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: $855 in Mar del Plata versus $1,408 in Buenos Aires.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,426 in Mar del Plata versus $2,203 in Buenos Aires.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,997 in Mar del Plata versus $2,998 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 36% below, Buenos Aires is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.39 ARS 13.4K

$15.07 ARS 21.5K

-37.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.16 ARS 54.5K

$61.2 ARS 87.4K

-37.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.07 ARS 11.5K

$11.91 ARS 17.0K

-32.24%

Cappuccino

$2.47 ARS 3,529

$4.05 ARS 5,784

-39.01%

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

$2.17 ARS 3,094

$2.17 ARS 3,102

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ARS 3,033

$1.54 ARS 2,199

37.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ARS 4,687

$3.59 ARS 5,126

-8.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ARS 4,721

$4.08 ARS 5,831

-19.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 ARS 1,510

$1.52 ARS 2,170

-30.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ARS 2,049

$2.45 ARS 3,494

-41.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 ARS 3,082

$2.28 ARS 3,253

-5.26%

Eggs

$1.58 ARS 2,261

$3.22 ARS 4,600

-50.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.84 ARS 9,772

$11.87 ARS 17.0K

-42.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.35 ARS 7,639

$7.74 ARS 11.0K

-30.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.74 ARS 11.1K

$9.60 ARS 13.7K

-19.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ARS 3,946

$2.50 ARS 3,571

10.40%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 ARS 3,036

$2.03 ARS 2,900

4.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ARS 2,140

$1.30 ARS 1,852

15.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.53 ARS 3,618

$2.64 ARS 3,775

-4.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ARS 1,829

$1.45 ARS 2,069

-11.72%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 ARS 1,370

$1.48 ARS 2,113

-35.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ARS 885

$1.80 ARS 2,572

-65.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ARS 1,725

$1.50 ARS 2,148

-19.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.49 ARS 4,979

$3.30 ARS 4,709

5.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.08 ARS 4,399

$5.90 ARS 8,429

-47.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 ARS 1,904

$2.20 ARS 3,150

-39.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 ARS 2,805

$3.07 ARS 4,383

-36.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 ARS 1,076

$0.69 ARS 982

8.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.94 ARS 14.2K

$15.91 ARS 22.7K

-37.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 ARS 2,089

$1.59 ARS 2,265

-8.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 ARS 1,051

$0.93 ARS 1,322

-20.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ARS 11.2K

$5.95 ARS 8,504

31.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ARS 1,570

$1.13 ARS 1,613

-2.65%

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

$27.3K ARS 38.9M

$24.9K ARS 35.6M

9.50%

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

$39.0K ARS 55.7M

$28.8K ARS 41.1M

35.49%

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

$85.4 ARS 122.0K

$113 ARS 161.3K

-24.39%

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

$10.27 ARS 14.7K

$21.34 ARS 30.5K

-51.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.40 ARS 36.3K

$28.46 ARS 40.7K

-10.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.28 ARS 24.7K

$42.70 ARS 61.0K

-59.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.86 ARS 11.2K

$11.57 ARS 16.5K

-32.07%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 ARS 5,686

$9.19 ARS 13.1K

-56.69%

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

$162 ARS 232.1K

$329 ARS 470.5K

-50.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,242 ARS 4.6M

$5,149 ARS 7.4M

-37.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.5 ARS 80.7K

$109 ARS 156.3K

-48.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.4 ARS 89.1K

$87.3 ARS 124.7K

-28.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.2 ARS 91.7K

$124 ARS 176.7K

-48.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.9 ARS 89.9K

$132 ARS 189.1K

-52.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$285 ARS 406.9K

$659 ARS 941.3K

-56.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$206 ARS 294.8K

$443 ARS 632.9K

-53.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$718 ARS 1.0M

$1,167 ARS 1.7M

-38.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$582 ARS 831.8K

$789 ARS 1.1M

-26.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,561 ARS 3.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,788 ARS 2.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$618 ARS 882.5K

$808 ARS 1.2M

-23.59%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Buenos Aires: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $285 in Mar del Plata and $659 in Buenos Aires. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buenos Aires pays 31% 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: $38.00 in Mar del Plata vs $61.0 in Buenos Aires for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $195 vs $269 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 65% in total monthly costs ($855 vs $1,408 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 31% 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: $285 in Mar del Plata versus $659 in Buenos Aires. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $162 in Mar del Plata versus $329 in Buenos Aires. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 38% higher in Buenos Aires. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $855 in Mar del Plata versus $1,408 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 65% less than in Buenos Aires. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.