Cost of Living Comparison Between Quilmes and Buenos Aires Cost of Living Comparison Between Quilmes and Buenos Aires

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $900 in Quilmes versus $1,393 in Buenos Aires.

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

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

Living in Quilmes costs roughly 35% less than in Buenos Aires, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.09 ARS 13.4K

$14.82 ARS 21.9K

-38.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.61 ARS 43.8K

$60.1 ARS 88.8K

-50.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.75 ARS 12.9K

$11.97 ARS 17.7K

-26.90%

Cappuccino

$1.71 ARS 2,521

$3.99 ARS 5,898

-57.14%

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

$1.28 ARS 1,887

$2.17 ARS 3,207

-41.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 ARS 1,676

$1.47 ARS 2,169

-23.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 ARS 1,754

$3.68 ARS 5,440

-67.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ARS 4,079

$3.90 ARS 5,761

-29.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 ARS 1,879

$1.60 ARS 2,371

-20.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 ARS 2,266

$2.53 ARS 3,738

-39.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 ARS 2,755

$2.22 ARS 3,279

-16.22%

Eggs

$2.18 ARS 3,224

$3.17 ARS 4,683

-31.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.36 ARS 19.7K

$12.03 ARS 17.8K

11.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.10 ARS 9,021

$7.84 ARS 11.6K

-22.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.37 ARS 15.3K

$9.25 ARS 13.7K

12.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ARS 2,803

$2.45 ARS 3,624

-22.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 ARS 3,242

$2.04 ARS 3,012

7.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.97 ARS 1,437

$1.31 ARS 1,932

-25.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.68 ARS 3,966

$2.53 ARS 3,745

5.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 ARS 1,733

$1.45 ARS 2,150

-19.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ARS 2,038

$1.48 ARS 2,191

-6.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 ARS 1,367

$1.79 ARS 2,643

-48.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ARS 2,713

$1.45 ARS 2,141

26.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 ARS 4,947

$3.18 ARS 4,697

5.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.22 ARS 6,244

$5.83 ARS 8,622

-27.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 ARS 1,832

$2.22 ARS 3,277

-44.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 ARS 4,517

$3.07 ARS 4,535

-0.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 ARS 1,200

$0.67 ARS 988

20.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.26 ARS 24.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 ARS 3,645

$1.58 ARS 2,333

56.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 ARS 1,274

$0.86 ARS 1,267

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 ARS 9,021

$5.97 ARS 8,826

2.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 ARS 1,589

$1.12 ARS 1,653

-3.57%

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

$23.7K ARS 35.1M

$24.8K ARS 36.6M

-4.25%

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

$25.6K ARS 37.8M

$29.2K ARS 43.2M

-12.48%

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

$55.5 ARS 82.0K

$109 ARS 161.0K

-49.10%

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

$18.78 ARS 27.8K

$21.47 ARS 31.7K

-12.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.46 ARS 21.4K

$28.58 ARS 42.2K

-49.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.49 ARS 39.1K

$41.73 ARS 61.7K

-36.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.84 ARS 20.5K

$11.77 ARS 17.4K

17.59%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 ARS 7,355

$9.25 ARS 13.7K

-46.16%

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

$220 ARS 324.5K

$325 ARS 479.6K

-32.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,075 ARS 1.6M

$5,275 ARS 7.8M

-79.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.0 ARS 90.1K

$112 ARS 165.0K

-45.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.7 ARS 89.7K

$85.9 ARS 127.0K

-29.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 ARS 160.3K

$123 ARS 181.5K

-11.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.4 ARS 141.0K

$129 ARS 190.6K

-26.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$342 ARS 505.3K

$657 ARS 970.6K

-47.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$241 ARS 356.7K

$448 ARS 661.6K

-46.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$684 ARS 1.0M

$1,150 ARS 1.7M

-40.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$540 ARS 798.2K

$814 ARS 1.2M

-33.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,345 ARS 3.5M

$2,577 ARS 3.8M

-9.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,793 ARS 2.7M

$1,844 ARS 2.7M

-2.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,111 ARS 1.6M

$842 ARS 1.2M

32.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

100

52.71

89.72%

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

Last update for Quilmes: July 14, 2026

Last update for Buenos Aires: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $342 in Quilmes and $657 in Buenos Aires. 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: $30.00 in Quilmes vs $60.0 in Buenos Aires for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $239 vs $269 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 Buenos Aires: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Quilmes and Buenos Aires differ by about 55% in total monthly costs ($900 vs $1,393 including rent). Quilmes is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 32% higher in Quilmes, 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: $342 in Quilmes versus $657 in Buenos Aires. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $220 in Quilmes versus $325 in Buenos Aires. 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, Quilmes and Buenos Aires 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.