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 $1,083 per month in Durban vs $841 in Mar del Plata, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,560 per month in Durban vs $1,452 in Mar del Plata, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,037 per month in Durban vs $2,062 in Mar del Plata, rent included.

Durban costs about 29% more than Mar del Plata, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Durban and Mar del Plata are more affordable than the global median – Durban 19% lower, Mar del Plata 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.52 R 124

$9.58 ARS 14.2K

-21.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.22 R 467

$36.91 ARS 54.5K

-23.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.94 R 81.8

$8.12 ARS 12.0K

-39.16%

Cappuccino

$1.90 R 31.38

$2.49 ARS 3,674

-23.69%

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

$0.90 R 14.85

$2.27 ARS 3,353

-60.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 R 11.03

$2.15 ARS 3,176

-68.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 R 32.64

$3.29 ARS 4,870

-40.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 R 37.40

$3.18 ARS 4,707

-28.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 R 17.36

$1.05 ARS 1,557

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 R 15.93

$1.43 ARS 2,114

-32.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 R 23.82

$2.15 ARS 3,180

-33.02%

Eggs

$2.09 R 34.66

$1.55 ARS 2,296

34.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.50 R 124

$6.64 ARS 9,818

12.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 R 74.8

$5.13 ARS 7,584

-11.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.16 R 102

$7.75 ARS 11.5K

-20.52%

Apples (1kg)

$1.56 R 25.76

$2.72 ARS 4,014

-42.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 R 23.19

$2.11 ARS 3,119

-33.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 R 22.06

$1.55 ARS 2,296

-14.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.31 R 21.72

$2.50 ARS 3,689

-47.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 R 21.67

$1.22 ARS 1,796

7.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 R 20.27

$1.03 ARS 1,519

18.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 R 16.08

$0.67 ARS 985

44.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 R 15.90

$1.16 ARS 1,717

-17.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 R 49.74

$3.55 ARS 5,251

-15.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.75 R 78.7

$2.97 ARS 4,394

59.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 R 23.01

$1.38 ARS 2,039

0.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 R 28.88

$2.05 ARS 3,030

-15.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.51 R 25.00

$0.71 ARS 1,051

112.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.64 R 640

$9.89 ARS 14.6K

290.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 R 27.98

$1.47 ARS 2,167

14.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 R 9.65

$0.77 ARS 1,133

-24.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.78 R 112

$8.23 ARS 12.2K

-17.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 R 21.83

$1.14 ARS 1,685

15.79%

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

$20.5K R 340.0K

$27.5K ARS 40.7M

-25.39%

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

$24.1K R 398.8K

$39.7K ARS 58.7M

-39.37%

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

$146 R 2,410

$86.7 ARS 128.1K

67.91%

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

$29.42 R 487

$10.21 ARS 15.1K

188.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.24 R 567

$24.91 ARS 36.8K

37.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.69 R 558

$17.08 ARS 25.2K

97.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.42 R 156

$7.77 ARS 11.5K

21.24%

Cinema Ticket

$6.88 R 114

$4.01 ARS 5,930

71.57%

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

$205 R 3,393

$162 ARS 239.1K

26.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,576 R 75.8K

$3,184 ARS 4.7M

43.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.95 R 694

$55.5 ARS 82.1K

-24.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.69 R 491

$62.8 ARS 92.9K

-52.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.4 R 1,596

$65.2 ARS 96.4K

47.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.5 R 1,183

$61.4 ARS 90.8K

16.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$377 R 6,249

$278 ARS 411.3K

35.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$364 R 6,028

$203 ARS 300.2K

79.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$759 R 12.6K

$707 ARS 1.0M

7.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$588 R 9,732

$581 ARS 859.4K

1.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$898 R 14.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$597 R 9,879

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,247 R 20.6K

$602 ARS 890.3K

107.03%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Mar del Plata: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $377 in Durban versus $278 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 107% 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 $37.00 in Mar del Plata. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $168 vs $193 – 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 29%, 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 $1,625 per month in Durban and $1,262 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 $1,083 in Durban and $841 in Mar del Plata. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 291% 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 $1,083 in Durban and $841 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.