Cost of Living Comparison Between Ushuaia and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Ushuaia and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $972 in Ushuaia versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,567 in Ushuaia versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,163 in Ushuaia versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Ushuaia costs roughly 22% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ushuaia 27% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.35 ARS 15.3K

$4.55 ฿153

127.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.32 ARS 49.3K

$46.18 ฿1,554

-27.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.83 ARS 13.1K

$8.84 ฿298

-0.11%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ARS 4,133

$3.06 ฿103

-8.50%

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

$1.65 ARS 2,438

$0.73 ฿24.42

126.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 ARS 2,280

$0.40 ฿13.40

285.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.12 ARS 3,139

$2.43 ฿81.8

-12.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ARS 4,364

$3.78 ฿127

-21.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 ARS 1,849

$2.26 ฿76.0

-44.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 ARS 2,419

$1.81 ฿60.9

-9.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 ARS 2,854

$2.25 ฿75.8

-14.22%

Eggs

$2.24 ARS 3,305

$2.25 ฿75.6

-0.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.18 ARS 15.0K

$19.51 ฿656

-47.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.29 ARS 9,291

$3.65 ฿123

72.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.19 ARS 13.6K

$13.05 ฿439

-29.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.94 ARS 2,869

$3.23 ฿109

-39.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 ARS 3,149

$1.62 ฿54.4

31.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 ARS 1,867

$2.38 ฿80.2

-47.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 ARS 3,712

$2.03 ฿68.2

23.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 ARS 1,680

$1.53 ฿51.6

-25.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 ARS 1,844

$1.50 ฿50.5

-16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 ARS 1,930

$0.98 ฿32.93

33.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 ARS 2,113

$0.52 ฿17.40

175.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.22 ARS 4,752

$4.44 ฿149

-27.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.98 ARS 7,368

$18.32 ฿616

-72.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 ARS 2,954

$1.86 ฿62.7

7.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 ARS 4,648

$2.68 ฿90.2

17.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 ARS 1,219

$1.41 ฿47.49

-41.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 ARS 2,237

$3.11 ฿105

-51.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 ARS 1,330

$1.04 ฿35.08

-13.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.05 ARS 8,947

$14.11 ฿475

-57.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ARS 1,631

$1.31 ฿44.13

-16.03%

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

$27.2K ARS 40.2M

$27.8K ฿936.0K

-2.33%

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

$30.1K ARS 44.5M

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-9.41%

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

$66.2 ARS 97.8K

$122 ฿4,120

-45.94%

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

$16.82 ARS 24.9K

$13.59 ฿457

23.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.35 ARS 33.0K

$18.70 ฿629

19.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.07 ARS 38.5K

$60.5 ฿2,035

-56.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.59 ARS 20.1K

$16.98 ฿572

-19.96%

Cinema Ticket

$6.05 ARS 8,935

$9.07 ฿305

-33.30%

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

$222 ARS 328.6K

$706 ฿23.8K

-68.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,671 ARS 3.9M

$15.8K ฿531.8K

-83.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.1 ARS 108.1K

$58.6 ฿1,970

24.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.9 ARS 101.8K

$35.36 ฿1,190

94.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 ARS 168.0K

$115 ฿3,885

-1.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ARS 163.4K

$83.7 ฿2,818

32.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$333 ARS 492.8K

$626 ฿21.1K

-46.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$233 ARS 344.3K

$445 ฿15.0K

-47.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$695 ARS 1.0M

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-65.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$542 ARS 800.4K

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-63.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,898 ARS 2.8M

$3,483 ฿117.2K

-45.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,561 ARS 2.3M

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-39.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

58.5

5.33

997.56%

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

Last update for Ushuaia: July 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $333 in Ushuaia and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ushuaia vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $289 per month, with Ushuaia 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

Ushuaia vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ushuaia is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,457 in Ushuaia and $1,875 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $333 in Ushuaia versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $222 in Ushuaia versus $706 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ushuaia – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $972 in Ushuaia versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ushuaia but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Ushuaia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ushuaia is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ushuaia and Phuket 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 Ushuaia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.