Methodology
How the figures are built, how current they are, and what they cannot tell you.
What we measure
For each of the 19 cities we estimate seven monthly spending categories in US dollars: rent, groceries, transport, utilities, internet, coworking and entertainment. We do this for three lifestyles (frugal, average, comfortable) and three housing types (room, 1-bed apartment, family apartment): nine budgets per city.
Declared sources
- Rent listing platforms (FincaRaiz, Properati, Inmuebles24)
- Numbeo community data
- Local supermarket and transport surveys
- Coworking rates
- Expat community feedback
The current figures are modeled estimates built from those sources. We did not store a source for each individual value, so we do not present them as observed prices.
Period and updates
The data covers Q1–Q2 2026 (January to May) and was last reviewed on 18 May 2026. It has not been re-verified since. When we update a city, its date will change; we never change a date without reviewing the data.
Household adjustment
We assume the room and 1-bed scenarios describe one adult, and the family scenario two adults and two children. If you choose another household, we scale groceries and entertainment with the OECD-modified equivalence scale (1 for the first adult, 0.5 per extra adult, 0.3 per child) and transport per person (each child counts as half). Rent, utilities, internet and coworking stay the same. Those results are labelled “modeled for your household”.
Exchange rates
Everything is in US dollars at the exchange rate of the data period. Where currencies are volatile, such as Argentina or Venezuela, the dollar cost can move quickly.
What is not included
Health insurance, school fees, taxes, immigration paperwork, travel, clothing, pets and one-off costs.
How to use the data
The figures are for comparison and planning, not financial, legal or tax decisions. Before using third-party data in any paid product, we check its licence terms.
See a number that does not match your experience? Tell us.