Cost of Living Comparison Between La Plata and Mar del Plata Cost of Living Comparison Between La Plata and Mar del Plata

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $885 per month in La Plata vs $855 in Mar del Plata, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,495 per month in La Plata vs $1,426 in Mar del Plata, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,106 per month in La Plata vs $1,997 in Mar del Plata, rent included.

La Plata costs about 4% more than Mar del Plata, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both La Plata and Mar del Plata are more affordable than the global median – La Plata 34% lower, Mar del Plata 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.15 ARS 17.4K

$9.39 ARS 13.4K

29.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.87 ARS 39.8K

$38.16 ARS 54.5K

-26.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.10 ARS 7,281

$8.07 ARS 11.5K

-36.80%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ARS 4,405

$2.47 ARS 3,529

24.70%

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

$0.72 ARS 1,025

$2.17 ARS 3,094

-66.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 ARS 1,098

$2.12 ARS 3,033

-63.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.97 ARS 1,388

$3.28 ARS 4,687

-70.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 ARS 5,846

$3.30 ARS 4,721

23.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 ARS 1,748

$1.06 ARS 1,510

15.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 ARS 2,256

$1.43 ARS 2,049

10.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 ARS 2,304

$2.16 ARS 3,082

-25.46%

Eggs

$2.22 ARS 3,173

$1.58 ARS 2,261

40.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.51 ARS 10.7K

$6.84 ARS 9,772

9.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.60 ARS 8,001

$5.35 ARS 7,639

4.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.02 ARS 11.5K

$7.74 ARS 11.1K

3.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 ARS 3,600

$2.76 ARS 3,946

-8.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 ARS 2,709

$2.13 ARS 3,036

-10.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.11 ARS 1,580

$1.50 ARS 2,140

-26.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 ARS 3,623

$2.53 ARS 3,618

0.40%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 ARS 1,102

$1.28 ARS 1,829

-39.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ARS 1,662

$0.96 ARS 1,370

20.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.86 ARS 2,662

$0.62 ARS 885

200.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ARS 1,762

$1.21 ARS 1,725

1.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 ARS 4,197

$3.49 ARS 4,979

-15.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.83 ARS 6,906

$3.08 ARS 4,399

56.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 ARS 3,160

$1.33 ARS 1,904

66.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 ARS 4,558

$1.96 ARS 2,805

62.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 ARS 429

$0.75 ARS 1,076

-60.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.94 ARS 14.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.55 ARS 2,218

$1.46 ARS 2,089

6.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ARS 1,214

$0.74 ARS 1,051

14.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.03 ARS 8,613

$7.84 ARS 11.2K

-23.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 ARS 1,430

$1.10 ARS 1,570

-9.09%

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

$25.3K ARS 36.2M

$27.3K ARS 38.9M

-7.16%

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

$28.8K ARS 41.2M

$39.0K ARS 55.7M

-26.10%

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

$35.43 ARS 50.6K

$85.4 ARS 122.0K

-58.50%

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

$16.40 ARS 23.4K

$10.27 ARS 14.7K

59.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.99 ARS 32.8K

$25.40 ARS 36.3K

-9.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.14 ARS 31.6K

$17.28 ARS 24.7K

28.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.86 ARS 19.8K

$7.86 ARS 11.2K

76.34%

Cinema Ticket

$7.10 ARS 10.1K

$3.98 ARS 5,686

78.39%

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

$331 ARS 473.2K

$162 ARS 232.1K

103.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,132 ARS 7.3M

$3,242 ARS 4.6M

58.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.7 ARS 128.1K

$56.5 ARS 80.7K

58.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$86.8 ARS 124.0K

$62.4 ARS 89.1K

39.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 ARS 177.5K

$64.2 ARS 91.7K

93.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 ARS 187.2K

$62.9 ARS 89.9K

108.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$302 ARS 431.3K

$285 ARS 406.9K

5.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$184 ARS 262.7K

$206 ARS 294.8K

-10.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 ARS 921.0K

$718 ARS 1.0M

-10.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$509 ARS 727.5K

$582 ARS 831.8K

-12.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ARS 2.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,461 ARS 2.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$656 ARS 936.6K

$618 ARS 882.5K

6.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

52.71

58.5

-9.90%

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

Last update for La Plata: June 6, 2026

Last update for Mar del Plata: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $302 in La Plata versus $285 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 6% higher in La Plata, 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 La Plata versus $38.00 in Mar del Plata. Groceries tell a different story – $213 in La Plata vs $195 in Mar del Plata – so Mar del Plata wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $885 in La Plata, $855 in Mar del Plata – roughly 4% apart. La Plata costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,327 per month in La Plata and $1,282 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in La Plata and $38.00 in Mar del Plata. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% more in La Plata, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Mar del Plata, where all-in costs run around $855, than in La Plata at $885. In Mar del Plata it covers expenses comfortably, while in La Plata it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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, La Plata makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.