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Studio apartments in Buenos Aires: why it's now difficult to find them for less than $500,000 - Ambito Financiero
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Monoambientes en CABA: por qué ya cuesta conseguirlos por menos de $500.000
La demanda se mantiene firme por los departamentos también llamados de un ambiente. Cuáles son los valores promedio zona por zona en la Ciudad.
www.ambito.com
April 22, 2026
By Jose Luis Cieri
Demand remains strong for studio apartments. What are the average prices in each area of the city?
Modern studio apartment with functional partition, integrated kitchen and compact design, a type that is increasingly in demand in the rental market
In Buenos Aires , renting a studio apartment is no longer an affordable option. Prices now exceed $500,000 pesos per month in much of the market, with increases outpacing inflation and sustained demand putting pressure on the available supply.
Currently, there are over 1,600 apartments with these characteristics in Buenos Aires, also known as studio apartments . Prices are high for first-time renters, and maintenance fees start at $180,000.
According to Leandro Molina , country manager of Zonaprop, this segment accounts for a significant portion of market interest. “In Buenos Aires, studio apartments represent approximately 19% of searches on the portal,” he explained, while linking this trend to the profile of today's tenants.
“It is mainly young people, students and people who are going through their first move or looking for independence, which positions the studio apartment as the entry option to the market due to its lower relative cost,” he added.
In terms of prices, Molina noted that the market is experiencing a sustained increase. “The average value of apartments has accumulated a 9.6% increase in the first quarter of 2026. A 40 m2 studio apartment in CABA is around $704,704 per month.”
Along those lines, he emphasized that the increases are not solely due to inflation. “Rental values rose 3% in March and have accumulated a 34.7% increase over the last twelve months, exceeding both inflation, which was 31.5%, and the adjustment of the Rental Contract Index (ICL) .”
Among the most expensive
Within this framework, Núñez is consolidating its position as one of the hottest spots in the market. “From March 2025 to March 2026, rents in this neighborhood increased by 39.30%, and today a rent costs $792,800 per month,” Molina stated.
Terrace of a building with studio apartments for rent in an area near Avenida Cabildo and Crisólogo Larralde, in Núñez
The phenomenon, he explained, is due to a structural change in demand. “The northern corridor has begun to see a greater supply of offices and businesses, and as a result, many people are looking to live close to their workplaces.”
The neighborhood revelation
Another noteworthy finding is the emergence of Parque Chas among the neighborhoods with the highest property values, despite not historically being a premium area. Molina stated: “The northwest corridor has registered a year-on-year increase of 35.9% in rental values, and Parque Chas in particular rose by 36.96%,” Molina indicated.This is compounded by strong demand growth. “There has been a 38% increase in search volume within Zonaprop, which directly impacts prices.”
From the market, Adrián Ridelnik of Guimat Propiedades offered a more micro-level perspective on this phenomenon, which places the city's only labyrinthine neighborhood among the most expensive to rent in today. "Parque Chas is in high demand due to its tranquility and style," he noted. Based on active listings, he detailed that studio apartments start at around $480,000 and quickly exceed $530,000, with areas between 30 and 37 square meters.
He also described the most sought-after areas within the neighborhood. “The areas near streets like Barzana, Bauness, or Bucarelli concentrate a large part of the offerings, as do the passageways of the historic center.”
Ridelnik explained that urban morphology plays a key role. “It’s a low-density neighborhood, with curved streets and little traffic, which limits the development of new projects and keeps prices up.”
Offer at a different pace
The flip side of this dynamic is the available supply, which isn't growing at the same rate as demand. Architect Oscar Puebla , of Puebla Real Estate, highlighted this point. “Studio apartments are highly sought after, especially by investors. These units are priced below US$100,000, ideal for mortgages, which means many don't end up on the rental market.”Along those lines, he was emphatic about current prices. “A small apartment for $500,000 is really hard to find.” And he explained the logic behind that pressure. “It’s supply and demand. The ones that are available rent quickly, and there aren’t as many as before.”
Avenida de los Incas at 4600, in Parque Chas, a highly sought-after neighborhood for rentals. Mariano Fuchila
Puebla also highlighted a clear difference with larger apartments. “The paradox is that large apartments are harder to rent. In Puerto Madero, for example, properties priced above $1,500,000 don't sell quickly.” This directly impacts profitability. “Smaller apartments perform better than larger ones.”
Dollar-denominated agreements, stable
Regarding price trends, he indicated that there is a duality depending on the currency of the contract. “Rentals in pesos are adjusted according to the Consumer Price Index (CPI), while those in dollars remain more stable. Today, even those who are paid in dollars feel they are losing ground to inflation in pesos.”Finally, he pointed out that there are areas with potential that are not yet meeting the full demand. Puebla added: “The south of the city, like Parque Patricios, has good connectivity, a new subway, and more affordable prices. It has nothing to envy in other, more expensive neighborhoods.”
Among the most sought-after studio apartments are those with their own balcony.
In that context, he concluded that the studio apartment market will remain under pressure until the relationship between supply and demand is balanced, in a scenario where the search for small units remains one of the main entry points to renting in the City.
Prices
The price map shows marked differences depending on the area, with a clear lead in the northern corridor and lower values towards the west and south of the City.According to Zonaprop, the following are the average rental prices for studio apartments in CABA (City of Buenos Aires) for units of approximately 40 m2:
Puerto Madero: $1,186,600.
Nuñez: $792,800.
Belgrano: $777,700.
Palermo: $776,200.
Colegiales: $756,400.
Parque Chas: $744,900.
Saavedra: $744,700.
Chacarita: $744,200.
Recoleta: $741,800.
Villa Crespo: $727,500.
Villa Urquiza: $720,800.
Coghlan: $718,400.
Almagro: $701,400.
Villa Ortuzar: $700,200.
Agronomia: $698,100.
Little horse: $697,000.
Withdrawal: $692,900.
Villa Pueyrredon: $687,700.
Paternal: $684,200.
Villa Luro: $683,900.
Villa Devoto: $681,800.
Barracas: $666,900.
Chacabuco Park: $666,600.
Villa del Parque: $665,500.
San Telmo: $662,500.
Villa Gral. Mitre: $659,800.
Parque Avellaneda : $658,300.
Monserrat: $656,000.
Parque Patricios: $653,200.
Velez Sarsfield: $652,400.
San Cristobal: $650,700.
Santa Rita: $647,600.
Balvanera: $640,600.
Monte Castro: $639,000.
Flores: $638,600.
San Nicolás: $630,100.
Boedo: $630,100.
Constitucion: $624,900.
Mataderos: $606,600.
La Boca: $602,400.
Floresta: $599,700.
Lugano: $590,700.
Liniers: $578,300.
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