Imagine living in a country where $950 a month gets you a cozy apartment in a green, pleasant, and safe neighborhood, delicious meals at local restaurants, and covers all your basic expenses.
No, this isn’t some remote village with poor infrastructure
But a mid-sized city in a nation more developed than some European countries.
While the average American spends $3,189 per month on living expenses, expats in the cities you will discover soon enjoy a comparable or better lifestyle for less than one-third of this value
That’s a 70% reduction in your cost of living.
I am talking about Argentina.
Moving to Argentina was very trendy in 1945, but recently came back to fashion.
“But is Argentina really safe?”
“What about the economic instability?”
“How difficult is it for an American or British to live there?”
These are the questions I get asked when I say that Argentina is becoming a top destination for retirement.
Today, I’m breaking down exactly how you can live comfortably on less than $950 per month in 3 stunning Argentinian cities that offer not just affordability, but safety, sunshine, and a quality of life that rivals many Western countries.
The best one of them is very close to the city I used to live.
If you’re looking to retire early, live abroad more affordably, and with a better quality of life, you’ll want to see these hidden gems.
We start with Córdoba
A city where the residents are proud of their local traditions, including their remarkably unusual accent. Even fluent Spanish speakers may find some elements of the Cordobés dialect challenging to understand.
But since I lived in Chile, I don’t find the Cordobés accent that ugly – I have seen worse.
The city has beautiful colonial architecture and serves as the heartland of Argentina, approximately 700 km northwest of Buenos Aires.
The climate in Córdoba has hot and wet summers perfect for outdoor activities and mild, dry winters that are comfortable for daily life.
Healthcare in Córdoba is robust, with a public system providing free care, but wait times can be long. The private sector, however, is highly regarded and offers quicker access, suitable for expats seeking prompt medical attention. This dual system ensures accessibility, with private insurance costing between $50 and $100 per month depending on coverage, making it affordable. Hospitals like Hospital Privado Universitario de Córdoba are noted for their quality.
The city’s infrastructure includes Ingeniero Taravella International Airport, located 9 km from the center, which is Argentina’s third-busiest airport. It connects to numerous domestic destinations and some international ones, such as Madrid
Living in Córdoba is very economical. A meal for two at a mid-range restaurant, such as El Papagayo, costs about $30. Monthly groceries for two people are around $360, covering essentials like milk ($1.50/liter), bread ($1.50/500g), and chicken ($5/kg). Utility bills, including electricity, water, and gas for a standard apartment, are approximately $118 per month.
Without considering rent, you can live in Córdoba with just $548 – even with rent, your costs would still be far below US$1000.
Considering everything, Córdoba is 45% cheaper than Chicago – With the extra benefit that it is much, much, safer than Chicago.
This is what a local told us:
“It’s a small city compared to Buenos Aires, but it’s one of the most developed in our country, so you will have plenty of things to do and places to visit if you want. About safety, just use common sense, don’t walk alone in shady areas at night, don’t leave phones/purses/bags alone in public places,etc. You don’t have to fear for your life or belongings on every street you walk. If you live in the city center expect, various construction sites on the road are slowing down the traffic.”
In fact, one of the most constant tips I heard from locals is that for an expat retiree, it is better to live in the villages surrounding Cordoba than in Cordoba itself.
And when I checked where you can live there, and for which price, it looked VERY good.
It’s possible to find houses in quieter villages surrounding the city for well under $100,000 – and they are truly beautiful.
By the way, if you’re reading this article, you’re probably planning to travel abroad for a longer time, and you want to save money and pay fewer taxes. I’ve written three top-rated Amazon books on living abroad, based on my experiences and insights from hundreds who’ve done the same – You can purchase them through this link.
The next Argentinian place is also a seaside city – Necochea
Necochea is located on Argentina’s Atlantic coast, approximately 530 km south of Buenos Aires. It has a population of about 80,517, making it a medium-sized coastal community.
There are many upsides of living in such a small city – I will tell you about them in a few seconds – but healthcare is probably the biggest downside. Necochea has a public hospital, but for specialized treatments, residents may need to travel to larger cities like Mar del Plata or Buenos Aires.
Another point is that for international travel, you will need to drive or take a bus to Buenos Aires.
