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 $1,058 per month in Durban vs $847 in Mar del Plata, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,552 per month in Durban vs $1,433 in Mar del Plata, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,046 per month in Durban vs $2,019 in Mar del Plata, rent included.

Durban costs about 25% more than Mar del Plata, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Durban and Mar del Plata are more affordable than the global median – Durban 21% lower, Mar del Plata 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.60 R 124

$9.93 ARS 14.3K

-23.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.12 R 460

$37.70 ARS 54.2K

-25.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 R 81.3

$8.22 ARS 11.8K

-39.54%

Cappuccino

$1.97 R 32.17

$2.45 ARS 3,523

-19.59%

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

$0.87 R 14.21

$2.26 ARS 3,249

-61.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 R 11.00

$2.12 ARS 3,044

-68.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 R 31.48

$3.21 ARS 4,618

-39.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 R 36.23

$3.34 ARS 4,806

-33.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 R 16.27

$1.10 ARS 1,577

-9.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 R 14.89

$1.42 ARS 2,048

-35.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.27

$2.06 ARS 2,966

-28.16%

Eggs

$2.11 R 34.46

$1.52 ARS 2,189

38.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.28 R 119

$6.79 ARS 9,763

7.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.59 R 75.1

$5.28 ARS 7,598

-13.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.33 R 104

$7.55 ARS 10.9K

-16.16%

Apples (1kg)

$1.57 R 25.68

$2.87 ARS 4,129

-45.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 R 22.21

$2.13 ARS 3,069

-36.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 R 22.57

$1.57 ARS 2,252

-12.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 R 22.27

$2.49 ARS 3,587

-45.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 R 20.78

$1.23 ARS 1,770

3.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 R 19.29

$0.95 ARS 1,373

24.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 R 15.92

$0.63 ARS 903

53.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 R 15.67

$1.17 ARS 1,690

-17.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 R 51.3

$3.42 ARS 4,918

-8.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.02 R 82.1

$2.92 ARS 4,198

71.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 R 23.88

$1.38 ARS 1,987

5.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 R 28.55

$1.98 ARS 2,848

-11.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.50 R 24.47

$0.73 ARS 1,047

105.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.86 R 619

$9.97 ARS 14.3K

279.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.71 R 27.92

$1.53 ARS 2,197

11.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 R 10.01

$0.79 ARS 1,130

-22.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.78 R 111

$7.95 ARS 11.4K

-14.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R 20.85

$1.14 ARS 1,639

12.28%

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

$20.3K R 331.9K

$27.5K ARS 39.5M

-26.15%

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

$24.2K R 396.2K

$39.9K ARS 57.4M

-39.30%

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

$147 R 2,402

$84.2 ARS 121.1K

74.48%

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

$29.29 R 479

$10.23 ARS 14.7K

186.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.72 R 551

$25.44 ARS 36.6K

32.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.46 R 563

$17.04 ARS 24.5K

102.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.14 R 149

$8.02 ARS 11.5K

13.97%

Cinema Ticket

$6.56 R 107

$3.90 ARS 5,604

68.21%

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

$210 R 3,425

$163 ARS 233.9K

28.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,585 R 75.0K

$3,145 ARS 4.5M

45.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.78 R 699

$57.3 ARS 82.4K

-25.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.50 R 482

$63.0 ARS 90.6K

-53.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.3 R 1,524

$63.9 ARS 91.9K

45.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.1 R 1,194

$61.9 ARS 89.0K

18.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$373 R 6,099

$286 ARS 411.5K

30.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 R 6,009

$204 ARS 294.1K

79.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$754 R 12.3K

$723 ARS 1.0M

4.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$594 R 9,708

$572 ARS 823.1K

3.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$910 R 14.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$581 R 9,496

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,395 R 22.8K

$599 ARS 862.3K

132.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.01

58.5

-79.47%

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

Last update for Durban: May 30, 2026

Last update for Mar del Plata: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $373 in Durban versus $286 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 133% 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 $28.00 in Durban versus $38.00 in Mar del Plata. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $168 vs $194 – making Durban the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 25%, 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 $1,587 per month in Durban and $1,271 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,058 in Durban and $847 in Mar del Plata. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 280% less in Mar del Plata. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,058 in Durban and $847 in Mar del Plata, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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.