Cost of Living Comparison Between El Calafate and Mar del Plata Cost of Living Comparison Between El Calafate and Mar del Plata

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $953 in El Calafate versus $847 in Mar del Plata.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,554 in El Calafate versus $1,433 in Mar del Plata.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,156 in El Calafate versus $2,019 in Mar del Plata.

Living in El Calafate is roughly 12% more expensive than Mar del Plata, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: El Calafate 29% lower, Mar del Plata 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.44 ARS 14.9K

$9.93 ARS 14.2K

5.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.71 ARS 48.1K

$37.70 ARS 53.8K

-10.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.11 ARS 13.0K

$8.22 ARS 11.7K

10.83%

Cappuccino

$2.74 ARS 3,915

$2.45 ARS 3,494

11.84%

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

$1.71 ARS 2,441

$2.26 ARS 3,222

-24.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 ARS 2,191

$2.12 ARS 3,018

-27.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ARS 3,071

$3.21 ARS 4,579

-33.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ARS 4,203

$3.34 ARS 4,766

-11.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 ARS 1,783

$1.10 ARS 1,564

13.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ARS 2,322

$1.42 ARS 2,031

14.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 ARS 2,922

$2.06 ARS 2,941

-0.49%

Eggs

$2.27 ARS 3,237

$1.52 ARS 2,171

49.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.21 ARS 14.6K

$6.79 ARS 9,681

50.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.09 ARS 8,690

$5.28 ARS 7,535

15.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.39 ARS 13.4K

$7.55 ARS 10.8K

24.37%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ARS 2,805

$2.87 ARS 4,094

-31.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 ARS 2,975

$2.13 ARS 3,044

-1.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 ARS 1,867

$1.57 ARS 2,233

-16.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.62 ARS 3,730

$2.49 ARS 3,557

5.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 ARS 1,681

$1.23 ARS 1,755

-4.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 ARS 1,774

$0.95 ARS 1,361

30.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 ARS 1,874

$0.63 ARS 895

107.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 ARS 2,063

$1.17 ARS 1,676

23.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.08 ARS 4,393

$3.42 ARS 4,877

-9.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.14 ARS 7,335

$2.92 ARS 4,163

76.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 ARS 2,957

$1.38 ARS 1,971

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 ARS 4,527

$1.98 ARS 2,825

60.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 ARS 1,114

$0.73 ARS 1,038

6.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.97 ARS 14.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 ARS 2,198

$1.53 ARS 2,179

0.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.88 ARS 1,250

$0.79 ARS 1,121

11.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 ARS 8,781

$7.95 ARS 11.3K

-22.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ARS 1,555

$1.14 ARS 1,626

-4.39%

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

$27.6K ARS 39.3M

$27.5K ARS 39.2M

0.29%

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

$30.9K ARS 44.0M

$39.9K ARS 57.0M

-22.72%

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

$67.7 ARS 96.5K

$84.2 ARS 120.1K

-19.64%

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

$17.29 ARS 24.7K

$10.23 ARS 14.6K

69.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.23 ARS 31.7K

$25.44 ARS 36.3K

-12.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.54 ARS 37.9K

$17.04 ARS 24.3K

55.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.72 ARS 19.6K

$8.02 ARS 11.4K

71.07%

Cinema Ticket

$6.08 ARS 8,672

$3.90 ARS 5,557

55.90%

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

$217 ARS 309.9K

$163 ARS 232.0K

33.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,719 ARS 3.9M

$3,145 ARS 4.5M

-13.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.1 ARS 107.2K

$57.3 ARS 81.7K

31.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.6 ARS 100.7K

$63.0 ARS 89.8K

12.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ARS 161.6K

$63.9 ARS 91.1K

77.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ARS 158.9K

$61.9 ARS 88.2K

80.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$336 ARS 478.6K

$286 ARS 408.1K

17.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ARS 339.2K

$204 ARS 291.6K

16.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$686 ARS 979.2K

$723 ARS 1.0M

-5.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$538 ARS 767.9K

$572 ARS 816.2K

-5.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,864 ARS 2.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,588 ARS 2.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$599 ARS 855.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

58.5

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

Last update for El Calafate: June 1, 2026

Last update for Mar del Plata: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $336 in El Calafate and $286 in Mar del Plata. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $34.00 in El Calafate vs $38.00 in Mar del Plata. Groceries flip the comparison at $232 vs $194, with Mar del Plata cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

El Calafate and Mar del Plata differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($953 vs $847 including rent). Mar del Plata is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,429 in El Calafate and $1,271 in Mar del Plata to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $336 in El Calafate versus $286 in Mar del Plata. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $217 in El Calafate versus $163 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 $38.00 versus $34.00 in El Calafate. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Mar del Plata gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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, El Calafate 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 12% less than in El Calafate. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.