Buenos Aires relocation guide
Rent in Buenos Aires
The useful rent comparison is the apartment, its building charges and its revision clause. A dollar headline alone hides all three.
- Studio asking rent
- US$394ARS 597,579
- 30 m², August 2026
- One-bedroom asking rent
- US$536ARS 811,651
- 43 m², August 2026
- Two-bedroom asking rent
- US$839ARS 1,271,692
- 70 m², August 2026
- Tenant agent commission
- US$0ARS 0
- Residential CABA leases, Law 5859
On this page
The short answer
The August 2026 Buenos Aires city asking-rent benchmark is US$394 (ARS 597,579) for a 30 m² studio, US$536 (ARS 811,651) for a 43 m² one-bedroom, and US$839 (ARS 1,271,692) for a 70 m² two-bedroom. These provisional figures cover used and new apartments. They do not quote furnished temporary accommodation, expensas or your final lease terms.
- The city 43 m² asking benchmark is US$536 (ARS 811,651) in August 2026.
- Q2 used 43 m² benchmarks run from US$466 in San Telmo (ARS 706,699) to US$559 in Colegiales (ARS 846,923) among these areas.
- Individuals renting a CABA home pay no real estate commission under the rules introduced by Law 5859.
- Under DNU 70/2023, parties can agree the rent currency, deposit and adjustment schedule.
Is rent in Buenos Aires expensive?
The city average gives scale. The apartment gives the decision. Use the cost of living guide to combine rent with bills. Then compare San Telmo, Almagro and Recoleta around your daily route. A neighborhood name cannot tell you a building's condition or charges.
Pros4
- Published size benchmarksThe city series standardizes one-bedroom asks to 43 m².
- No tenant commissionLaw 5859 bars residential CABA tenant agent commissions.
- Alternative areasSan Telmo's Q2 43 m² benchmark is US$466.
- Negotiated termsThe parties can choose the lease term under DNU 70/2023.
Cons4
- Separate building billThe single household basket records US$78 (ARS 117,691) in expensas before the model buffer.
- Variable adjustmentsThe parties can choose the revision index and frequency.
- Deposit negotiationThe law guide has no blanket one-month deposit ceiling.
- Different rental marketsThe 43 m² asking series does not price furnished temporary stays.
Rent per square meter by neighborhood
Provisional standardized 43 m² used-apartment series. This is asking rent, not signed rent. Puerto Madero is suppressed and remains unpriced.
| Neighborhood | 43 m² in US dollars | In pesos | 70 m² in US dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Telmo | US$466 | ARS 706,699 | US$652ARS 988,800 |
| Almagro | US$484 | ARS 733,792 | US$745ARS 1,128,685 |
| Caballito | US$506 | ARS 767,392 | US$776ARS 1,176,184 |
| Villa Crespo | US$525 | ARS 795,357 | US$807ARS 1,222,822 |
| Recoleta | US$528 | ARS 800,626 | US$796ARS 1,207,040 |
| Belgrano | US$537 | ARS 814,247 | US$870ARS 1,318,512 |
| Chacarita | US$538 | ARS 815,640 | Not published |
| Palermo | US$554 | ARS 839,053 | US$863ARS 1,307,505 |
| Colegiales | US$559 | ARS 846,923 | US$869ARS 1,316,604 |
The price difference between the selected 43 m² areas is smaller than many households expect. Furnishings, building condition and floor area can outweigh it. Compare Caballito with Belgrano, then inspect the actual commute. Do not rank Puerto Madero from a missing cell.
The August city series is newer, but it combines used and new apartments. The neighborhood table covers used apartments in Q2. Their difference does not establish a measured rent increase. Keep the month, covered area and property universe on every comparison.2,
Buenos Aires Expat Rentals: Video Tour of 6 Apartments in Palermo and Recoleta
A 2024 apartment tour for visual context. Use the dated primary sources on this page for current prices and rental rules.
