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: $932 in Quilmes versus $1,633 in Buenos Aires.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,553 in Quilmes versus $2,744 in Buenos Aires.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,174 in Quilmes versus $3,855 in Buenos Aires.

Living in Quilmes costs roughly 43% less than in Buenos Aires, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Quilmes is 32% below, Buenos Aires is 18% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.58 ARS 8,412

$18.99 ARS 28.6K

-70.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.58 ARS 53.7K

$69.7 ARS 105.1K

-48.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.20 ARS 13.9K

$12.75 ARS 19.2K

-27.84%

Cappuccino

$2.92 ARS 4,401

$3.81 ARS 5,755

-23.36%

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

$1.70 ARS 2,565

$2.16 ARS 3,262

-21.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ARS 2,487

$1.70 ARS 2,566

-2.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.99 ARS 6,019

$3.61 ARS 5,452

10.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ARS 3,414

$4.55 ARS 6,865

-50.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 ARS 1,540

$1.41 ARS 2,132

-27.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 ARS 2,391

$2.46 ARS 3,717

-35.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 ARS 2,509

$1.58 ARS 2,390

5.06%

Eggs

$2.36 ARS 3,558

$2.79 ARS 4,212

-15.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.14 ARS 19.8K

$10.16 ARS 15.3K

29.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.09 ARS 9,184

$10.03 ARS 15.1K

-39.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.92 ARS 15.0K

$13.76 ARS 20.8K

-27.91%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ARS 2,861

$2.78 ARS 4,194

-31.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 ARS 2,270

$2.07 ARS 3,125

-27.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 ARS 1,537

$1.42 ARS 2,142

-28.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 ARS 3,201

$2.06 ARS 3,100

2.91%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 ARS 1,378

$1.19 ARS 1,796

-23.53%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 ARS 947

$1.15 ARS 1,728

-45.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ARS 1,073

$1.75 ARS 2,634

-59.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ARS 1,020

$1.74 ARS 2,626

-60.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.98 ARS 7,507

$4.27 ARS 6,436

16.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.33 ARS 6,533

$5.65 ARS 8,528

-23.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ARS 1,859

$2.21 ARS 3,336

-44.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 ARS 2,873

$2.69 ARS 4,052

-29.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 ARS 1,477

$0.72 ARS 1,093

36.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.88 ARS 42.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.57 ARS 2,364

$1.62 ARS 2,443

-3.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 ARS 1,480

$1.02 ARS 1,546

-3.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.34 ARS 11.1K

$7.61 ARS 11.5K

-3.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ARS 1,708

$1.34 ARS 2,024

-15.67%

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

$51.0K ARS 76.9M

$28.8K ARS 43.4M

77.19%

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

$39.1K ARS 58.9M

$34.2K ARS 51.6M

14.21%

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

$59.3 ARS 89.4K

$202 ARS 305.1K

-70.69%

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

$14.44 ARS 21.8K

$23.17 ARS 35.0K

-37.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.74 ARS 32.8K

$31.01 ARS 46.8K

-29.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.26 ARS 45.7K

$51.1 ARS 77.1K

-40.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.08 ARS 25.8K

Cinema Ticket

$10.17 ARS 15.3K

$10.99 ARS 16.6K

-7.46%

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

$299 ARS 451.7K

$459 ARS 692.9K

-34.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 ARS 6.4M

$8,949 ARS 13.5M

-52.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$96.4 ARS 145.5K

$113 ARS 170.6K

-14.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.43 ARS 53.4K

$91.7 ARS 138.4K

-61.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.4 ARS 97.2K

$116 ARS 175.5K

-44.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.3 ARS 107.5K

$135 ARS 203.0K

-47.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 ARS 718.6K

$714 ARS 1.1M

-33.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 ARS 472.8K

$506 ARS 763.5K

-38.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$970 ARS 1.5M

$1,622 ARS 2.4M

-40.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$770 ARS 1.2M

$1,288 ARS 1.9M

-40.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,385 ARS 3.6M

$2,636 ARS 4.0M

-9.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,815 ARS 2.7M

$1,847 ARS 2.8M

-1.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,085 ARS 1.6M

$907 ARS 1.4M

19.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

56.56

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

Last update for Quilmes: September 5, 2026

Last update for Buenos Aires: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Quilmes and $714 in Buenos Aires. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Quilmes pays 20% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Quilmes vs $70.0 in Buenos Aires for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $209 vs $282 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 75% in total monthly costs ($932 vs $1,633 including rent). Quilmes is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 20% 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: $476 in Quilmes versus $714 in Buenos Aires. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $299 in Quilmes versus $459 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 $36.00 versus $70.0 in Buenos Aires. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $932 in Quilmes versus $1,633 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 75% less than in Buenos Aires. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.