Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenos Aires and Mar del Plata Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenos Aires and Mar del Plata

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,393 in Buenos Aires versus $841 in Mar del Plata.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,191 in Buenos Aires versus $1,452 in Mar del Plata.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,988 in Buenos Aires versus $2,062 in Mar del Plata.

Living in Buenos Aires is roughly 66% more expensive than in Mar del Plata, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Buenos Aires is 4% above, Mar del Plata is 37% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.82 ARS 21.9K

$9.58 ARS 14.2K

54.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.1 ARS 88.8K

$36.91 ARS 54.5K

62.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.97 ARS 17.7K

$8.12 ARS 12.0K

47.41%

Cappuccino

$3.99 ARS 5,896

$2.49 ARS 3,673

60.24%

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

$2.17 ARS 3,206

$2.27 ARS 3,352

-4.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 ARS 2,168

$2.15 ARS 3,175

-31.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.68 ARS 5,438

$3.29 ARS 4,868

11.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ARS 5,759

$3.18 ARS 4,706

22.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 ARS 2,371

$1.05 ARS 1,556

52.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 ARS 3,737

$1.43 ARS 2,113

76.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 ARS 3,278

$2.15 ARS 3,179

3.26%

Eggs

$3.17 ARS 4,681

$1.55 ARS 2,296

104.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.03 ARS 17.8K

$6.64 ARS 9,815

81.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.84 ARS 11.6K

$5.13 ARS 7,582

52.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.25 ARS 13.7K

$7.75 ARS 11.5K

19.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 ARS 3,623

$2.72 ARS 4,013

-9.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 ARS 3,011

$2.11 ARS 3,118

-3.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 ARS 1,931

$1.55 ARS 2,295

-15.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.53 ARS 3,743

$2.50 ARS 3,688

1.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 ARS 2,149

$1.22 ARS 1,796

18.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ARS 2,190

$1.03 ARS 1,518

43.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.79 ARS 2,642

$0.67 ARS 984

167.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 ARS 2,141

$1.16 ARS 1,717

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 ARS 4,695

$3.55 ARS 5,249

-10.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.83 ARS 8,619

$2.97 ARS 4,392

96.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 ARS 3,276

$1.38 ARS 2,038

60.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 ARS 4,533

$2.05 ARS 3,029

49.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 ARS 988

$0.71 ARS 1,051

-5.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.26 ARS 24.0K

$9.89 ARS 14.6K

64.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 ARS 2,332

$1.47 ARS 2,166

7.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 ARS 1,266

$0.77 ARS 1,132

11.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 ARS 8,823

$8.23 ARS 12.2K

-27.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ARS 1,652

$1.14 ARS 1,684

-1.75%

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

$24.8K ARS 36.6M

$27.5K ARS 40.7M

-9.96%

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

$29.2K ARS 43.2M

$39.7K ARS 58.7M

-26.42%

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

$109 ARS 160.9K

$86.7 ARS 128.1K

25.64%

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

$21.47 ARS 31.7K

$10.21 ARS 15.1K

110.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.58 ARS 42.2K

$24.91 ARS 36.8K

14.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.73 ARS 61.6K

$17.08 ARS 25.2K

144.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.77 ARS 17.4K

$7.77 ARS 11.5K

51.48%

Cinema Ticket

$9.25 ARS 13.7K

$4.01 ARS 5,928

130.67%

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

$325 ARS 479.5K

$162 ARS 239.0K

100.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,275 ARS 7.8M

$3,184 ARS 4.7M

65.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 ARS 165.0K

$55.5 ARS 82.1K

101.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$85.9 ARS 127.0K

$62.8 ARS 92.8K

36.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 ARS 181.5K

$65.2 ARS 96.3K

88.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 ARS 190.6K

$61.4 ARS 90.7K

109.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 ARS 970.3K

$278 ARS 411.2K

135.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ARS 661.4K

$203 ARS 300.1K

120.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,150 ARS 1.7M

$707 ARS 1.0M

62.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$814 ARS 1.2M

$581 ARS 859.1K

39.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,577 ARS 3.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,844 ARS 2.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$842 ARS 1.2M

$602 ARS 890.0K

39.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

52.71

58.5

-9.90%

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

Last update for Buenos Aires: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mar del Plata: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $657 in Buenos Aires and $278 in Mar del Plata. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buenos Aires pays 40% 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: $60.0 in Buenos Aires vs $37.00 in Mar del Plata for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $193 per month, with Mar del Plata 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

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

Buenos Aires and Mar del Plata differ by about 66% in total monthly costs ($1,393 vs $841 including rent). Mar del Plata is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 40% higher in Buenos Aires, 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: $657 in Buenos Aires versus $278 in Mar del Plata. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $325 in Buenos Aires versus $162 in Mar del Plata. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 40% higher in Buenos Aires. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $841 in Mar del Plata versus $1,393 in Buenos Aires, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mar del Plata but tight or insufficient in Buenos Aires. 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, Buenos Aires 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 66% less than in Buenos Aires. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.