Should you visit Buenos Aires, Argentina or New York City?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel cost comparison between Buenos Aires, Argentina and New York City can help. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Buenos Aires, federal capital of Argentina, also known as "The City of Tango", is best known for its energetic and unpredictable character. Like a restless child, Buenos Aires is a dynamic and modern city full of surprises. While its French-style palaces, rooftop restaurants, wide avenues and green plazas resemble European-style architecture, Buenos Aires preserves its musical, literary and culinary traditions. You can't miss dining in front of a Tango show, walking around the colourful streets of La Boca and visiting the renowned Recoleta Cemetery, designed by Argentina's most important architects and home to hundreds of illustrious corpses.
New York City
The most populated city in the United States, New York City, sits at the mouth of the Hudson River and encompasses both the island of Manhattan as well as the surrounding land on Long Island, most of which is known as Brooklyn. It's a cultural, culinary, theatrical, and art center that has much to offer domestic and international travelers alike. The city covers an area of 305 square miles and has a population of about 8.2 million people in the city proper with 18.7 million in the metropolitan area.
Which city is cheaper, New York City or Buenos Aires, Argentina?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Average Daily Cost
Per person, per day
Buenos Aires, Argentina
$71
New York City
$238
The average daily cost (per person) in Buenos Aires, Argentina is $71, while the average daily cost in New York City is $238. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Buenos Aires, Argentina and New York City in more detail.
Accommodation
The average price for accommodation for two people in Buenos Aires, Argentina is $56. This is for two people sharing a typical double occupancy hotel room.
For a normal double-occupancy room in New York City, $274 is the average cost for a hotel room. Also in New York City, the typical price for a place to stay for one person is $137, such as in a hostel.
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Accommodation
Hotel or hostel for one person
Buenos Aires, Argentina $28
New York City $137
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Accommodation
Typical double-occupancy room
Buenos Aires, Argentina
$56
New York City
$274
Food
In Buenos Aires, Argentina travelers spend around $23 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
New York City food costs typically run travelers around $37 per day. Eating every meal in a nicer restaurant will drive the cost up, and grabbing fast food or casual meals will help you save money.
Typical Food prices in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Buenos Aires, Argentina:
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Lunch
$0.22
-
Cup of Coffee
$0.13
-
Empandas
$0.16
-
Espresso
$0.08
-
Dinner (Pizza)
$0.13
-
Ice Cream
$0.12
-
Breakfast at Airport
$0.32
-
Dinner (Sandwiches)
$0.09
-
Sweets
$0.06
-
Hot Dog
$0.07
-
Breakfast (Take-Away)
$0.12
-
Lunch for 2
$1.43
-
Cake and Coffee
$4.61
-
Dinner
$16
-
Powerade
$1.01
-
Lunch
$7.25
-
Dinner
$11
-
Chocolate
$27
Typical Food prices in New York City
For New York City, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in New York City
For New York City, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
New York: Dumbo Food Tour:
$13
-
SoHo, Little Italy and Chinatown Lunch or Dinner Tour:
$48
-
Chinatown Food Tour:
$50
-
Brooklyn: 3-Hour Williamsburg Bites Food Tour:
$56
-
New York Pizza, Beer, and History Tour:
$69
-
Midtown Manhattan: Sights & Bites Food Tour:
$69
-
New York Lower East Side Food Tour:
$75
-
Lonely Planet Experiences: Brooklyn Small-Group Food Tour:
$79
-
Brooklyn: 4.5-Hour Slice of Brooklyn Pizza Tour:
$82
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Food Tour of Chinatown New York:
$89
-
New York City Food Tour:
$89
-
New York Chinatown and Downtown Walking and Food Tour:
$114
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around Buenos Aires, Argentina is $11 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
To get around in New York City, the average visitor spends $39 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
-
Local Transportation
Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
Buenos Aires, Argentina $11
New York City $39
Typical Local Transportation prices in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Buenos Aires, Argentina:
-
Taxi from Airport
$1.16
-
Local Bus
$0.03
-
Metro Ride
$0.02
-
Taxi to airport
$0.30
-
Taxi
