Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Quilmes Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Quilmes

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $920 per month in Chiang Mai vs $937 in Quilmes, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,558 in Quilmes, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,895 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,179 in Quilmes, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 2% cheaper than Quilmes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Quilmes are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 33% lower, Quilmes 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.11 ฿69.1

$5.63 ARS 8,421

-62.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.75 ฿648

$35.56 ARS 53.2K

-44.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 ฿192

$9.23 ARS 13.8K

-36.62%

Cappuccino

$1.76 ฿57.8

$3.03 ARS 4,540

-41.91%

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

$0.74 ฿24.37

$1.71 ARS 2,556

-56.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿10.90

$1.64 ARS 2,453

-79.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 ฿81.0

$3.90 ARS 5,845

-36.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 ฿127

$2.19 ARS 3,285

77.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ฿62.4

$1.02 ARS 1,530

86.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ฿54.7

$1.62 ARS 2,427

3.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 ฿44.24

$1.65 ARS 2,463

-18.18%

Eggs

$2.14 ฿70.2

$2.28 ARS 3,407

-6.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿521

$13.18 ARS 19.7K

20.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.83 ฿92.9

$5.84 ARS 8,747

-51.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.53 ฿345

$9.80 ARS 14.7K

7.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ฿78.2

$1.94 ARS 2,900

22.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.01

$1.56 ARS 2,342

-31.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.79

$1.02 ARS 1,523

49.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿49.30

$2.22 ARS 3,326

-32.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿41.96

$0.97 ARS 1,445

31.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.17

$0.64 ARS 960

71.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ฿22.54

$0.68 ARS 1,021

1.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.18

$0.69 ARS 1,029

-28.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$4.89 ARS 7,316

-12.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.78 ฿550

$4.37 ARS 6,545

283.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 ฿54.4

$1.22 ARS 1,821

36.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ฿92.3

$1.87 ARS 2,802

50.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.44

$1.07 ARS 1,603

-15.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ฿1,801

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 ฿39.24

$1.57 ARS 2,351

-23.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ฿17.78

$1.01 ARS 1,519

-46.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿77.9

$7.11 ARS 10.6K

-66.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿46.88

$1.10 ARS 1,645

30.00%

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

$21.1K ฿691.5K

$49.9K ARS 74.7M

-57.78%

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

$27.1K ฿890.2K

$38.2K ARS 57.2M

-28.99%

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

$64.7 ฿2,124

$60.6 ARS 90.8K

6.78%

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

$13.19 ฿433

$14.24 ARS 21.3K

-7.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.44 ฿638

$22.39 ARS 33.5K

-13.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.45 ฿1,294

$32.98 ARS 49.4K

19.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿124

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 ฿217

$9.91 ARS 14.8K

-33.20%

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

$805 ฿26.4K

$343 ARS 512.9K

135.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿496.1K

$4,553 ARS 6.8M

232.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,796

$96.3 ARS 144.2K

-43.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.43 ฿834

$35.57 ARS 53.2K

-28.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 ฿3,015

$64.7 ARS 96.8K

42.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.7 ฿2,449

$69.4 ARS 103.8K

7.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 ฿15.3K

$489 ARS 731.8K

-4.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 ฿9,251

$314 ARS 470.8K

-10.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.2K

$947 ARS 1.4M

-5.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.1K

$718 ARS 1.1M

-27.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,985 ฿65.1K

$2,333 ARS 3.5M

-14.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,462 ฿48.0K

$1,759 ARS 2.6M

-16.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.4K

$1,107 ARS 1.7M

-46.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

54.72

-89.82%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 17, 2026

Last update for Quilmes: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $467 in Chiang Mai versus $489 in Quilmes. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 87% higher in Quilmes, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $36.00 in Quilmes. Groceries tell a different story – $237 in Chiang Mai vs $208 in Quilmes – so Quilmes wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Chiang Mai vs Quilmes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Quilmes costs about 2% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,380 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,406 in Quilmes. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $36.00 in Quilmes. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 14% cheaper in Quilmes – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $920, than in Quilmes at $937. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Quilmes it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $920 versus $937 in Quilmes. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Quilmes makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.