Currency, deposits and tenant fees
| Clause | Current rule | What to request |
|---|---|---|
| Term | Parties can agree the term. Two years applies to a permanent home if no term was agreed. | Start, end, renewal and early-exit terms |
| Currency | Parties can choose the rent currency. | Currency, bank channel and payment receipt |
| Adjustments | Parties can choose index and revision frequency. | A worked example of the next revision |
| Deposit | Parties can agree amount and currency. | Return currency, deductions and timing |
| Commission | Individual residential tenants in CABA are not charged agent commission or report handling fees under the rules introduced by Law 5859. | Written itemization of each upfront charge |
| Guarantee | No general legal obligation to use one, but the owner can request it. | Accepted guarantee and any provider quote |
The landlord can ask for a guarantee even though the IVC says no general rule makes one compulsory. That can become a practical barrier for a newcomer. Ask which alternatives the owner accepts before paying to reserve the apartment. A guarantee quote belongs in your moving costs, not monthly rent.6
Read expense allocation in the contract. Request the latest expensas statement and distinguish shared services from special building works. An unusually low base rent can coexist with a large building bill. The official single owner basket reports US$78 (ARS 117,691) for expensas in August, but your building can differ.1,
The commission protection applies to an individual residential tenant. Official registry charges can still be payable. The ban concerns commission and report handling fees. Law 5859 introduced these protections into Law 2340. Its incorporation into that main law did not repeal the protection.6,
Inspect the home before committing
Get the complete offer
Request covered area, rent, currency, expensas, adjustment index, deposit, guarantee and move-in date in writing.
Check the apartment
Inspect water pressure, heating, windows, damp, street noise, elevator and usable workspace at your normal hours.
Confirm the address
Check the route to work or school and ask the internet provider for the exact building. A neighborhood-level fiber advertisement is insufficient.
Calculate revisions
Apply the contract formula to a sample revision. Keep the receipt and the signed inventory with photos.
Keep cash needs separate
Add deposit, furniture, temporary accommodation and any guarantee cost to a separate arrival budget.
Use getting around for the daily route, coworking for internet checks and the moving checklist for arrival sequencing. In families, a school route can matter more than a modest rent difference.
Dollar equivalents use ARS 1,515.50 per US dollar from the BCRA on October 8, 2026. Your payment provider can use another rate.1
Questions people ask
What is the asking rent for a studio in Buenos Aires?
The August 2026 city benchmark is US$394 (ARS 597,579) per month for a standardized 30 m² studio. It combines used and new apartment advertisements. Expensas, furnishings and contract terms need the actual offer.
How much is a standard one-bedroom asking rent?
The August city 43 m² one-bedroom benchmark is US$536 (ARS 811,651). The local term two rooms includes the living room. This is an asking benchmark, not a furnished lease quote.
What does a two-bedroom apartment cost in the city index?
The August 2026 standardized 70 m² two-bedroom asking benchmark is US$839 (ARS 1,271,692). The source calls it three rooms because it counts the living room.
Do Buenos Aires tenants pay the real estate commission?
Individual residential tenants within CABA are not charged real estate commission or report handling fees under the rules introduced by Law 5859. The IVC states an owner commission ceiling of 4.15%. Official registry fees can still be payable. Check the jurisdiction and itemized charges.
Is a one-month rental deposit the legal maximum?
The IVC explains that parties can agree the deposit amount and currency after DNU 70/2023. This guide does not apply an obsolete blanket one-month ceiling. Put the return conditions in writing.
Must every Buenos Aires lease last two years?
Parties can agree the lease term. For a permanent home, the IVC says two years applies when no duration was agreed. A short furnished contract and an ordinary residential lease can have different terms.
Can the owner set rent and deposit in dollars?
The IVC says parties can agree rent currency and deposit currency. Ask how payments and the returned deposit will be handled. This guide converts prices for comparison, without changing the contract currency.
What does expensas mean on an apartment listing?
Expensas are shared building charges. Ask for the current statement and the contract allocation. They can make the total housing cost materially higher than base rent alone.
Why is Puerto Madero missing from the rent chart?
The checked Q2 neighborhood workbook suppresses its value. We leave it unpriced instead of substituting an unrelated listing or guessing a luxury premium. Obtain comparable live offers for the size and contract you need.
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Sources and how we check them
Sources and how we check them8 sources
Every figure on this page comes from the official or primary source listed here. We checked them in . Rules and prices change, so confirm anything important with the source before you act on it.
- BCRA USD exchange API, October 8, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- IDECBA asking rents, August 2026, provisional city series (opens in a new tab)
- IDECBA used two-room asking rents by neighborhood, Q2 2026, provisional (opens in a new tab)
- IDECBA used three-room asking rents by neighborhood, Q2 2026, provisional (opens in a new tab)
- IDECBA household 3 consumption basket, August 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Buenos Aires IVC, rental rules after DNU 70/2023 and Law 5859 (opens in a new tab)
- CABA Law5859, articles1to3, residential natural-person tenant protections incorporated into Law2340 (opens in a new tab)
- CABA official legal database, Law5859 amendments incorporated into its principal law, checked October9,2026 (opens in a new tab)
Hero photo by Gelpgim22 (Sergio Panei Pirau), CC BY-SA 3.0 (opens in a new tab), from Wikimedia Commons (opens in a new tab).