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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,150 per month in Durban vs $1,020 in Mar del Plata, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,789 per month in Durban vs $1,783 in Mar del Plata, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,428 per month in Durban vs $2,545 in Mar del Plata, rent included.

Durban costs about 13% more than Mar del Plata, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Durban and Mar del Plata are more affordable than the global median – Durban 16% lower, Mar del Plata 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.10 R 130

$19.92 ARS 30.0K

-59.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.00 R 640

$60.9 ARS 91.8K

-34.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.80 R 92.8

$12.64 ARS 19.1K

-54.11%

Cappuccino

$2.78 R 44.52

$3.13 ARS 4,716

-11.18%

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

$1.14 R 18.28

$2.55 ARS 3,839

-55.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 R 14.90

$2.05 ARS 3,096

-54.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 R 38.76

$3.98 ARS 6,004

-39.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 R 44.37

$2.97 ARS 4,484

-6.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 R 20.07

$1.11 ARS 1,676

12.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 R 15.85

$2.09 ARS 3,159

-52.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 R 26.25

$3.33 ARS 5,020

-50.75%

Eggs

$2.44 R 39.08

$2.46 ARS 3,713

-0.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.65 R 138

$5.84 ARS 8,807

48.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.64 R 90.2

$6.68 ARS 10.1K

-15.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.30 R 117

$12.22 ARS 18.4K

-40.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 R 30.12

$3.36 ARS 5,074

-44.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 R 30.54

$2.49 ARS 3,752

-23.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 R 30.82

$1.52 ARS 2,297

26.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 R 26.77

$1.96 ARS 2,957

-14.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 R 24.81

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 R 24.46

$0.99 ARS 1,493

54.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 R 19.57

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 R 19.94

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.72 R 59.5

$3.55 ARS 5,361

4.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.83 R 77.2

$2.96 ARS 4,462

63.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 R 24.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 R 31.54

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.93 R 30.83

$1.33 ARS 2,007

45.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.24 R 356

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 R 7.21

$1.57 ARS 2,368

-71.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 R 12.28

$0.65 ARS 982

18.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.72 R 123

$6.31 ARS 9,518

22.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 R 23.45

$1.32 ARS 1,996

11.36%

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

$36.5K R 583.5K

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

$33.0K R 527.4K

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

$148 R 2,369

$79.3 ARS 119.6K

86.79%

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

$35.25 R 564

$8.17 ARS 12.3K

331.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.89 R 622

$30.08 ARS 45.4K

29.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.54 R 504

$30.57 ARS 46.1K

3.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.41 R 150

Cinema Ticket

$6.68 R 107

$10.06 ARS 15.2K

-33.60%

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

$331 R 5,295

$301 ARS 454.2K

9.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,462 R 119.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 R 854

$87.3 ARS 131.7K

-38.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.55 R 489

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 R 1,615

$120 ARS 180.7K

-15.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.7 R 1,419

$54.3 ARS 81.9K

63.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 R 7,829

$326 ARS 491.7K

50.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 R 6,396

$249 ARS 375.8K

60.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$862 R 13.8K

$813 ARS 1.2M

6.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 R 12.6K

$654 ARS 987.1K

20.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$934 R 14.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$590 R 9,436

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,250 R 20.0K

$613 ARS 923.9K

104.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.66

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

Last update for Durban: August 30, 2026

Last update for Mar del Plata: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Durban versus $326 in Mar del Plata. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 104% higher in Durban, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Durban versus $61.0 in Mar del Plata. Groceries tell a different story – $201 in Durban vs $198 in Mar del Plata – so Mar del Plata wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Yes – Durban is pricier by about 13%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,726 per month in Durban and $1,530 in Mar del Plata. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mar del Plata, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Durban and $61.0 in Mar del Plata. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Durban, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Mar del Plata, where all-in costs run around $1,020, than in Durban at $1,150. In Mar del Plata it covers expenses comfortably, while in Durban it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mar del Plata – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Mar del Plata. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Durban makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.