Cost of Living Comparison Between Quilmes and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Quilmes and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $888 per month in Quilmes vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,488 per month in Quilmes vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,087 per month in Quilmes vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Quilmes costs about 4% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Quilmes and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Quilmes 34% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.94 ARS 12.6K

$1.96 ฿63.6

356.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.28 ARS 42.6K

$18.81 ฿611

60.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.14 ARS 12.9K

$7.92 ฿258

15.40%

Cappuccino

$1.70 ARS 2,399

$1.91 ฿62.2

-10.99%

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

$1.27 ARS 1,791

$0.84 ฿27.25

51.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 ARS 1,657

$0.35 ฿11.44

237.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.25 ARS 1,763

$2.21 ฿71.7

-43.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 ARS 3,809

$3.80 ฿124

-28.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 ARS 1,779

$1.64 ฿53.2

-23.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ARS 2,236

$1.62 ฿52.8

-1.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 ARS 2,580

$1.18 ฿38.40

55.08%

Eggs

$2.15 ARS 3,027

$2.01 ฿65.4

6.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 ARS 18.3K

$15.89 ฿517

-18.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.01 ARS 8,459

$3.01 ฿98.0

99.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.29 ARS 14.5K

$10.77 ฿350

-4.46%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 ARS 2,571

$2.61 ฿85.0

-29.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 ARS 3,082

$1.22 ฿39.65

79.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 ARS 1,390

$1.70 ฿55.4

-41.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 ARS 3,715

$1.58 ฿51.2

67.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 ARS 1,599

$1.32 ฿42.89

-13.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 ARS 1,956

$1.17 ฿38.01

18.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 ARS 1,223

$0.67 ฿21.85

29.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ARS 2,638

$0.56 ฿18.21

233.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 ARS 4,671

$4.53 ฿147

-26.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.12 ARS 7,206

$18.20 ฿592

-71.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 ARS 1,836

$1.83 ฿59.6

-28.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 ARS 4,252

$3.23 ฿105

-6.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 ARS 1,165

$0.89 ฿28.83

-6.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿630

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 ARS 3,589

$1.35 ฿43.95

88.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ARS 1,297

$1.35 ฿43.79

-31.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.86 ARS 8,254

$8.25 ฿268

-28.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 ARS 1,496

$1.27 ฿41.40

-16.54%

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

$24.1K ARS 34.0M

$21.2K ฿687.8K

14.07%

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

$26.3K ARS 37.0M

$22.5K ฿731.0K

16.95%

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

$56.0 ARS 78.8K

$70.2 ฿2,281

-20.19%

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

$18.84 ARS 26.5K

$13.77 ฿448

36.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.86 ARS 20.9K

$17.60 ฿572

-15.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.35 ARS 37.1K

$41.57 ฿1,352

-36.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.75 ARS 19.4K

$6.60 ฿215

108.33%

Cinema Ticket

$4.96 ARS 6,983

$5.78 ฿188

-14.19%

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

$221 ARS 310.7K

$306 ฿9,953

-27.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,096 ARS 1.5M

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-92.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.1 ARS 86.1K

$54.4 ฿1,768

12.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.9 ARS 82.9K

$26.14 ฿850

125.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 ARS 154.1K

$84.5 ฿2,748

29.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.7 ARS 134.7K

$69.4 ฿2,257

37.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$344 ARS 484.6K

$424 ฿13.8K

-18.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ARS 333.3K

$238 ฿7,743

-0.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$681 ARS 959.5K

$825 ฿26.8K

-17.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$541 ARS 762.3K

$515 ฿16.7K

5.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,314 ARS 3.3M

$2,049 ฿66.6K

12.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,764 ARS 2.5M

$1,523 ฿49.5K

15.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,106 ARS 1.6M

$635 ฿20.6K

74.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

100

1900.00%

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

Last update for Quilmes: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $344 in Quilmes versus $424 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 74% higher in Quilmes, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Quilmes versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $239 in Quilmes vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Quilmes wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Quilmes costs about 4% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,332 per month in Quilmes and $1,278 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Quilmes and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Quilmes – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $888 in Quilmes and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $888 in Quilmes. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Quilmes makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.