Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Quilmes Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Quilmes

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $900 in Quilmes.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,463 in Quilmes.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $2,026 in Quilmes.

Living in Phuket is roughly 39% more expensive than in Quilmes, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Quilmes 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$9.09 ARS 13.4K

-49.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,554

$29.61 ARS 43.8K

55.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿298

$8.75 ARS 12.9K

1.03%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$1.71 ARS 2,521

78.95%

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

$0.73 ฿24.42

$1.28 ARS 1,887

-42.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.40

$1.13 ARS 1,676

-64.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$1.19 ARS 1,754

104.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$2.76 ARS 4,079

36.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.27 ARS 1,879

77.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.53 ARS 2,266

18.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.86 ARS 2,755

20.97%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.6

$2.18 ARS 3,224

3.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$13.36 ARS 19.7K

46.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$6.10 ARS 9,021

-40.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$10.37 ARS 15.3K

25.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$1.90 ARS 2,803

70.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$2.19 ARS 3,242

-26.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.2

$0.97 ARS 1,437

145.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.2

$2.68 ARS 3,966

-24.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.17 ARS 1,733

30.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.38 ARS 2,038

8.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.93

$0.93 ARS 1,367

5.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.40

$1.84 ARS 2,713

-71.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$3.35 ARS 4,947

32.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$4.22 ARS 6,244

334.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.24 ARS 1,832

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

$3.06 ARS 4,517

-12.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

$0.81 ARS 1,200

74.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$2.47 ARS 3,645

25.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

$0.86 ARS 1,274

20.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

$6.10 ARS 9,021

131.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.13

$1.08 ARS 1,589

21.30%

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

$27.8K ฿936.0K

$23.7K ARS 35.1M

17.21%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$25.6K ARS 37.8M

29.82%

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

$122 ฿4,120

$55.5 ARS 82.0K

120.81%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$18.78 ARS 27.8K

-27.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$14.46 ARS 21.4K

29.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

$26.49 ARS 39.1K

128.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

$13.84 ARS 20.5K

22.69%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$4.98 ARS 7,355

82.13%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$220 ARS 324.5K

221.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.8K

$1,075 ARS 1.6M

1369.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,970

$61.0 ARS 90.1K

-4.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,190

$60.7 ARS 89.7K

-41.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,885

$108 ARS 160.3K

6.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,818

$95.4 ARS 141.0K

-12.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.1K

$342 ARS 505.3K

82.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$241 ARS 356.7K

84.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.7K

$684 ARS 1.0M

198.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$540 ARS 798.2K

176.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

$2,345 ARS 3.5M

48.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$1,793 ARS 2.7M

43.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$1,111 ARS 1.6M

-55.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

100

-94.67%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Quilmes: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $342 in Quilmes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Quilmes pays 122% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $30.00 in Quilmes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 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

Phuket vs Quilmes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Quilmes is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 39% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 122% 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: $626 in Phuket versus $342 in Quilmes. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket 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 $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $900 in Quilmes versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Quilmes but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Quilmes the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Quilmes is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket 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 39% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.