Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenos Aires and Quilmes Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenos Aires and Quilmes

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,633 in Buenos Aires versus $932 in Quilmes.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,744 in Buenos Aires versus $1,553 in Quilmes.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,855 in Buenos Aires versus $2,174 in Quilmes.

Living in Buenos Aires is roughly 75% more expensive than in Quilmes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Buenos Aires is 18% above, Quilmes is 32% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.99 ARS 28.6K

$5.58 ARS 8,412

240.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 ARS 105.1K

$35.58 ARS 53.7K

95.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.75 ARS 19.2K

$9.20 ARS 13.9K

38.59%

Cappuccino

$3.81 ARS 5,755

$2.92 ARS 4,401

30.48%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 ARS 3,262

$1.70 ARS 2,565

27.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 ARS 2,566

$1.65 ARS 2,487

3.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.61 ARS 5,452

$3.99 ARS 6,019

-9.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 ARS 6,865

$2.26 ARS 3,414

101.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 ARS 2,132

$1.02 ARS 1,540

38.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 ARS 3,717

$1.58 ARS 2,391

55.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ARS 2,390

$1.66 ARS 2,509

-4.82%

Eggs

$2.79 ARS 4,212

$2.36 ARS 3,558

18.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.16 ARS 15.3K

$13.14 ARS 19.8K

-22.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.03 ARS 15.1K

$6.09 ARS 9,184

64.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.76 ARS 20.8K

$9.92 ARS 15.0K

38.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 ARS 4,194

$1.90 ARS 2,861

46.32%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 ARS 3,125

$1.50 ARS 2,270

38.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 ARS 2,142

$1.02 ARS 1,537

39.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 ARS 3,100

$2.12 ARS 3,201

-2.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 ARS 1,796

$0.91 ARS 1,378

30.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ARS 1,728

$0.63 ARS 947

82.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.75 ARS 2,634

$0.71 ARS 1,073

146.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ARS 2,626

$0.68 ARS 1,020

155.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ARS 6,436

$4.98 ARS 7,507

-14.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.65 ARS 8,528

$4.33 ARS 6,533

30.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 ARS 3,336

$1.23 ARS 1,859

79.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 ARS 4,052

$1.90 ARS 2,873

41.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 ARS 1,093

$0.98 ARS 1,477

-26.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.88 ARS 42.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.62 ARS 2,443

$1.57 ARS 2,364

3.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ARS 1,546

$0.98 ARS 1,480

4.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.61 ARS 11.5K

$7.34 ARS 11.1K

3.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ARS 2,024

$1.13 ARS 1,708

18.58%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$28.8K ARS 43.4M

$51.0K ARS 76.9M

-43.56%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$34.2K ARS 51.6M

$39.1K ARS 58.9M

-12.44%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$202 ARS 305.1K

$59.3 ARS 89.4K

241.24%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$23.17 ARS 35.0K

$14.44 ARS 21.8K

60.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.01 ARS 46.8K

$21.74 ARS 32.8K

42.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.1 ARS 77.1K

$30.26 ARS 45.7K

68.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.08 ARS 25.8K

Cinema Ticket

$10.99 ARS 16.6K

$10.17 ARS 15.3K

8.06%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$459 ARS 692.9K

$299 ARS 451.7K

53.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,949 ARS 13.5M

$4,229 ARS 6.4M

111.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$113 ARS 170.6K

$96.4 ARS 145.5K

17.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$91.7 ARS 138.4K

$35.43 ARS 53.4K

158.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 ARS 175.5K

$64.4 ARS 97.2K

80.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 ARS 203.0K

$71.3 ARS 107.5K

88.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$714 ARS 1.1M

$476 ARS 718.6K

49.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$506 ARS 763.5K

$313 ARS 472.8K

61.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,622 ARS 2.4M

$970 ARS 1.5M

67.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,288 ARS 1.9M

$770 ARS 1.2M

67.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,636 ARS 4.0M

$2,385 ARS 3.6M

10.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,847 ARS 2.8M

$1,815 ARS 2.7M

1.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$907 ARS 1.4M

$1,085 ARS 1.6M

-16.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

56.56

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Buenos Aires: September 7, 2026

Last update for Quilmes: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $714 in Buenos Aires and $476 in Quilmes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Quilmes pays 20% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $70.0 in Buenos Aires vs $36.00 in Quilmes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $282 vs $209 per month, with Quilmes cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Buenos Aires vs Quilmes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Buenos Aires and Quilmes differ by about 75% in total monthly costs ($1,633 vs $932 including rent). Quilmes is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 20% lower in Quilmes. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $714 in Buenos Aires versus $476 in Quilmes. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $459 in Buenos Aires versus $299 in Quilmes. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Quilmes – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $70.0 in Buenos Aires. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $932 in Quilmes versus $1,633 in Buenos Aires, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Quilmes but tight or insufficient in Buenos Aires. The gap between the two cities makes Quilmes the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Buenos Aires and Quilmes are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Quilmes gentler on the wallet – expenses run 75% less than in Buenos Aires. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.