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Buenos Aires on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Yes: with empanadas, pizza by the slice, free parks and a SUBE card, Buenos Aires works well on a budget. A realistic minimum is about US$63 per person a day: US$25 for a bed, US$25 for food, US$10 for sights and US$3 for transport.
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | US$25 | US$60 | US$180 |
| Food & drink | US$25 | US$50 | US$120 |
| Sights & tickets | US$10 | US$40 | US$120 |
| Local transport | US$3 | US$10 | US$40 |
| Per person, per day | US$63 | US$160 | US$460 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Buenos Aires day-cost table.
Free things to do
- Plaza de Mayo, the Cabildo exterior and the Metropolitan Cathedral with San Martín's tomb.
- Free guided tours of the Casa Rosada on weekends, booked online.
- The Sunday street fair along Defensa Street and Plaza Dorrego in San Telmo.
- The Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur, a riverside nature reserve beside Puerto Madero.
- The Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes in Recoleta, generally free.
- The Palermo parks, including the Bosques de Palermo and the Floralis Genérica steel flower in Recoleta.
Cheap eats
- Empanadas: US$1.50–3 each.
- Choripán from a grill cart on the Costanera Sur: US$4–7.
- Pizza and fainá by the slice, standing: US$3–5.
- Milanesa (breaded cutlet) plate: US$10–18.
- Medialunas with coffee for breakfast: US$4–7.
Where to sleep for less
Budget travellers stay in San Telmo, close to the Sunday market, with doubles from about US$40–80 and hostel dorms cheaper; Palermo also has many hostels, closer to bars and restaurants.
Getting around cheaply
Get a SUBE card for the Subte and buses, which are very cheap. Ride-hailing (Uber, Cabify) is affordable for night trips. From Ezeiza airport, the Tienda León bus or the slower local buses are cheaper than a taxi; the journey takes about 45–60 minutes. Aeroparque, the domestic airport, is about 15 minutes from Palermo.
A sample budget day
- Morning: medialunas and coffee (about US$5), then Plaza de Mayo and the Cathedral (free).
- Lunch: a few empanadas in San Telmo (about US$6).
- Afternoon: walk the Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur and Puerto Madero (free), with a choripán (about US$5).
- Evening: pizza by the slice on Avenida Corrientes and a free street performance or a cheap milonga (about US$10).
- Total: about US$63 including a US$25 hostel bed and the Subte.
More ways to save
- Plan your Teatro Colón visit for a cheap upper-gallery performance ticket rather than only the tour.
- Visit the Sunday San Telmo fair for street food and free tango in the plaza.
- Buy wine in supermarkets; good Argentine Malbec costs a fraction of restaurant prices.
- Ask about efectivo (cash) discounts in small shops and restaurants, which some offer.
- Eat dinner early by local standards (around 20:00) at places with a set menu.
- Walk between neighbourhoods on the long tree-lined avenues to save on transport and see more.
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Common questions
Can you visit Buenos Aires on a budget?
Yes. Hostels, empanadas, pizza by the slice, free parks and museums, and cheap public transport keep costs to about US$63 a day.
How do I get cheaply from Ezeiza airport to the city?
Take the Tienda León bus or a local bus with a SUBE card; a ride-hailing car is more expensive but faster with luggage. Allow 45–60 minutes.
Is there a cheap way to see tango?
Yes. Go to a milonga, a local dance hall, for a few dollars, or watch the free street tango in San Telmo on Sundays.