And by the way, I already wrote about Buenos Aires in this article here.
Having said all that, time to mention about the positive points of this beautiful city.
- Beautiful beaches and a relaxed coastal lifestyle provide a peaceful retirement setting.
- The climate is temperate oceanic, with warm summers and mild winters, averaging 14.8°C annually, perfect for outdoor activities.
- The city’s relaxed pace and friendly community make it welcoming for expats.
But the best of all…
- The cost of living in Necochea is notably low. Without including rent, a person can live there for less than US$500 per month.
Including rent, this value would still be below US$1000, since you can rent an entire detached house for 450.000 Argentinian pesos.
This means less than US$430!
Just remember that in a smaller city like Necochea, not many people will speak English, so you must learn some Spanish – But don’t worry, there is a funnier and nicer way to learn a language. The method I use to learn new languages is this one (by using this link you get a 40% discount after trying for free, and if you subscribe, you’ll get a 40% discount!)
The third city in our top 3 is probably one that you already heard about.
The final name on our list, and one of the best places to retire in Argentina, is…
Mendoza
This city is the capital of the province of the same name, located in the Cuyo region of Argentina, approximately 1,000 kilometers south of Buenos Aires.
This positioning places it in the western part of the country, very close to Chile (where I used to live), and at the base of the Andes Mountains, making it a gateway to some of South America’s most spectacular scenery, including Aconcagua, the highest peak in the Americas.
According to recent estimates, the city has a population of around 120,000, while the greater metropolitan area, including surrounding regions, encompasses approximately 900,000 inhabitants, making it a significant urban center.
But Mendoza, in many ways, does not look like a large and noisy metropolitan area with almost 1 million people. The location, nestled between the Andes and fertile valleys, supports a diverse economy, with tourism, wine production, and agriculture playing key roles.
Mendoza has a climate somehow similar to what you find in Mediterranean regions, characterized by hot, dry summers and cool, dry winters, with minimal rainfall. Rain occurs mostly in the summer months, which is sufficient for the region’s irrigation-based agriculture, particularly its world-famous wine production.
Healthcare in Mendoza is provided through both public and private sectors. The public system has facilities like the Hospital Central de Mendoza, but wait times can be lengthy. For quicker access or higher-quality care, private hospitals and clinics are available to ensure comprehensive coverage and prompt medical attention. Medical insurance providers like OSDE and Swiss Medical have plans starting at $50–$100 per month.
The main airport serving Mendoza is Governor Francisco Gabrielli International Airport, just 10 kilometers from the city center. It offers flights to numerous domestic destinations, as well as international flights to cities like Santiago, São Paulo, and Lima.
Now let’s talk about the best part:
The Cost of Living to live in the “Argentinian Napa Valley”.
Yes, the comparison with California makes sense when we consider the weather, the wines, and the beauty of the mountains.
But the prices couldn’t be more different – Mendoza is 63% cheaper than San Francisco!
The average monthly cost for one person to live there, not including rent, is less than US$300!
Now let’s take a look at homes available both to rent and to sell – and you will be surprised.
You can rent an apartment in one of the best neighborhoods in the city, close to the Parque General San Martin, for just US$480 – and with a spectacular view!
In other parts of the city, you can find even cheaper apartments, like this one in the Calle 9 de Julio, for US$340.
This is less than the monthly price of a parking spot in large American cities like Boston!
Now let’s say you want to buy a home – and your budget is HALF the price of a home in Phoenix, Arizona (US$412,889) – meaning US$206,000.
What can you buy in Mendoza and its surroundings with this value?
You can buy a 265 square meter house – almost 3000 square feet – with an elegant living room with a fireplace, for just US$155,000!
For comparison, this tiny house in Chicago costs more, and is much smaller and in a much more violent place.
So the choice is quite obvious to me – what about you? Tell me in the comment section.
Now, one thing that many people ask is which one is better: Argentina or Uruguay?
I made the ultimate comparison between those two places – including an extraordinary tax incentive that one of them offers for expats – and you can check this comparison here.
Levi Borba is the founder of expatriateconsultancy.com, creator of the channel The Expat, and best-selling author. You can find him on X here. Some of the links above might be affiliated links, meaning the author earns a small commission if you make a purchase.
