Cost of Living Comparison Between Mar del Plata and Buenos Aires Cost of Living Comparison Between Mar del Plata and Buenos Aires

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $844 in Mar del Plata versus $1,381 in Buenos Aires.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,417 in Mar del Plata versus $2,205 in Buenos Aires.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,991 in Mar del Plata versus $3,030 in Buenos Aires.

Living in Mar del Plata costs roughly 39% less than in Buenos Aires, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mar del Plata is 37% below, Buenos Aires is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.53 ARS 14.2K

$15.11 ARS 22.6K

-36.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.25 ARS 55.7K

$61.1 ARS 91.3K

-39.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.17 ARS 12.2K

$12.08 ARS 18.1K

-32.37%

Cappuccino

$2.41 ARS 3,603

$4.03 ARS 6,030

-40.20%

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

$2.18 ARS 3,260

$2.18 ARS 3,259

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ARS 3,072

$1.54 ARS 2,309

33.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.34 ARS 4,993

$3.68 ARS 5,495

-9.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 ARS 4,764

$3.96 ARS 5,918

-19.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 ARS 1,570

$1.59 ARS 2,383

-33.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 ARS 2,063

$2.55 ARS 3,805

-45.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 ARS 3,084

$2.31 ARS 3,452

-10.82%

Eggs

$1.52 ARS 2,279

$3.25 ARS 4,866

-53.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.93 ARS 10.4K

$12.05 ARS 18.0K

-42.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.22 ARS 7,810

$7.83 ARS 11.7K

-33.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.47 ARS 11.2K

$9.16 ARS 13.7K

-18.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.74 ARS 4,091

$2.56 ARS 3,833

7.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 ARS 3,244

$2.04 ARS 3,056

6.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 ARS 2,318

$1.26 ARS 1,882

23.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 ARS 3,661

$2.57 ARS 3,839

-4.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 ARS 1,827

$1.44 ARS 2,155

-15.28%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 ARS 1,417

$1.48 ARS 2,208

-35.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ARS 945

$1.82 ARS 2,718

-65.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ARS 1,796

$1.44 ARS 2,158

-16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.48 ARS 5,201

$3.20 ARS 4,786

8.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.95 ARS 4,406

$5.75 ARS 8,598

-48.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 ARS 2,082

$2.25 ARS 3,361

-38.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ARS 2,966

$3.15 ARS 4,704

-37.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 ARS 1,136

$0.72 ARS 1,084

5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.94 ARS 14.9K

$15.93 ARS 23.8K

-37.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ARS 2,226

$1.59 ARS 2,376

-6.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 ARS 1,137

$0.85 ARS 1,267

-10.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.18 ARS 12.2K

$5.98 ARS 8,934

36.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ARS 1,722

$1.12 ARS 1,676

2.68%

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

$28.2K ARS 42.2M

$25.3K ARS 37.9M

11.54%

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

$38.9K ARS 58.2M

$28.6K ARS 42.7M

36.30%

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

$85.2 ARS 127.4K

$111 ARS 165.6K

-23.06%

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

$10.11 ARS 15.1K

$21.83 ARS 32.6K

-53.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.00 ARS 37.4K

$29.16 ARS 43.6K

-14.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.57 ARS 26.3K

$43.06 ARS 64.4K

-59.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.84 ARS 11.7K

$11.39 ARS 17.0K

-31.17%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 ARS 6,124

$9.13 ARS 13.6K

-55.09%

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

$159 ARS 238.4K

$331 ARS 495.0K

-51.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,177 ARS 4.7M

$5,203 ARS 7.8M

-38.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 ARS 84.7K

$112 ARS 168.1K

-49.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.5 ARS 92.0K

$87.7 ARS 131.1K

-29.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.0 ARS 97.2K

$126 ARS 187.8K

-48.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.7 ARS 93.7K

$130 ARS 194.5K

-51.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$283 ARS 422.4K

$648 ARS 968.6K

-56.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$202 ARS 301.3K

$441 ARS 658.6K

-54.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$726 ARS 1.1M

$1,186 ARS 1.8M

-38.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$585 ARS 874.5K

$804 ARS 1.2M

-27.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,617 ARS 3.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,898 ARS 2.8M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$616 ARS 921.3K

$850 ARS 1.3M

-27.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

58.5

52.71

10.98%

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

Last update for Mar del Plata: July 27, 2026

Last update for Buenos Aires: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $283 in Mar del Plata and $648 in Buenos Aires. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buenos Aires pays 38% 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: $37.00 in Mar del Plata vs $61.0 in Buenos Aires for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $192 vs $270 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

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

Mar del Plata and Buenos Aires differ by about 64% in total monthly costs ($844 vs $1,381 including rent). Mar del Plata is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 38% lower in Buenos Aires. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $283 in Mar del Plata versus $648 in Buenos Aires. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $159 in Mar del Plata versus $331 in Buenos Aires. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 40% higher in Buenos Aires. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $844 in Mar del Plata versus $1,381 in Buenos Aires, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mar del Plata but tight or insufficient in Buenos Aires. 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, Mar del Plata and Buenos Aires 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 64% less than in Buenos Aires. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.