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: $1,393 in Buenos Aires versus $900 in Quilmes.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,191 in Buenos Aires versus $1,463 in Quilmes.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,988 in Buenos Aires versus $2,026 in Quilmes.

Living in Buenos Aires is roughly 55% more expensive than in Quilmes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Buenos Aires is 4% above, Quilmes is 33% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.82 ARS 21.9K

$9.09 ARS 13.4K

63.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.1 ARS 88.8K

$29.61 ARS 43.8K

102.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.97 ARS 17.7K

$8.75 ARS 12.9K

36.80%

Cappuccino

$3.99 ARS 5,898

$1.71 ARS 2,521

133.33%

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

$2.17 ARS 3,207

$1.28 ARS 1,887

69.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 ARS 2,169

$1.13 ARS 1,676

30.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.68 ARS 5,440

$1.19 ARS 1,754

209.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ARS 5,761

$2.76 ARS 4,079

41.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 ARS 2,371

$1.27 ARS 1,879

25.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 ARS 3,738

$1.53 ARS 2,266

65.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 ARS 3,279

$1.86 ARS 2,755

19.35%

Eggs

$3.17 ARS 4,683

$2.18 ARS 3,224

45.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.03 ARS 17.8K

$13.36 ARS 19.7K

-9.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.84 ARS 11.6K

$6.10 ARS 9,021

28.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.25 ARS 13.7K

$10.37 ARS 15.3K

-10.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 ARS 3,624

$1.90 ARS 2,803

28.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 ARS 3,012

$2.19 ARS 3,242

-6.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 ARS 1,932

$0.97 ARS 1,437

35.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.53 ARS 3,745

$2.68 ARS 3,966

-5.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 ARS 2,150

$1.17 ARS 1,733

23.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ARS 2,191

$1.38 ARS 2,038

7.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.79 ARS 2,643

$0.93 ARS 1,367

92.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 ARS 2,141

$1.84 ARS 2,713

-21.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 ARS 4,697

$3.35 ARS 4,947

-5.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.83 ARS 8,622

$4.22 ARS 6,244

38.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 ARS 3,277

$1.24 ARS 1,832

79.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 ARS 4,535

$3.06 ARS 4,517

0.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 ARS 988

$0.81 ARS 1,200

-17.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.26 ARS 24.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 ARS 2,333

$2.47 ARS 3,645

-36.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 ARS 1,267

$0.86 ARS 1,274

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 ARS 8,826

$6.10 ARS 9,021

-2.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ARS 1,653

$1.08 ARS 1,589

3.70%

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

$24.8K ARS 36.6M

$23.7K ARS 35.1M

4.44%

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

$29.2K ARS 43.2M

$25.6K ARS 37.8M

14.25%

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

$109 ARS 161.0K

$55.5 ARS 82.0K

96.45%

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

$21.47 ARS 31.7K

$18.78 ARS 27.8K

14.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.58 ARS 42.2K

$14.46 ARS 21.4K

97.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.73 ARS 61.7K

$26.49 ARS 39.1K

57.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.77 ARS 17.4K

$13.84 ARS 20.5K

-14.96%

Cinema Ticket

$9.25 ARS 13.7K

$4.98 ARS 7,355

85.74%

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

$325 ARS 479.6K

$220 ARS 324.5K

47.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,275 ARS 7.8M

$1,075 ARS 1.6M

390.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 ARS 165.0K

$61.0 ARS 90.1K

83.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$85.9 ARS 127.0K

$60.7 ARS 89.7K

41.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 ARS 181.5K

$108 ARS 160.3K

13.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 ARS 190.6K

$95.4 ARS 141.0K

35.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 ARS 970.6K

$342 ARS 505.3K

92.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ARS 661.6K

$241 ARS 356.7K

85.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,150 ARS 1.7M

$684 ARS 1.0M

68.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$814 ARS 1.2M

$540 ARS 798.2K

50.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,577 ARS 3.8M

$2,345 ARS 3.5M

9.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,844 ARS 2.7M

$1,793 ARS 2.7M

2.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$842 ARS 1.2M

$1,111 ARS 1.6M

-24.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

52.71

100

-47.29%

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

Last update for Buenos Aires: July 13, 2026

Last update for Quilmes: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $657 in Buenos Aires and $342 in Quilmes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Quilmes pays 32% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $60.0 in Buenos Aires vs $30.00 in Quilmes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $239 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 55% in total monthly costs ($1,393 vs $900 including rent). Quilmes is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 32% 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: $657 in Buenos Aires versus $342 in Quilmes. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $325 in Buenos Aires versus $220 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 $30.00 versus $60.0 in Buenos Aires. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $900 in Quilmes versus $1,393 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 55% less than in Buenos Aires. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.