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 $878 per month in La Plata vs $844 in Mar del Plata, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,477 per month in La Plata vs $1,417 in Mar del Plata, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,076 per month in La Plata vs $1,991 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 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.04 ARS 18.0K

$9.53 ARS 14.2K

26.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.46 ARS 42.6K

$37.25 ARS 55.7K

-23.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.32 ARS 7,947

$8.17 ARS 12.2K

-34.88%

Cappuccino

$2.94 ARS 4,388

$2.41 ARS 3,603

21.99%

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

$0.77 ARS 1,151

$2.18 ARS 3,260

-64.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ARS 1,103

$2.05 ARS 3,072

-63.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 ARS 1,514

$3.34 ARS 4,993

-69.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 ARS 5,807

$3.19 ARS 4,764

21.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 ARS 1,831

$1.05 ARS 1,570

16.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 ARS 2,482

$1.38 ARS 2,063

20.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 ARS 2,294

$2.06 ARS 3,084

-25.73%

Eggs

$2.18 ARS 3,257

$1.52 ARS 2,279

43.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ARS 11.1K

$6.93 ARS 10.4K

7.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.54 ARS 8,286

$5.22 ARS 7,810

6.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.37 ARS 12.5K

$7.47 ARS 11.2K

12.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 ARS 3,678

$2.74 ARS 4,091

-10.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 ARS 2,861

$2.17 ARS 3,244

-11.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 ARS 1,723

$1.55 ARS 2,318

-25.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 ARS 3,837

$2.45 ARS 3,661

4.90%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 ARS 1,142

$1.22 ARS 1,827

-37.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ARS 1,655

$0.95 ARS 1,417

16.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.87 ARS 2,802

$0.63 ARS 945

196.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 ARS 1,926

$1.20 ARS 1,796

7.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 ARS 4,417

$3.48 ARS 5,201

-15.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.96 ARS 7,413

$2.95 ARS 4,406

68.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 ARS 3,284

$1.39 ARS 2,082

58.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 ARS 4,618

$1.98 ARS 2,966

56.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 ARS 444

$0.76 ARS 1,136

-60.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.94 ARS 14.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ARS 2,240

$1.49 ARS 2,226

0.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ARS 1,272

$0.76 ARS 1,137

11.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.13 ARS 9,167

$8.18 ARS 12.2K

-25.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 ARS 1,386

$1.15 ARS 1,722

-19.13%

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

$25.2K ARS 37.7M

$28.2K ARS 42.2M

-10.64%

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

$28.8K ARS 43.1M

$38.9K ARS 58.2M

-26.01%

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

$35.12 ARS 52.5K

$85.2 ARS 127.4K

-58.79%

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

$16.38 ARS 24.5K

$10.11 ARS 15.1K

62.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.49 ARS 35.1K

$25.00 ARS 37.4K

-6.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.97 ARS 32.8K

$17.57 ARS 26.3K

25.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.97 ARS 20.9K

$7.84 ARS 11.7K

78.19%

Cinema Ticket

$6.78 ARS 10.1K

$4.10 ARS 6,124

65.37%

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

$324 ARS 485.0K

$159 ARS 238.4K

103.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,210 ARS 7.8M

$3,177 ARS 4.7M

64.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.9 ARS 138.9K

$56.7 ARS 84.7K

63.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$85.6 ARS 128.0K

$61.5 ARS 92.0K

39.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 ARS 184.9K

$65.0 ARS 97.2K

90.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 ARS 194.1K

$62.7 ARS 93.7K

107.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$303 ARS 452.5K

$283 ARS 422.4K

7.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 ARS 277.5K

$202 ARS 301.3K

-7.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$642 ARS 959.2K

$726 ARS 1.1M

-11.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$505 ARS 754.4K

$585 ARS 874.5K

-13.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,984 ARS 3.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,452 ARS 2.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$662 ARS 989.5K

$616 ARS 921.3K

7.41%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Mar del Plata: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $303 in La Plata versus $283 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 7% 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 $37.00 in Mar del Plata. Groceries tell a different story – $215 in La Plata vs $192 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: $878 in La Plata, $844 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 $1,317 per month in La Plata and $1,266 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 $37.00 in Mar del Plata. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $878 in La Plata and $844 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, La Plata makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.