Compare countries

Argentina vs Peru

Two places, side by side — for anyone weighing where to move.

AR flagPE flag
South America
AR flag
Argentina
Capital Buenos Aires · 44M people · Peso
South America
PE flag
Peru
Capital Lima · 32M people · Sol
Cost of living
Peru
$174/mo
Safety
Argentina
0.2/5
Getting around
Argentina
0.9/5
Culture
Argentina
0.6/5
Passport reach
Argentina
not scored
Airports
Peru
13M passengers/yr
Climate
Depends on you
not scored
Overall
Argentina edges it, 3–2.
Across 5 scored factors, each counted once — we don't weight them for you. Healthcare, visas and tax aren't included.

Cost of living

monthly median · solo budget

Peru leads
$1,148/mo
Argentina
$974/mo
Peru

Cost in the three biggest cities

Buenos Aires$1,148
Mendoza$1,056
Lima$1,015
Arequipa$828
Cusco$974

Between the two, Peru is cheaper — $974/mo vs $1,148/mo. Argentina is cheaper than 11 of 15 Latin America countries; Peru is cheaper than 14 of 15 Latin America countries.

Safety

safety index

Argentina leads
1.5/5
Argentina
1.4/5
Peru

Between the two, Argentina is safer — 1.5/5 vs 1.4/5. Argentina is safer than 10 of 15 Latin America countries; Peru is safer than 9 of 15 Latin America countries.

Getting around

transit & transport systems

Argentina leads
3.0/5
Argentina · everyday transit
2.1/5
Peru · everyday transit
3.9/5Walkability2.1/5
2.9/5Transit1.9/5
2.0/5Cycling1.0/5
3.1/5Airport access2.9/5

Between the two, Argentina scores higher on mobility — 3.0/5 vs 2.1/5. Argentina is easier to get around than 14 of 15 Latin America countries; Peru is harder to get around than 9 of 15 Latin America countries.

Culture

cultural depth

Argentina leads
4.0/5
Argentina
3.3/5
Peru

Top cultural centers

Argentina
4.1/5
Buenos Aires
Theatre
3.1/5
Mendoza
Festivals
1.3/5
San Carlos de Bariloche
Festivals
Peru
3.5/5
Lima
Arts
3.3/5
Cusco
Museums
1.3/5
Arequipa
Festivals

Between the two, Argentina scores higher on culture — 4.0/5 vs 3.3/5. Argentina is richer in culture than 14 of 15 Latin America countries; Peru is richer in culture than 10 of 15 Latin America countries.

Passport reach

what the passport opens

Argentina leads
109Visa-free destinations81
62%GDP reach58%
1076Heritage sites reachable997

Argentina's passport reaches 109 destinations visa-free to Peru's 81 — Argentina opens more doors without a visa. Passport strength shifts over years of naturalisation, not months of planning, so it's a long-horizon footnote — not scored in the tally.

Airports

international connectivity

Peru leads
9Major airports7
23MAnnual passengers37M

Between the two, Peru is better connected — 37M passengers/yr vs 23M passengers/yr. Argentina is quieter than 46 of 87 countries worldwide; Peru is busier than 48 of 87 countries worldwide. Argentina sees ~53 air passengers per 100 residents a year; Peru sees ~1 air passenger per resident a year — a derived figure, not itself ranked.

Climate

where most people live · °C

Depends on you
Argentina-4°C to 35°C

Extremes — coldest Río Gallegos -22°C

Peru11°C to 31°C

Extremes — coldest Sicuani -7°C; hottest Puerto Maldonado 39°C

-30°-10°10°30°45°

Argentina runs -4°C to 35°C for most people; Peru runs 11°C to 31°C for most people. Río Gallegos runs colder, at -22°C; Sicuani runs colder, at -7°C and Puerto Maldonado runs hotter, at 39°C. Depends on you — which range fits your tolerance is the real question here, not a score.