires with dollars, rents look affordable. If you earn pesos, the gap between wages and housing costs is the sharpest in the survey.
A decade that hollowed out purchasing power
Deutsche Bank Research Institute published the tenth edition of Mapping the World’s Prices on 13 July 2026, covering 69 cities. The authors, Jim Reid and Galina Pozdnyakova, found that Buenos Aires rents outran salaries dramatically.
A central three-bedroom flat now costs US$1,572 a month, up 89% from US$831 in 2016. Over the same decade, net dollar salaries fell 5%, from US$886 to US$842.
Disposable income after rent collapses
The report’s Figure 33 measures disposable income after rent for two working adults renting a central three-bedroom flat. Buenos Aires ranks 62nd of 69, with just US$112 left each month.
That is an 88% drop since 2016, the steepest decline in the entire sample. A low rank here signals hardship, not cheapness.
Where Buenos Aires ranks on salaries
Buenos Aires has a net monthly salary of US$842, ranking 59th out of 69 cities. Mexico City leads the region with US$1,059, while São Paulo follows at US$853 and Santiago at US$798.
The peso’s near-total collapse, down 99% from 30 June 2016 to 30 June 2026. Keeps Buenos Aires near the bottom of price tables in US dollar terms, the report notes.
Housing costs in the city centre
City-centre apartments cost about US$2,621 per square metre, ranking 64th of 69 cities. The report’s Figure 31 shows this is among the lowest in the survey.
Yet the rent rise over the decade has been severe, outpacing salary growth by a wide margin.
Inflation and the peso
Argentina’s inflation reached 2.1% in July 2026, up from 1.9% in June. Twelve-month inflation was 33.8%, per INDEC data reported by Reuters on 13 August 2026.
Prices have risen 19.3% since January.
The official exchange rate closed at 1,460 pesos per US dollar for buying and 1,510 for selling on 14 August 2026. El Cronista reported this.
The peso’s long-term slide is the backdrop for these numbers.
The mechanism is a decade of divergence. Dollar rents for a central three-bedroom flat rose 89 percent, from US$831 to US$1,572.
Net dollar salaries went the other way, falling 5 percent from US$886 to US$842. Disposable income after rent has collapsed 88 percent since 2016.
That is the steepest fall in the 69-city sample. Deutsche Bank measures the decade from 30 June 2016 to 30 June 2026.
Mexico City ranked 57th of 69 on net salary at US$1,059. Rio de Janeiro came 65th at US$594.
What the gap means for locals and expats
For expats earning dollars, Buenos Aires offers relatively low prices for housing and goods. For locals, low salaries and rising rents eat into purchasing power.
The report’s disposable income figure captures this divide directly. A city can be cheap in dollars but not in local terms, and the data shows the cost falls on residents.
Buenos Aires city-centre apartments cost US$2,621 a square metre, 64th of 69 cities. Santiago ranked 61st on net salary at US$798 and Bogotá 63rd at US$718.
The report is the tenth edition of Mapping the World’s Prices. Jim Reid and Galina Pozdnyakova wrote it for the Deutsche Bank Research Institute.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the net monthly salary in Buenos Aires per the 2026 Deutsche Bank report?
The net monthly salary after tax in Buenos Aires is US$842, ranking 59th out of 69 cities. This is below Mexico City’s US$1,059, São Paulo’s US$853, and Santiago’s US$798, according to the report published 13 July 2026.
How much is rent for a central three-bedroom flat in Buenos Aires?
A central three-bedroom flat costs US$1,572 per month, up 89% from US$831 in 2016, per Deutsche Bank’s report. This rent rise is the key driver behind the sharp drop in disposable income.
What does ‘disposable income after rent’ mean in the report?
It is what two working adults renting a central three-bedroom flat have left each month after paying rent. For Buenos Aires, that is US$112, down 88% since 2016, the steepest fall in the 69-city sample.
How does Buenos Aires compare with other Latin American cities on salary?
Mexico City has a net salary of US$1,059, São Paulo US$853, Buenos Aires US$842, Santiago US$798, and Bogotá US$718, per the report. Buenos Aires ranks 59th out of 69 cities overall.