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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $1,042 in Mar del Plata.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $1,777 in Mar del Plata.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $2,511 in Mar del Plata.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 118% more expensive than in Mar del Plata, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 64% above, Mar del Plata is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$20.02 ARS 30.2K

-12.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$59.1 ARS 89.2K

9.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$12.68 ARS 19.1K

-8.12%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$3.09 ARS 4,661

5.50%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$2.54 ARS 3,835

-1.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$2.02 ARS 3,042

-17.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$4.04 ARS 6,093

-14.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$3.03 ARS 4,578

18.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.08 ARS 1,634

9.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$2.19 ARS 3,303

-10.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$3.19 ARS 4,819

-51.10%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$2.45 ARS 3,700

63.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$5.66 ARS 8,543

134.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$6.63 ARS 10.0K

27.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$12.10 ARS 18.2K

50.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$3.41 ARS 5,150

-31.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$2.56 ARS 3,858

-32.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$1.53 ARS 2,314

26.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$2.04 ARS 3,075

29.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$1.02 ARS 1,537

106.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$3.46 ARS 5,216

102.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$2.95 ARS 4,445

100.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$1.28 ARS 1,926

85.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$1.59 ARS 2,399

163.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$0.68 ARS 1,032

61.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$6.26 ARS 9,445

175.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.36 ARS 2,055

65.44%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

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

$41.6K €35.9K

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

$171 €147

$81.4 ARS 122.8K

109.87%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$8.04 ARS 12.1K

136.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$29.95 ARS 45.2K

14.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$31.33 ARS 47.3K

58.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$10.14 ARS 15.3K

-0.39%

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

$699 €603

$304 ARS 459.3K

129.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$89.2 ARS 134.6K

17.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$118 ARS 177.8K

-13.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$55.0 ARS 83.0K

133.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$331 ARS 499.8K

401.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$250 ARS 377.0K

391.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$806 ARS 1.2M

261.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$654 ARS 985.9K

209.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$612 ARS 923.3K

164.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Mar del Plata: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,661 in Lisbon and $331 in Mar del Plata. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 165% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $59.0 in Mar del Plata for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $198 per month, with Mar del Plata cheaper across the board.

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

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

Lisbon and Mar del Plata differ by about 118% in total monthly costs ($2,268 vs $1,042 including rent). Mar del Plata is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 165% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,661 in Lisbon versus $331 in Mar del Plata. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 42% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,268 per month in Lisbon versus $1,042 in Mar del Plata – a 118% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,042 in Mar del Plata versus $2,268 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mar del Plata but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Mar del Plata the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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, Lisbon 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 118% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.