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: $1,412 in Buenos Aires versus $847 in Mar del Plata.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,197 in Buenos Aires versus $1,433 in Mar del Plata.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,982 in Buenos Aires versus $2,019 in Mar del Plata.

Living in Buenos Aires is roughly 67% more expensive than Mar del Plata, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Buenos Aires is 5% above, Mar del Plata is 37% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.09 ARS 21.7K

$9.93 ARS 14.3K

51.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.7 ARS 87.4K

$37.70 ARS 54.3K

60.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.89 ARS 17.1K

$8.22 ARS 11.8K

44.65%

Cappuccino

$4.01 ARS 5,777

$2.45 ARS 3,528

63.67%

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

$2.09 ARS 3,005

$2.26 ARS 3,254

-7.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 ARS 2,135

$2.12 ARS 3,048

-30.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.58 ARS 5,161

$3.21 ARS 4,624

11.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 ARS 5,873

$3.34 ARS 4,812

22.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 ARS 2,298

$1.10 ARS 1,579

45.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 ARS 3,639

$1.42 ARS 2,051

78.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 ARS 3,291

$2.06 ARS 2,970

10.68%

Eggs

$3.32 ARS 4,785

$1.52 ARS 2,192

118.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.15 ARS 17.5K

$6.79 ARS 9,776

78.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 ARS 11.3K

$5.28 ARS 7,609

48.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.66 ARS 13.9K

$7.55 ARS 10.9K

27.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.49 ARS 3,582

$2.87 ARS 4,135

-13.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 ARS 2,966

$2.13 ARS 3,073

-3.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 ARS 1,822

$1.57 ARS 2,255

-19.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 ARS 3,667

$2.49 ARS 3,592

2.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 ARS 2,147

$1.23 ARS 1,772

21.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 ARS 2,114

$0.95 ARS 1,375

54.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 ARS 2,653

$0.63 ARS 904

192.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 ARS 2,079

$1.17 ARS 1,692

23.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.27 ARS 4,716

$3.42 ARS 4,925

-4.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 ARS 8,280

$2.92 ARS 4,204

96.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 ARS 3,233

$1.38 ARS 1,990

62.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ARS 4,610

$1.98 ARS 2,852

61.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 ARS 1,036

$0.73 ARS 1,048

-1.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.12 ARS 23.2K

$9.97 ARS 14.4K

61.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.65 ARS 2,370

$1.53 ARS 2,200

7.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 ARS 1,306

$0.79 ARS 1,132

15.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.93 ARS 8,544

$7.95 ARS 11.5K

-25.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ARS 1,600

$1.14 ARS 1,642

-2.63%

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

$24.6K ARS 35.4M

$27.5K ARS 39.6M

-10.66%

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

$28.8K ARS 41.5M

$39.9K ARS 57.5M

-27.85%

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

$109 ARS 157.1K

$84.2 ARS 121.3K

29.52%

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

$21.60 ARS 31.1K

$10.23 ARS 14.7K

111.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.00 ARS 41.8K

$25.44 ARS 36.6K

13.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.80 ARS 61.7K

$17.04 ARS 24.5K

151.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.76 ARS 16.9K

$8.02 ARS 11.6K

46.63%

Cinema Ticket

$9.01 ARS 13.0K

$3.90 ARS 5,611

131.03%

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

$324 ARS 466.7K

$163 ARS 234.2K

99.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,180 ARS 7.5M

$3,145 ARS 4.5M

64.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 ARS 156.4K

$57.3 ARS 82.5K

89.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$86.8 ARS 125.0K

$63.0 ARS 90.7K

37.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 ARS 178.1K

$63.9 ARS 92.0K

93.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 ARS 191.2K

$61.9 ARS 89.1K

114.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$658 ARS 948.2K

$286 ARS 412.1K

130.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$447 ARS 644.5K

$204 ARS 294.5K

118.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,155 ARS 1.7M

$723 ARS 1.0M

59.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$811 ARS 1.2M

$572 ARS 824.3K

41.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,627 ARS 3.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,830 ARS 2.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$820 ARS 1.2M

$599 ARS 863.5K

36.72%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Mar del Plata: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $658 in Buenos Aires and $286 in Mar del Plata. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buenos Aires pays 37% 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: $61.0 in Buenos Aires vs $38.00 in Mar del Plata for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $194 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 67% in total monthly costs ($1,412 vs $847 including rent). Mar del Plata is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Buenos Aires pays 37% more on average, 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: $658 in Buenos Aires versus $286 in Mar del Plata. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $324 in Buenos Aires versus $163 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 $847 in Mar del Plata versus $1,412 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 67% less than in Buenos Aires. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.