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: $1,042 in Mar del Plata versus $1,633 in Buenos Aires.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,777 in Mar del Plata versus $2,744 in Buenos Aires.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,511 in Mar del Plata versus $3,855 in Buenos Aires.

Living in Mar del Plata costs roughly 36% less than in Buenos Aires, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mar del Plata is 24% below, Buenos Aires is 18% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.02 ARS 30.2K

$18.99 ARS 28.6K

5.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.1 ARS 89.2K

$69.7 ARS 105.1K

-15.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.68 ARS 19.1K

$12.75 ARS 19.2K

-0.55%

Cappuccino

$3.09 ARS 4,661

$3.81 ARS 5,755

-18.90%

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

$2.54 ARS 3,835

$2.16 ARS 3,262

17.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ARS 3,042

$1.70 ARS 2,566

18.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.04 ARS 6,093

$3.61 ARS 5,452

11.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 ARS 4,578

$4.55 ARS 6,865

-33.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 ARS 1,634

$1.41 ARS 2,132

-23.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.19 ARS 3,303

$2.46 ARS 3,717

-10.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.19 ARS 4,819

$1.58 ARS 2,390

101.90%

Eggs

$2.45 ARS 3,700

$2.79 ARS 4,212

-12.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.66 ARS 8,543

$10.16 ARS 15.3K

-44.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.63 ARS 10.0K

$10.03 ARS 15.1K

-33.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.10 ARS 18.2K

$13.76 ARS 20.8K

-12.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.41 ARS 5,150

$2.78 ARS 4,194

22.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 ARS 3,858

$2.07 ARS 3,125

23.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 ARS 2,314

$1.42 ARS 2,142

7.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.04 ARS 3,075

$2.06 ARS 3,100

-0.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 ARS 1,796

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 ARS 1,537

$1.15 ARS 1,728

-11.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.75 ARS 2,634

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ARS 2,626

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.46 ARS 5,216

$4.27 ARS 6,436

-18.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.95 ARS 4,445

$5.65 ARS 8,528

-47.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 ARS 3,336

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 ARS 4,052

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 ARS 1,926

$0.72 ARS 1,093

77.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.88 ARS 42.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 ARS 2,399

$1.62 ARS 2,443

-1.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ARS 1,032

$1.02 ARS 1,546

-33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.26 ARS 9,445

$7.61 ARS 11.5K

-17.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ARS 2,055

$1.34 ARS 2,024

1.49%

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

$28.8K ARS 43.4M

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

$34.2K ARS 51.6M

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

$81.4 ARS 122.8K

$202 ARS 305.1K

-59.74%

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

$8.04 ARS 12.1K

$23.17 ARS 35.0K

-65.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.95 ARS 45.2K

$31.01 ARS 46.8K

-3.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.33 ARS 47.3K

$51.1 ARS 77.1K

-38.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.08 ARS 25.8K

Cinema Ticket

$10.14 ARS 15.3K

$10.99 ARS 16.6K

-7.73%

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

$304 ARS 459.3K

$459 ARS 692.9K

-33.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,949 ARS 13.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.2 ARS 134.6K

$113 ARS 170.6K

-21.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$91.7 ARS 138.4K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ARS 177.8K

$116 ARS 175.5K

1.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.0 ARS 83.0K

$135 ARS 203.0K

-59.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$331 ARS 499.8K

$714 ARS 1.1M

-53.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$250 ARS 377.0K

$506 ARS 763.5K

-50.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$806 ARS 1.2M

$1,622 ARS 2.4M

-50.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$654 ARS 985.9K

$1,288 ARS 1.9M

-49.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,636 ARS 4.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,847 ARS 2.8M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$612 ARS 923.3K

$907 ARS 1.4M

-32.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

56.56

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

Last update for Mar del Plata: September 8, 2026

Last update for Buenos Aires: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $331 in Mar del Plata and $714 in Buenos Aires. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buenos Aires pays 48% 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: $59.0 in Mar del Plata vs $70.0 in Buenos Aires for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $198 vs $282 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 57% in total monthly costs ($1,042 vs $1,633 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 48% 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: $331 in Mar del Plata versus $714 in Buenos Aires. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $304 in Mar del Plata versus $459 in Buenos Aires. 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 $59.0 versus $70.0 in Buenos Aires. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,042 in Mar del Plata versus $1,633 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 57% less than in Buenos Aires. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.