$0.81
Typical Local Transportation prices in New York City
Some typical examples of transportation costs in New York City are as follows:
-
Subway
$4.50
-
Taxi Ride
$8.00
-
Subway
$2.50
Hired Cars and Shuttles in New York City
Also for New York City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
Airport Limousine Transfer one-way - John F Kennedy Airport - Lincoln MKT:
$239
-
Airport Limousine Transfer one-way - LaGuardia Airport - Lincoln MKT:
$194
-
Airport Limousine Transfer one-way - Newark Liberty International Airport - MKT:
$256
-
EWR Private 1-Way Transfer from NYC City Center Hotels:
$144
-
EWR to NYC City Center Hotels: 1-Way Private Transfer:
$161
-
JFK - Executive Class Airport Sedan/SUV/Van Transfer:
$119
-
JFK to Manhattan Cruise Port: Private Car Transfer:
$135
-
JFK to NYC City Center Hotels: 1-Way Private Transfer:
$157
-
LGA Private 1-Way Transfer from NYC City Center Hotels:
$126
-
LGA to NYC City Center Hotels: 1-Way Private Transfer:
$141
-
LaGuardia - Manhattan Cruise Port Private Transfers:
$99
-
LaGuardia Airport-Brooklyn Cruise Port Private Transfer:
$96
Is it cheaper to fly into Buenos Aires, Argentina or New York City?
Prices for flights to both New York City and Buenos Aires, Argentina change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Entertainment
Buenos Aires, Argentina's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $23 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
In New York City, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $77 per person, per day.
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Entertainment
Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
Buenos Aires, Argentina $23
New York City $77
Typical Entertainment prices in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Here are a few typical costs in Buenos Aires, Argentina for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
Typical Entertainment prices in New York City
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for New York City's activities, tours, and tickets:
-
Comedy Show Tickets
$56
-
City Map
$8.00
-
Broadway Musical
$111
-
Broadway Show Program
$10
-
Magazine
$6.99
Tours and Activities in New York City
For New York City, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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New York: Brooklyn Heights & DUMBO Self-Guided Walking Tour:
$6.00
-
NYC: Battery Park and Statue of Liberty Self-Guided Tour:
$6.00
-
Grand Central Terminal Self-Guided Audio Tour:
$9.00
-
9/11 Tribute Museum Admission Ticket:
$12
-
Central Park Zoo General Admission Ticket:
$14
-
New York Self-Guided Audio Tour:
$14
-
Brooklyn Museum General Admission Ticket:
$14
-
NYC: 9/11 Tribute Museum & Optional Memorial Walking Tour:
$15
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9/11 Tribute Museum Ticket:
$15
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New York: 2-Hour Superhero Walking Tour:
$18
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New York: The Rubin Museum of Art Admission Ticket:
$19
-
New York Aquarium Admission Tickets:
$20
Alcohol
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Buenos Aires, Argentina may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $13 per day on alcoholic beverages.
Typically, people visiting New York City spend on average $23 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Typical Alcohol prices in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Buenos Aires, Argentina from other travelers:
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Beer
$0.10
-
Beer (0.66L)
$0.17
-
Cocktail
$0.26
-
Alcohol
$5.79
Sample the Local Flavors in New York City
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in New York City:
-
Greenwich Village Pub Crawl:
$20
-
Pub Crawl Tour of Historic Stone Street:
$40
-
New York Hell's Kitchen 3-Hour Pub Crawl:
$75
-
Wine Tasting Sail Aboard The Classic Schooner Shearwater:
$101
-
Long Island Wine Tour:
$105
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Buenos Aires, Argentina and New York City, we can see that New York City is more expensive. And not only is Buenos Aires, Argentina much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Buenos Aires, Argentina is in South America and New York City is in North America, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Buenos Aires, Argentina would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Buenos Aires, Argentina and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in New York City would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in New York City than you might in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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