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: $838 in Mar del Plata versus $1,426 in Buenos Aires.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,425 in Mar del Plata versus $2,203 in Buenos Aires.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,011 in Mar del Plata versus $2,980 in Buenos Aires.

Living in Mar del Plata costs roughly 41% 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 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.87 ARS 13.9K

$14.90 ARS 21.0K

-33.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.84 ARS 51.9K

$60.5 ARS 85.2K

-39.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 ARS 11.7K

$12.09 ARS 17.0K

-31.51%

Cappuccino

$2.42 ARS 3,402

$4.09 ARS 5,757

-40.83%

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

$2.20 ARS 3,097

$2.09 ARS 2,947

5.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ARS 2,891

$1.52 ARS 2,134

34.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.20 ARS 4,503

$3.63 ARS 5,107

-11.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 ARS 4,664

$4.02 ARS 5,656

-17.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 ARS 1,560

$1.54 ARS 2,165

-27.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ARS 2,000

$2.42 ARS 3,414

-41.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 ARS 2,936

$2.19 ARS 3,090

-5.02%

Eggs

$1.49 ARS 2,104

$3.19 ARS 4,488

-53.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.73 ARS 9,475

$12.22 ARS 17.2K

-44.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.33 ARS 7,507

$8.05 ARS 11.3K

-33.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.45 ARS 10.5K

$9.65 ARS 13.6K

-22.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 ARS 3,829

$2.49 ARS 3,506

9.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.12 ARS 2,987

$2.10 ARS 2,957

0.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 ARS 2,121

$1.31 ARS 1,849

15.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 ARS 3,551

$2.65 ARS 3,738

-4.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ARS 1,810

$1.43 ARS 2,009

-9.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 ARS 1,401

$1.54 ARS 2,167

-35.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ARS 881

$1.79 ARS 2,523

-64.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ARS 1,696

$1.44 ARS 2,024

-16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.54 ARS 4,987

$3.22 ARS 4,537

9.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.94 ARS 6,960

$6.67 ARS 9,391

-25.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 ARS 1,892

$2.26 ARS 3,180

-40.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 ARS 2,747

$3.03 ARS 4,272

-35.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 ARS 1,069

$0.72 ARS 1,020

5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.90 ARS 13.9K

$16.07 ARS 22.6K

-38.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 ARS 2,158

$1.59 ARS 2,237

-3.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 ARS 1,079

$0.92 ARS 1,295

-16.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.91 ARS 11.1K

$5.89 ARS 8,292

34.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ARS 1,595

$1.12 ARS 1,582

0.89%

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

$27.9K ARS 39.2M

$24.5K ARS 34.5M

13.68%

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

$40.2K ARS 56.6M

$28.9K ARS 40.7M

38.95%

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

$83.7 ARS 117.8K

$110 ARS 154.8K

-23.88%

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

$10.36 ARS 14.6K

$21.81 ARS 30.7K

-52.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.20 ARS 35.5K

$28.52 ARS 40.2K

-11.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.02 ARS 24.0K

$41.83 ARS 58.9K

-59.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.93 ARS 11.2K

$11.59 ARS 16.3K

-31.58%

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 ARS 5,481

$8.79 ARS 12.4K

-55.75%

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

$159 ARS 223.8K

$322 ARS 453.7K

-50.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,227 ARS 4.5M

$5,120 ARS 7.2M

-36.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 ARS 78.1K

$111 ARS 156.0K

-49.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.7 ARS 86.9K

$86.1 ARS 121.3K

-28.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.9 ARS 89.9K

$126 ARS 177.0K

-49.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.6 ARS 89.6K

$133 ARS 186.6K

-52.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 ARS 395.1K

$650 ARS 915.8K

-56.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$206 ARS 290.0K

$444 ARS 625.6K

-53.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$734 ARS 1.0M

$1,154 ARS 1.6M

-36.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$575 ARS 809.5K

$789 ARS 1.1M

-27.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,203 ARS 3.1M

$2,679 ARS 3.8M

-17.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,994 ARS 2.8M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$604 ARS 850.3K

$796 ARS 1.1M

-24.10%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Buenos Aires: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $281 in Mar del Plata and $650 in Buenos Aires. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buenos Aires pays 32% 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 $60.0 in Buenos Aires for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 vs $273 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 70% in total monthly costs ($838 vs $1,426 including rent). Mar del Plata is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Buenos Aires earns 32% less. 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: $281 in Mar del Plata versus $650 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 $322 in Buenos Aires. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in Buenos Aires. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $838 in Mar del Plata versus $1,426 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 70% less than in Buenos Aires. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.