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: $969 in El Calafate versus $1,020 in Mar del Plata.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,588 in El Calafate versus $1,783 in Mar del Plata.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,207 in El Calafate versus $2,545 in Mar del Plata.

Living in El Calafate costs roughly 5% less than in Mar del Plata, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: El Calafate 30% lower, Mar del Plata 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.49 ARS 15.8K

$19.92 ARS 30.0K

-47.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.47 ARS 50.5K

$60.9 ARS 91.8K

-45.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.23 ARS 13.9K

$12.64 ARS 19.1K

-26.98%

Cappuccino

$2.78 ARS 4,186

$3.13 ARS 4,716

-11.18%

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

$1.64 ARS 2,472

$2.55 ARS 3,839

-35.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ARS 2,360

$2.05 ARS 3,096

-23.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 ARS 3,127

$3.98 ARS 6,004

-47.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 ARS 4,415

$2.97 ARS 4,484

-1.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 ARS 1,957

$1.11 ARS 1,676

17.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ARS 2,361

$2.09 ARS 3,159

-24.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 ARS 3,045

$3.33 ARS 5,020

-39.34%

Eggs

$2.27 ARS 3,421

$2.46 ARS 3,713

-7.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.96 ARS 15.0K

$5.84 ARS 8,807

70.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.38 ARS 9,627

$6.68 ARS 10.1K

-4.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ARS 13.7K

$12.22 ARS 18.4K

-25.45%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 ARS 2,948

$3.36 ARS 5,074

-41.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 ARS 3,087

$2.49 ARS 3,752

-17.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 ARS 1,894

$1.52 ARS 2,297

-17.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 ARS 3,876

$1.96 ARS 2,957

31.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 ARS 1,798

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ARS 1,816

$0.99 ARS 1,493

21.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 ARS 1,995

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 ARS 2,167

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 ARS 4,671

$3.55 ARS 5,361

-12.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.01 ARS 7,564

$2.96 ARS 4,462

69.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 ARS 3,028

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 ARS 4,611

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 ARS 1,176

$1.33 ARS 2,007

-41.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 ARS 2,223

$1.57 ARS 2,368

-6.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ARS 1,390

$0.65 ARS 982

41.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.90 ARS 8,904

$6.31 ARS 9,518

-6.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 ARS 1,609

$1.32 ARS 1,996

-18.94%

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

$27.3K ARS 41.2M

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

$30.3K ARS 45.7M

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

$65.8 ARS 99.2K

$79.3 ARS 119.6K

-17.06%

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

$17.07 ARS 25.7K

$8.17 ARS 12.3K

108.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.38 ARS 33.8K

$30.08 ARS 45.4K

-25.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.00 ARS 39.2K

$30.57 ARS 46.1K

-14.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.99 ARS 21.1K

Cinema Ticket

$6.21 ARS 9,373

$10.06 ARS 15.2K

-38.27%

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

$216 ARS 325.3K

$301 ARS 454.2K

-28.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,691 ARS 4.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.0 ARS 110.1K

$87.3 ARS 131.7K

-16.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.3 ARS 104.5K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ARS 171.1K

$120 ARS 180.7K

-5.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 ARS 169.6K

$54.3 ARS 81.9K

107.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$331 ARS 499.4K

$326 ARS 491.7K

1.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$233 ARS 351.0K

$249 ARS 375.8K

-6.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$672 ARS 1.0M

$813 ARS 1.2M

-17.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$540 ARS 814.1K

$654 ARS 987.1K

-17.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,870 ARS 2.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,596 ARS 2.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$613 ARS 923.9K

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: August 30, 2026

Last update for Mar del Plata: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $331 in El Calafate and $326 in Mar del Plata. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in El Calafate vs $61.0 in Mar del Plata. Groceries flip the comparison at $230 vs $198, 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 5% in total monthly costs ($969 vs $1,020 including rent). El Calafate is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,453 in El Calafate and $1,530 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: $331 in El Calafate versus $326 in Mar del Plata. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $216 in El Calafate 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 El Calafate – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $61.0 in Mar del Plata. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though El Calafate 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 El Calafate gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Mar del Plata. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.