Best Cities to Live in South America 2026

Based on our Livability Score, Buenos Aires (Argentina) ranks #1 in South America in 2026 with a score of 61/100, and city-centre rent from around $767/month.

Top 5 in South America by Livability Score: #1 Buenos Aires, Argentina (61/100); #2 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (59/100); #3 Florianopolis, Brazil (55/100); #4 Medellin, Colombia (52/100).

Florianopolis (Brazil) has the lowest city-centre rent in our South America data at around $627/month for a 1-bedroom apartment.

By our Settler Safety Score — which blends homicide rate, democracy, political stability, and perceived safety — Buenos Aires (Argentina) leads South America with a score of 62/100. Homicide rate: 4.3 per 100,000.