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: $1,632 in Buenos Aires versus $1,020 in Mar del Plata.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,712 in Buenos Aires versus $1,783 in Mar del Plata.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,793 in Buenos Aires versus $2,545 in Mar del Plata.

Living in Buenos Aires is roughly 60% more expensive than in Mar del Plata, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Buenos Aires is 19% above, Mar del Plata is 26% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.34 ARS 29.2K

$19.92 ARS 30.1K

-2.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.9 ARS 106.9K

$60.9 ARS 91.8K

16.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.81 ARS 19.3K

$12.64 ARS 19.1K

1.34%

Cappuccino

$4.00 ARS 6,028

$3.13 ARS 4,717

27.80%

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

$2.06 ARS 3,106

$2.55 ARS 3,840

-19.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ARS 2,493

$2.05 ARS 3,096

-19.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.67 ARS 5,532

$3.98 ARS 6,005

-7.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 ARS 6,687

$2.97 ARS 4,485

49.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 ARS 2,164

$1.11 ARS 1,676

28.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.51 ARS 3,779

$2.09 ARS 3,160

20.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 ARS 2,278

$3.33 ARS 5,021

-54.65%

Eggs

$2.71 ARS 4,092

$2.46 ARS 3,713

10.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.12 ARS 15.3K

$5.84 ARS 8,809

73.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.98 ARS 15.1K

$6.68 ARS 10.1K

49.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.85 ARS 20.9K

$12.22 ARS 18.4K

13.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.74 ARS 4,134

$3.36 ARS 5,075

-18.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 ARS 3,033

$2.49 ARS 3,753

-19.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 ARS 2,055

$1.52 ARS 2,298

-10.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 ARS 3,188

$1.96 ARS 2,958

7.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 ARS 1,727

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ARS 1,745

$0.99 ARS 1,493

17.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.75 ARS 2,638

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ARS 2,620

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 ARS 6,574

$3.55 ARS 5,362

22.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 ARS 8,558

$2.96 ARS 4,463

91.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 ARS 3,161

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ARS 4,046

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 ARS 1,124

$1.33 ARS 2,008

-43.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.38 ARS 41.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.56 ARS 2,352

$1.57 ARS 2,368

-0.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 ARS 1,483

$0.65 ARS 982

50.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.59 ARS 11.4K

$6.31 ARS 9,520

20.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ARS 2,035

$1.32 ARS 1,997

2.27%

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

$28.8K ARS 43.5M

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

$33.2K ARS 50.0M

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

$208 ARS 313.6K

$79.3 ARS 119.7K

162.08%

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

$24.04 ARS 36.3K

$8.17 ARS 12.3K

194.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.70 ARS 46.3K

$30.08 ARS 45.4K

2.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.9 ARS 76.7K

$30.57 ARS 46.1K

66.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.96 ARS 25.6K

Cinema Ticket

$10.94 ARS 16.5K

$10.06 ARS 15.2K

8.75%

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

$461 ARS 695.1K

$301 ARS 454.3K

53.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,744 ARS 13.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$114 ARS 171.3K

$87.3 ARS 131.7K

30.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$93.6 ARS 141.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ARS 177.4K

$120 ARS 180.8K

-1.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 ARS 205.6K

$54.3 ARS 81.9K

151.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$735 ARS 1.1M

$326 ARS 491.8K

125.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$514 ARS 774.9K

$249 ARS 375.8K

106.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,680 ARS 2.5M

$813 ARS 1.2M

106.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 ARS 2.0M

$654 ARS 987.2K

97.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,679 ARS 4.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,895 ARS 2.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$901 ARS 1.4M

$613 ARS 924.1K

47.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

56.56

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

Last update for Buenos Aires: August 30, 2026

Last update for Mar del Plata: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $735 in Buenos Aires and $326 in Mar del Plata. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buenos Aires pays 47% 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: $71.0 in Buenos Aires vs $61.0 in Mar del Plata for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $198 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 60% in total monthly costs ($1,632 vs $1,020 including rent). Mar del Plata is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 47% 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: $735 in Buenos Aires versus $326 in Mar del Plata. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $461 in Buenos Aires versus $301 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 $61.0 versus $71.0 in Buenos Aires. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,020 in Mar del Plata versus $1,632 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 60% less than in Buenos Aires. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.