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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $981 per month in Ushuaia vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,605 per month in Ushuaia vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,230 per month in Ushuaia vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ushuaia costs about 13% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ushuaia and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Ushuaia 27% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.35 ARS 14.8K

$1.98 ฿64.3

422.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.15 ARS 48.8K

$18.80 ฿612

81.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ARS 12.7K

$7.75 ฿252

14.84%

Cappuccino

$2.78 ARS 3,966

$1.92 ฿62.5

44.79%

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

$1.63 ARS 2,329

$0.79 ฿25.79

106.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 ARS 2,139

$0.36 ฿11.62

316.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 ARS 2,963

$2.21 ฿72.1

-6.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 ARS 4,318

$3.66 ฿119

-17.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 ARS 1,795

$1.65 ฿53.8

-23.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ARS 2,235

$1.63 ฿53.2

-4.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 ARS 2,773

$1.19 ฿38.86

63.03%

Eggs

$2.26 ARS 3,231

$2.00 ฿65.1

13.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.05 ARS 14.4K

$15.98 ฿520

-37.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.16 ARS 8,796

$3.03 ฿98.5

103.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ARS 13.3K

$10.86 ฿354

-14.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 ARS 2,913

$2.76 ฿90.0

-26.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.15 ARS 3,069

$1.18 ฿38.42

82.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ARS 1,858

$1.64 ฿53.5

-20.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.53 ARS 3,612

$1.52 ฿49.51

66.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 ARS 1,689

$1.38 ฿45.10

-14.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 ARS 1,789

$1.19 ฿38.84

5.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 ARS 1,865

$0.70 ฿22.86

87.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 ARS 2,109

$0.56 ฿18.13

164.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.11 ARS 4,437

$4.58 ฿149

-32.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.86 ARS 6,949

$16.56 ฿539

-70.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 ARS 2,867

$1.83 ฿59.5

9.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 ARS 4,524

$3.20 ฿104

-0.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 ARS 1,198

$0.88 ฿28.56

-4.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 ARS 2,159

$1.36 ฿44.16

11.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 ARS 1,327

$1.34 ฿43.65

-30.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.91 ARS 8,442

$7.84 ฿256

-24.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ARS 1,576

$1.23 ฿39.92

-10.57%

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

$27.0K ARS 38.5M

$21.6K ฿704.3K

24.69%

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

$30.2K ARS 43.1M

$22.5K ฿734.3K

33.77%

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

$67.1 ARS 95.9K

$70.5 ฿2,298

-4.85%

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

$16.95 ARS 24.2K

$13.68 ฿445

23.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.86 ARS 32.7K

$17.45 ฿568

31.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.91 ARS 37.0K

$41.33 ฿1,346

-37.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.67 ARS 19.5K

$6.96 ฿227

96.41%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 ARS 8,824

$5.77 ฿188

7.11%

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

$216 ARS 309.1K

$307 ฿10.0K

-29.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,682 ARS 3.8M

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-81.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.6 ARS 105.2K

$55.8 ฿1,817

31.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.3 ARS 97.6K

$26.21 ฿854

160.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ARS 161.8K

$85.8 ฿2,793

32.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 ARS 157.0K

$72.2 ฿2,353

52.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$344 ARS 490.7K

$430 ฿14.0K

-20.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ARS 335.9K

$239 ฿7,774

-1.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$688 ARS 983.4K

$817 ฿26.6K

-15.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$546 ARS 780.3K

$511 ฿16.6K

6.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,870 ARS 2.7M

$1,983 ฿64.6K

-5.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,572 ARS 2.2M

$1,484 ฿48.3K

5.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

58.5

1070.00%

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

Last update for Ushuaia: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $344 in Ushuaia versus $430 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Ushuaia versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $230 in Ushuaia vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Ushuaia 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

Ushuaia vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ushuaia costs about 13% 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 $1,471 per month in Ushuaia and $1,303 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 $34.00 in Ushuaia 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 5% cheaper in Ushuaia – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $869, than in Ushuaia at $981. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ushuaia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $981 in Ushuaia. 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, Ushuaia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.