Cost of Living Comparison Between Bariloche and Mar del Plata Cost of Living Comparison Between Bariloche and Mar del Plata

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,212 in Bariloche versus $844 in Mar del Plata.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,980 in Bariloche versus $1,417 in Mar del Plata.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,749 in Bariloche versus $1,991 in Mar del Plata.

Living in Bariloche is roughly 44% more expensive than in Mar del Plata, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bariloche 9% lower, Mar del Plata 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.16 ARS 16.6K

$9.53 ARS 14.1K

17.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.77 ARS 38.3K

$37.25 ARS 55.3K

-30.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.99 ARS 13.3K

$8.17 ARS 12.1K

10.04%

Cappuccino

$3.73 ARS 5,539

$2.41 ARS 3,579

54.77%

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

$1.72 ARS 2,553

$2.18 ARS 3,238

-21.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ARS 2,553

$2.05 ARS 3,051

-16.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ARS 3,301

$3.34 ARS 4,959

-33.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 ARS 3,800

$3.19 ARS 4,732

-19.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 ARS 2,245

$1.05 ARS 1,559

43.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.94 ARS 4,368

$1.38 ARS 2,050

113.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.94 ARS 4,366

$2.06 ARS 3,064

42.72%

Eggs

$2.48 ARS 3,686

$1.52 ARS 2,264

63.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.92 ARS 16.2K

$6.93 ARS 10.3K

57.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.41 ARS 12.5K

$5.22 ARS 7,758

61.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 ARS 18.1K

$7.47 ARS 11.1K

63.45%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 ARS 2,890

$2.74 ARS 4,063

-28.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 ARS 3,129

$2.17 ARS 3,222

-2.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 ARS 2,957

$1.55 ARS 2,302

28.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.60 ARS 3,864

$2.45 ARS 3,637

6.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 ARS 1,682

$1.22 ARS 1,815

-7.38%

Onion (1kg)

$0.86 ARS 1,276

$0.95 ARS 1,408

-9.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.85 ARS 2,749

$0.63 ARS 939

193.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ARS 1,794

$1.20 ARS 1,784

0.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.61 ARS 3,871

$3.48 ARS 5,166

-25.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.46 ARS 11.1K

$2.95 ARS 4,377

152.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 ARS 3,550

$1.39 ARS 2,068

71.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 ARS 4,432

$1.98 ARS 2,947

50.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 ARS 1,462

$0.76 ARS 1,129

28.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.94 ARS 14.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 ARS 2,284

$1.49 ARS 2,212

3.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 ARS 1,732

$0.76 ARS 1,129

53.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.92 ARS 8,793

$8.18 ARS 12.1K

-27.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 ARS 1,522

$1.15 ARS 1,710

-10.43%

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

$28.9K ARS 43.0M

$28.2K ARS 41.9M

2.41%

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

$31.7K ARS 47.0M

$38.9K ARS 57.8M

-18.67%

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

$57.7 ARS 85.7K

$85.2 ARS 126.6K

-32.28%

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

$21.80 ARS 32.4K

$10.11 ARS 15.0K

115.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.40 ARS 27.3K

$25.00 ARS 37.1K

-26.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.31 ARS 73.2K

$17.57 ARS 26.1K

180.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.91 ARS 37.0K

$7.84 ARS 11.6K

217.73%

Cinema Ticket

$6.29 ARS 9,342

$4.10 ARS 6,083

53.41%

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

$218 ARS 323.4K

$159 ARS 236.8K

36.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,024 ARS 6.0M

$3,177 ARS 4.7M

26.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.8 ARS 96.2K

$56.7 ARS 84.2K

14.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 ARS 82.2K

$61.5 ARS 91.3K

-10.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.8 ARS 143.7K

$65.0 ARS 96.5K

48.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 ARS 158.5K

$62.7 ARS 93.1K

70.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$535 ARS 793.8K

$283 ARS 419.6K

89.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$406 ARS 603.3K

$202 ARS 299.3K

101.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$934 ARS 1.4M

$726 ARS 1.1M

28.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$974 ARS 1.4M

$585 ARS 868.7K

66.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,015 ARS 4.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,463 ARS 3.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$959 ARS 1.4M

$616 ARS 915.1K

55.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

87.5

58.5

49.57%

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

Last update for Bariloche: July 27, 2026

Last update for Mar del Plata: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $535 in Bariloche and $283 in Mar del Plata. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bariloche pays 56% 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: $26.00 in Bariloche vs $37.00 in Mar del Plata. Groceries flip the comparison at $281 vs $192, with Mar del Plata cheaper for home cooking.

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

Bariloche vs Mar del Plata: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mar del Plata is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 56% higher in Bariloche, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $535 in Bariloche versus $283 in Mar del Plata. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $218 in Bariloche versus $159 in Mar del Plata. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mar del Plata – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $26.00 in Bariloche. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $844 in Mar del Plata versus $1,212 in Bariloche, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mar del Plata but tight or insufficient in Bariloche. The gap between the two cities makes Mar del Plata 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, Bariloche and Mar del Plata 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 Mar del Plata gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Bariloche. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.