Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Quilmes Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Quilmes

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $932 in Quilmes.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $1,553 in Quilmes.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $2,174 in Quilmes.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 143% more expensive than in Quilmes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 64% above, Quilmes is 32% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$5.58 ARS 8,412

214.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$35.58 ARS 53.7K

81.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$9.20 ARS 13.9K

26.63%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$2.92 ARS 4,401

11.64%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$1.70 ARS 2,565

46.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$1.65 ARS 2,487

1.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$3.99 ARS 6,019

-13.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$2.26 ARS 3,414

58.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.02 ARS 1,540

15.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.58 ARS 2,391

23.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$1.66 ARS 2,509

-6.02%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$2.36 ARS 3,558

69.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$13.14 ARS 19.8K

0.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$6.09 ARS 9,184

38.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$9.92 ARS 15.0K

83.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.90 ARS 2,861

22.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.50 ARS 2,270

15.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$1.02 ARS 1,537

89.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$2.12 ARS 3,201

24.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$0.91 ARS 1,378

108.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$0.63 ARS 947

234.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.71 ARS 1,073

102.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.68 ARS 1,020

17.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$4.98 ARS 7,507

40.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$4.33 ARS 6,533

36.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$1.23 ARS 1,859

10.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$1.90 ARS 2,873

13.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$0.98 ARS 1,477

142.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$1.57 ARS 2,364

166.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$0.98 ARS 1,480

12.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$7.34 ARS 11.1K

135.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.13 ARS 1,708

99.12%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$51.0K ARS 76.9M

-32.41%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$39.1K ARS 58.9M

6.51%

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

$171 €147

$59.3 ARS 89.4K

188.31%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$14.44 ARS 21.8K

31.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$21.74 ARS 32.8K

57.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$30.26 ARS 45.7K

64.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$10.17 ARS 15.3K

-0.69%

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

$699 €603

$299 ARS 451.7K

133.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$4,229 ARS 6.4M

320.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$96.4 ARS 145.5K

8.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$35.43 ARS 53.4K

35.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$64.4 ARS 97.2K

58.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$71.3 ARS 107.5K

80.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$476 ARS 718.6K

248.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$313 ARS 472.8K

291.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$970 ARS 1.5M

200.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$770 ARS 1.2M

162.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

$2,385 ARS 3.6M

240.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

$1,815 ARS 2.7M

155.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$1,085 ARS 1.6M

49.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

56.56

-93.32%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Quilmes: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,661 in Lisbon and $476 in Quilmes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 49% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $36.00 in Quilmes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 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

Lisbon vs Quilmes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Quilmes differ by about 143% in total monthly costs ($2,268 vs $932 including rent). Quilmes is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 49% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,661 in Lisbon versus $476 in Quilmes. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 35% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,268 per month in Lisbon versus $932 in Quilmes – a 143% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $932 in Quilmes versus $2,268 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Quilmes but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. 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, Lisbon 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 143% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.