Cost of Living Comparison Between Quilmes and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Quilmes and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $882 in Quilmes versus $1,447 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,462 in Quilmes versus $2,310 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,043 in Quilmes versus $3,174 in Mexico City.

Living in Quilmes costs roughly 39% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Quilmes is 34% below, Mexico City is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.14 ARS 13.1K

$12.98 MX$223

-29.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.02 ARS 42.9K

$52.6 MX$903

-42.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ARS 13.2K

$9.43 MX$162

-2.23%

Cappuccino

$1.70 ARS 2,425

$3.57 MX$61.3

-52.38%

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

$1.27 ARS 1,807

$1.61 MX$27.55

-21.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 ARS 1,594

$1.15 MX$19.81

-2.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.20 ARS 1,718

$3.15 MX$54.0

-61.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ARS 3,910

$4.86 MX$83.4

-43.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 ARS 1,815

$1.70 MX$29.17

-25.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ARS 2,228

$2.64 MX$45.23

-40.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 ARS 2,664

$1.90 MX$32.67

-1.58%

Eggs

$2.17 ARS 3,106

$2.54 MX$43.62

-14.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 ARS 19.0K

$10.08 MX$173

31.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.87 ARS 8,384

$8.29 MX$142

-29.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.69 ARS 15.3K

$11.57 MX$199

-7.61%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 ARS 2,593

$3.03 MX$52.0

-39.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.12 ARS 3,022

$1.71 MX$29.35

23.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.97 ARS 1,389

$2.05 MX$35.16

-52.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.58 ARS 3,680

$2.06 MX$35.36

25.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 ARS 1,698

$2.06 MX$35.43

-42.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ARS 1,975

$2.17 MX$37.25

-36.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 ARS 1,328

$1.40 MX$24.08

-33.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ARS 2,640

$1.12 MX$19.26

65.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.42 ARS 4,885

$4.29 MX$73.7

-20.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.20 ARS 5,999

$15.41 MX$265

-72.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 ARS 1,852

$1.67 MX$28.74

-22.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 ARS 4,468

$3.69 MX$63.3

-15.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 ARS 1,185

$0.38 MX$6.55

118.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.54 ARS 3,630

$1.38 MX$23.70

84.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 ARS 1,334

$0.28 MX$4.74

232.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.14 ARS 8,770

$5.42 MX$92.9

13.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 ARS 1,539

$1.28 MX$21.98

-15.62%

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

$24.0K ARS 34.3M

$19.0K MX$325.8K

26.68%

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

$26.2K ARS 37.4M

$23.5K MX$402.7K

11.55%

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

$55.3 ARS 79.1K

$41.02 MX$704

34.91%

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

$18.56 ARS 26.5K

$26.92 MX$462

-31.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.85 ARS 21.2K

$29.69 MX$510

-49.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.11 ARS 37.3K

$52.3 MX$898

-50.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.99 ARS 20.0K

$26.23 MX$450

-46.66%

Cinema Ticket

$5.02 ARS 7,176

$6.18 MX$106

-18.77%

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

$217 ARS 310.0K

$427 MX$7,331

-49.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,094 ARS 1.6M

$10.7K MX$183.6K

-89.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.7 ARS 86.7K

$56.8 MX$975

6.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.8 ARS 86.8K

$44.83 MX$769

35.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 ARS 154.8K

$105 MX$1,794

3.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.5 ARS 137.8K

$106 MX$1,819

-8.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$337 ARS 481.2K

$995 MX$17.1K

-66.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$233 ARS 332.5K

$621 MX$10.7K

-62.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$685 ARS 978.0K

$2,126 MX$36.5K

-67.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$528 ARS 754.2K

$1,254 MX$21.5K

-57.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,389 ARS 3.4M

$3,903 MX$67.0K

-38.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,801 ARS 2.6M

$2,096 MX$36.0K

-14.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,103 ARS 1.6M

$1,107 MX$19.0K

-0.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

100

11.34

781.83%

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

Last update for Quilmes: June 6, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $337 in Quilmes and $995 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 0% 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 $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $238 vs $288 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 Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Quilmes and Mexico City differ by about 64% in total monthly costs ($882 vs $1,447 including rent). Quilmes is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mexico City earns 0% less. 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: $337 in Quilmes versus $995 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $217 in Quilmes versus $427 in Mexico City. 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 $53.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $882 in Quilmes versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Quilmes but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. 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 Mexico City 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 64% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.