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 $948 per month in Ushuaia vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,569 per month in Ushuaia vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,189 per month in Ushuaia vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ushuaia costs about 11% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ushuaia and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Ushuaia 29% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.68 ARS 15.0K

$1.96 ฿63.6

444.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.62 ARS 47.3K

$18.81 ฿611

78.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ARS 13.0K

$7.92 ฿258

16.41%

Cappuccino

$2.68 ARS 3,770

$1.91 ฿62.2

40.31%

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

$1.72 ARS 2,428

$0.84 ฿27.25

104.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 ARS 2,170

$0.35 ฿11.44

340.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ARS 3,016

$2.21 ฿71.7

-3.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 ARS 4,141

$3.80 ฿124

-22.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 ARS 1,824

$1.64 ฿53.2

-20.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ARS 2,232

$1.62 ฿52.8

-1.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 ARS 2,856

$1.18 ฿38.40

72.03%

Eggs

$2.28 ARS 3,213

$2.01 ฿65.4

13.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.30 ARS 14.5K

$15.89 ฿517

-35.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.34 ARS 8,925

$3.01 ฿98.0

110.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.12 ARS 12.8K

$10.77 ฿350

-15.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 ARS 2,835

$2.61 ฿85.0

-22.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 ARS 2,902

$1.22 ฿39.65

68.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 ARS 1,841

$1.70 ฿55.4

-22.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.65 ARS 3,725

$1.58 ฿51.2

67.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 ARS 1,677

$1.32 ฿42.89

-9.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 ARS 1,743

$1.17 ฿38.01

5.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 ARS 1,856

$0.67 ฿21.85

97.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 ARS 2,024

$0.56 ฿18.21

157.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 ARS 4,476

$4.53 ฿147

-29.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.93 ARS 6,949

$18.20 ฿592

-72.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 ARS 2,924

$1.83 ฿59.6

13.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 ARS 4,348

$3.23 ฿105

-4.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 ARS 1,143

$0.89 ฿28.83

-8.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿630

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ARS 2,098

$1.35 ฿43.95

10.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 ARS 1,217

$1.35 ฿43.79

-36.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 ARS 8,545

$8.25 ฿268

-26.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ARS 1,538

$1.27 ฿41.40

-14.17%

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

$27.4K ARS 38.5M

$21.2K ฿687.8K

29.36%

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

$30.6K ARS 43.0M

$22.5K ฿731.0K

35.88%

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

$67.7 ARS 95.4K

$70.2 ฿2,281

-3.45%

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

$17.41 ARS 24.5K

$13.77 ฿448

26.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.47 ARS 31.6K

$17.60 ฿572

27.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.40 ARS 37.2K

$41.57 ฿1,352

-36.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.71 ARS 19.3K

$6.60 ฿215

107.73%

Cinema Ticket

$6.05 ARS 8,525

$5.78 ฿188

4.67%

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

$224 ARS 315.7K

$306 ฿9,953

-26.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,666 ARS 3.8M

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-82.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.5 ARS 102.1K

$54.4 ฿1,768

33.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.4 ARS 99.1K

$26.14 ฿850

169.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 ARS 163.0K

$84.5 ฿2,748

36.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ARS 159.0K

$69.4 ฿2,257

62.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$341 ARS 480.8K

$424 ฿13.8K

-19.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$241 ARS 338.8K

$238 ฿7,743

1.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$685 ARS 964.3K

$825 ฿26.8K

-16.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$538 ARS 757.7K

$515 ฿16.7K

4.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,864 ARS 2.6M

$2,049 ฿66.6K

-9.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,567 ARS 2.2M

$1,523 ฿49.5K

2.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.6K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $341 in Ushuaia 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Ushuaia versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $232 in Ushuaia vs $243 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 11% 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 $1,422 per month in Ushuaia 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 $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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $948 in Ushuaia 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 $948 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.