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: $955 in El Calafate versus $841 in Mar del Plata.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,592 in El Calafate versus $1,452 in Mar del Plata.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,228 in El Calafate versus $2,062 in Mar del Plata.

Living in El Calafate is roughly 14% more expensive than in Mar del Plata, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: El Calafate 28% lower, Mar del Plata 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.37 ARS 15.3K

$9.58 ARS 14.2K

8.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.18 ARS 49.0K

$36.91 ARS 54.5K

-10.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ARS 13.6K

$8.12 ARS 12.0K

13.55%

Cappuccino

$2.76 ARS 4,085

$2.49 ARS 3,674

10.84%

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

$1.72 ARS 2,547

$2.27 ARS 3,353

-24.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 ARS 2,296

$2.15 ARS 3,176

-27.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ARS 3,173

$3.29 ARS 4,870

-34.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 ARS 4,454

$3.18 ARS 4,707

-5.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 ARS 1,874

$1.05 ARS 1,557

20.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ARS 2,319

$1.43 ARS 2,114

9.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 ARS 2,980

$2.15 ARS 3,180

-6.05%

Eggs

$2.19 ARS 3,235

$1.55 ARS 2,296

41.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 ARS 15.1K

$6.64 ARS 9,818

53.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 ARS 9,148

$5.13 ARS 7,584

20.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ARS 13.8K

$7.75 ARS 11.5K

20.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 ARS 2,957

$2.72 ARS 4,014

-26.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 ARS 3,193

$2.11 ARS 3,119

2.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 ARS 1,929

$1.55 ARS 2,296

-15.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 ARS 3,753

$2.50 ARS 3,689

1.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 ARS 1,697

$1.22 ARS 1,796

-5.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ARS 1,753

$1.03 ARS 1,519

15.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 ARS 1,958

$0.67 ARS 985

97.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 ARS 2,203

$1.16 ARS 1,717

28.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.15 ARS 4,662

$3.55 ARS 5,251

-11.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.11 ARS 7,549

$2.97 ARS 4,394

72.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 ARS 2,924

$1.38 ARS 2,039

43.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 ARS 4,466

$2.05 ARS 3,030

47.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 ARS 1,129

$0.71 ARS 1,051

7.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.89 ARS 14.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 ARS 2,170

$1.47 ARS 2,167

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.87 ARS 1,281

$0.77 ARS 1,133

12.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.02 ARS 8,894

$8.23 ARS 12.2K

-26.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 ARS 1,566

$1.14 ARS 1,685

-7.02%

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

$27.9K ARS 41.2M

$27.5K ARS 40.7M

1.26%

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

$30.5K ARS 45.1M

$39.7K ARS 58.7M

-23.15%

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

$66.0 ARS 97.5K

$86.7 ARS 128.1K

-23.92%

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

$17.47 ARS 25.8K

$10.21 ARS 15.1K

71.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.11 ARS 32.7K

$24.91 ARS 36.8K

-11.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.57 ARS 39.3K

$17.08 ARS 25.2K

55.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.87 ARS 20.5K

$7.77 ARS 11.5K

78.51%

Cinema Ticket

$6.22 ARS 9,195

$4.01 ARS 5,930

55.11%

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

$216 ARS 319.0K

$162 ARS 239.1K

33.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,690 ARS 4.0M

$3,184 ARS 4.7M

-15.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.5 ARS 108.6K

$55.5 ARS 82.1K

32.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.4 ARS 102.6K

$62.8 ARS 92.9K

10.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 ARS 167.9K

$65.2 ARS 96.4K

74.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 ARS 163.0K

$61.4 ARS 90.8K

79.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$340 ARS 502.4K

$278 ARS 411.3K

22.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$236 ARS 348.8K

$203 ARS 300.2K

16.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$694 ARS 1.0M

$707 ARS 1.0M

-1.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$533 ARS 787.1K

$581 ARS 859.4K

-8.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,872 ARS 2.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,594 ARS 2.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ARS 890.3K

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Mar del Plata: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $340 in El Calafate and $278 in Mar del Plata. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in El Calafate vs $37.00 in Mar del Plata. Groceries flip the comparison at $231 vs $193, 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 14% in total monthly costs ($955 vs $841 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 $1,433 in El Calafate and $1,262 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: $340 in El Calafate versus $278 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 $162 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 $37.00 versus $33.00 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 14% less than in El Calafate. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.