Cost of Living Comparison Between Quilmes and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Quilmes and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $900 in Quilmes versus $2,320 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,463 in Quilmes versus $3,426 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,026 in Quilmes versus $4,532 in Barcelona.

Living in Quilmes costs roughly 61% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Quilmes is 33% below, Barcelona is 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.09 ARS 13.4K

$17.66 €15.45

-48.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.61 ARS 43.8K

$69.7 €61.0

-57.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.75 ARS 12.9K

$14.16 €12.39

-38.21%

Cappuccino

$1.71 ARS 2,521

$2.80 €2.45

-38.93%

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

$1.28 ARS 1,887

$2.81 €2.46

-54.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 ARS 1,676

$2.06 €1.81

-45.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 ARS 1,754

$4.60 €4.02

-74.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ARS 4,079

$4.69 €4.10

-41.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 ARS 1,879

$1.23 €1.08

3.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 ARS 2,266

$2.03 €1.78

-24.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 ARS 2,755

$1.98 €1.73

-6.06%

Eggs

$2.18 ARS 3,224

$3.49 €3.05

-37.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.36 ARS 19.7K

$18.33 €16.04

-27.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.10 ARS 9,021

$9.83 €8.60

-37.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.37 ARS 15.3K

$19.13 €16.73

-45.79%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ARS 2,803

$2.73 €2.38

-30.40%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 ARS 3,242

$2.38 €2.09

-7.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.97 ARS 1,437

$2.08 €1.82

-53.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.68 ARS 3,966

$2.75 €2.41

-2.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 ARS 1,733

$1.96 €1.72

-40.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ARS 2,038

$1.79 €1.57

-22.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 ARS 1,367

$1.48 €1.29

-37.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ARS 2,713

$0.91 €0.80

102.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 ARS 4,947

$7.13 €6.24

-53.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.22 ARS 6,244

$7.88 €6.89

-46.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 ARS 1,832

$1.38 €1.21

-10.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 ARS 4,517

$2.39 €2.09

28.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 ARS 1,200

$3.01 €2.63

-73.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.68

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 ARS 3,645

$4.36 €3.82

-43.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 ARS 1,274

$2.13 €1.86

-59.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 ARS 9,021

$29.60 €25.90

-79.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 ARS 1,589

$1.82 €1.59

-40.66%

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

$23.7K ARS 35.1M

$37.9K €33.1K

-37.37%

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

$25.6K ARS 37.8M

$32.4K €28.3K

-20.98%

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

$55.5 ARS 82.0K

$189 €165

-70.67%

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

$18.78 ARS 27.8K

$22.29 €19.50

-15.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.46 ARS 21.4K

$37.16 €32.51

-61.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.49 ARS 39.1K

$58.0 €50.8

-54.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.84 ARS 20.5K

$20.66 €18.08

-33.01%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 ARS 7,355

$10.87 €9.51

-54.19%

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

$220 ARS 324.5K

$706 €618

-68.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,075 ARS 1.6M

$14.9K €13.0K

-92.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.0 ARS 90.1K

$89.4 €78.3

-31.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.7 ARS 89.7K

$36.60 €32.02

65.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 ARS 160.3K

$104 €91.0

4.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.4 ARS 141.0K

$119 €104

-20.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$342 ARS 505.3K

$1,579 €1,381

-78.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$241 ARS 356.7K

$1,238 €1,083

-80.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$684 ARS 1.0M

$2,712 €2,373

-74.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$540 ARS 798.2K

$2,039 €1,784

-73.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,345 ARS 3.5M

$7,527 €6,585

-68.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,793 ARS 2.7M

$5,239 €4,584

-65.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,111 ARS 1.6M

$2,364 €2,068

-53.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

100

3.39

2849.85%

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

Last update for Quilmes: July 14, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $342 in Quilmes and $1,579 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 113% 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: $30.00 in Quilmes vs $70.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $239 vs $320 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

Quilmes vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Quilmes and Barcelona differ by about 158% in total monthly costs ($900 vs $2,320 including rent). Quilmes is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 113% lower in Barcelona. 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: $342 in Quilmes versus $1,579 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $220 in Quilmes versus $706 in Barcelona. 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 $70.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $900 in Quilmes versus $2,320 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Quilmes but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. 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, Quilmes and Barcelona 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 158% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.