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: $899 in Quilmes versus $1,412 in Buenos Aires.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,474 in Quilmes versus $2,197 in Buenos Aires.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,049 in Quilmes versus $2,982 in Buenos Aires.

Living in Quilmes costs roughly 36% less than in Buenos Aires, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Quilmes is 33% below, Buenos Aires is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.11 ARS 13.0K

$15.09 ARS 21.5K

-39.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.19 ARS 43.1K

$60.7 ARS 86.6K

-50.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.98 ARS 12.8K

$11.89 ARS 17.0K

-24.47%

Cappuccino

$1.69 ARS 2,415

$4.01 ARS 5,720

-57.86%

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

$1.29 ARS 1,837

$2.09 ARS 2,976

-38.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 ARS 1,610

$1.48 ARS 2,115

-23.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 ARS 1,700

$3.58 ARS 5,111

-66.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 ARS 3,843

$4.08 ARS 5,816

-34.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 ARS 1,749

$1.60 ARS 2,276

-23.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ARS 2,205

$2.53 ARS 3,603

-38.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 ARS 2,525

$2.28 ARS 3,259

-22.37%

Eggs

$2.14 ARS 3,051

$3.32 ARS 4,739

-35.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.32 ARS 19.0K

$12.15 ARS 17.3K

9.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.08 ARS 8,676

$7.85 ARS 11.2K

-22.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 ARS 15.2K

$9.66 ARS 13.8K

10.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 ARS 2,565

$2.49 ARS 3,548

-27.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 ARS 2,956

$2.06 ARS 2,938

0.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 ARS 1,433

$1.27 ARS 1,805

-21.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.67 ARS 3,804

$2.55 ARS 3,631

4.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 ARS 1,672

$1.49 ARS 2,126

-21.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 ARS 1,978

$1.47 ARS 2,094

-5.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 ARS 1,246

$1.84 ARS 2,628

-52.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ARS 2,542

$1.44 ARS 2,059

23.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ARS 4,826

$3.27 ARS 4,671

3.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.22 ARS 6,026

$5.75 ARS 8,199

-26.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 ARS 1,767

$2.24 ARS 3,202

-44.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 ARS 4,557

$3.20 ARS 4,565

-0.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 ARS 1,193

$0.72 ARS 1,026

16.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.12 ARS 23.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 ARS 3,643

$1.65 ARS 2,347

54.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 ARS 1,321

$0.91 ARS 1,294

2.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 ARS 8,510

$5.93 ARS 8,461

0.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 ARS 1,476

$1.11 ARS 1,584

-7.21%

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

$24.1K ARS 34.4M

$24.6K ARS 35.0M

-1.69%

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

$26.3K ARS 37.6M

$28.8K ARS 41.1M

-8.60%

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

$56.0 ARS 79.8K

$109 ARS 155.6K

-48.68%

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

$18.13 ARS 25.9K

$21.60 ARS 30.8K

-16.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.44 ARS 20.6K

$29.00 ARS 41.4K

-50.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.44 ARS 37.7K

$42.80 ARS 61.1K

-38.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.04 ARS 20.0K

$11.76 ARS 16.8K

19.39%

Cinema Ticket

$5.14 ARS 7,337

$9.01 ARS 12.9K

-42.95%

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

$222 ARS 316.5K

$324 ARS 462.1K

-31.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,069 ARS 1.5M

$5,180 ARS 7.4M

-79.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.0 ARS 88.5K

$109 ARS 154.9K

-42.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.5 ARS 84.8K

$86.8 ARS 123.8K

-31.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 ARS 152.7K

$124 ARS 176.4K

-13.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.2 ARS 137.2K

$133 ARS 189.3K

-27.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$332 ARS 473.3K

$658 ARS 939.0K

-49.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ARS 344.9K

$447 ARS 638.3K

-45.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$675 ARS 962.7K

$1,155 ARS 1.6M

-41.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$539 ARS 768.5K

$811 ARS 1.2M

-33.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,352 ARS 3.4M

$2,627 ARS 3.7M

-10.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,764 ARS 2.5M

$1,830 ARS 2.6M

-3.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,116 ARS 1.6M

$820 ARS 1.2M

36.14%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Buenos Aires: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $332 in Quilmes and $658 in Buenos Aires. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Quilmes pays 36% 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 $61.0 in Buenos Aires for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $237 vs $272 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 57% in total monthly costs ($899 vs $1,412 including rent). Quilmes is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Quilmes pays 36% more on average, 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: $332 in Quilmes versus $658 in Buenos Aires. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $222 in Quilmes versus $324 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 $61.0 in Buenos Aires. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $899 in Quilmes versus $1,412 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 57% less than in Buenos Aires. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.