Buenos Aires ($14/sqft, 17.4% vacancy) and Mexico City ($30/sqft, 22.6% vacancy) compete on different axes: Buenos Aires on talent depth and Mexico City on rent and tax.
Buenos Aires ($14/sqft, 17.4% vacancy) and Mexico City ($30/sqft, 22.6% vacancy) compete on different axes: Buenos Aires on talent depth and Mexico City on rent and tax.
| Metric | Buenos Aires | Mexico City |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Americas | Americas |
| Country | Argentina | Mexico |
| Class A rent (USD/sqft/yr) | $14 | $30 |
| Class A rent (local) | 14 USD | 580 MXN |
| Vacancy | 17.4% | 22.6% |
| Trend | flat | flat |
| Prime yield | 8.8% | 7.4% |
| Premium flex / seat / month (USD) | $280 | $380 |
| Submarkets covered | 5 | 5 |
| Corporate tax | 35% | 30% |
| Metric | Buenos Aires | Mexico City |
|---|---|---|
| Typical term | 5 yrs | 5 yrs |
| Typical rent-free | 5 mos | 6 mos |
| Lease norms | Net leases. 3-5 year terms. Trophy international leases predominantly USD-denominated with USD payment required. Domestic peso leases include high inflation indexation. | Net leases. 5-7 year terms with renewal options. Free rent of 4-9 months and TI of MXN 1,200-2,200/sqm typical. Most trophy leases are USD-pegged for international tenants. |
| Tax note | 25-35% Argentine federal corporate income tax (graduated). 21% VAT. Gross income tax (provincial), various municipal taxes. FX restrictions and capital controls historically apply. | 30% Mexican corporate income tax (ISR). 16% VAT (IVA). IMMEX (maquiladora) program offers temporary import duty deferrals for export-oriented manufacturing tenants. |
| Metric | Buenos Aires | Mexico City |
|---|---|---|
| Talent index (0–100) | 82 | 78 |
| Talent note | Deepest tech engineering and creative talent in Latin America (per capita). Strong feed from UBA, ITBA, UADE. Spanish-English bilingual professional base. Cost arbitrage versus US/Europe is structural — material for tech engineering services. | Deep banking, professional services, and engineering talent. Strong feed from UNAM, IPN, ITAM, Tec de Monterrey. Spanish-English bilingual professional base growing rapidly. |
Buenos Aires: Buenos Aires Subte (6 lines), Metrobús (BRT), commuter rail (Sarmiento, Mitre, San Martín, others). Ezeiza International Airport (EZE) bus-served; Aeroparque (AEP) closer to the city.
Mexico City: Mexico City Metro (12 lines, the second-largest in the Americas), Metrobús BRT (7 lines), Tren Suburbano. Mexico City International Airport (MEX) connected via Line 4 BRT; new Felipe Ángeles International (NLU) bus-served.
Buenos Aires is the cheaper Class A market on a USD basis.
Buenos Aires has the deeper talent index (82/100 vs 78/100).
Mexico City has the lower headline corporate tax (30% vs 35%). Local incentives can change the effective rate materially.
Buenos Aires typical term is 5 years with 5 months free; Mexico City runs 5 years with 6 months free.
Buenos Aires: Buenos Aires Subte (6 lines), Metrobús (BRT), commuter rail (Sarmiento, Mitre, San Martín, others). Ezeiza International Airport (EZE) bus-served; Aeroparque (AEP) closer to the city. Mexico City: Mexico City Metro (12 lines, the second-largest in the Americas), Metrobús BRT (7 lines), Tren Suburbano. Mexico City International Airport (MEX) connected via Line 4 BRT; new Felipe Ángeles International (NLU) bus-served.
Score Buenos Aires, Mexico City and up to two more markets side-by-side on Class A rent, vacancy, talent, corporate tax, and premium flex pricing — all in USD.
Reviewed by Miriam Hollander — Lead market analyst. Last updated 2026-04-15. See our methodology and editorial standards.