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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $855 per month in Mar del Plata vs $928 in Cafayate, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,426 per month in Mar del Plata vs $1,504 in Cafayate, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,997 per month in Mar del Plata vs $2,080 in Cafayate, rent included.

Mar del Plata is about 8% cheaper than Cafayate, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Mar del Plata and Cafayate are more affordable than the global median – Mar del Plata 36% lower, Cafayate 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.39 ARS 13.4K

$6.89 ARS 9,848

36.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.16 ARS 54.5K

$32.13 ARS 45.9K

18.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.07 ARS 11.5K

$9.00 ARS 12.9K

-10.33%

Cappuccino

$2.47 ARS 3,529

$2.79 ARS 3,991

-11.47%

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

$2.17 ARS 3,094

$1.53 ARS 2,191

41.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ARS 3,033

$0.84 ARS 1,200

152.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ARS 4,687

$2.06 ARS 2,942

59.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ARS 4,721

$3.04 ARS 4,338

8.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 ARS 1,510

$1.29 ARS 1,843

-17.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ARS 2,049

$1.56 ARS 2,228

-8.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 ARS 3,082

$1.94 ARS 2,768

11.34%

Eggs

$1.58 ARS 2,261

$2.18 ARS 3,116

-27.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.84 ARS 9,772

$10.21 ARS 14.6K

-33.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.35 ARS 7,639

$6.08 ARS 8,685

-12.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.74 ARS 11.1K

$9.33 ARS 13.3K

-17.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ARS 3,946

$1.96 ARS 2,793

40.82%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 ARS 3,036

$2.09 ARS 2,985

1.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ARS 2,140

$1.33 ARS 1,896

12.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.53 ARS 3,618

$2.57 ARS 3,669

-1.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ARS 1,829

$1.14 ARS 1,634

12.28%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 ARS 1,370

$1.20 ARS 1,711

-20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ARS 885

$1.27 ARS 1,813

-51.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ARS 1,725

$1.48 ARS 2,114

-18.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.49 ARS 4,979

$3.20 ARS 4,565

9.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.08 ARS 4,399

$5.41 ARS 7,727

-43.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 ARS 1,904

$2.08 ARS 2,965

-36.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 ARS 2,805

$3.15 ARS 4,503

-37.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 ARS 1,076

$0.82 ARS 1,174

-8.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.94 ARS 14.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 ARS 2,089

$1.53 ARS 2,191

-4.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 ARS 1,051

$0.85 ARS 1,219

-12.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ARS 11.2K

$6.08 ARS 8,684

28.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ARS 1,570

$1.06 ARS 1,508

3.77%

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

$27.3K ARS 38.9M

$27.0K ARS 38.6M

0.97%

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

$39.0K ARS 55.7M

$30.9K ARS 44.2M

26.09%

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

$85.4 ARS 122.0K

$65.8 ARS 94.0K

29.74%

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

$10.27 ARS 14.7K

$16.89 ARS 24.1K

-39.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.40 ARS 36.3K

$22.45 ARS 32.1K

13.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.28 ARS 24.7K

$26.49 ARS 37.8K

-34.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.86 ARS 11.2K

$13.69 ARS 19.6K

-42.59%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 ARS 5,686

$6.05 ARS 8,640

-34.21%

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

$162 ARS 232.1K

$216 ARS 309.2K

-24.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,242 ARS 4.6M

$2,654 ARS 3.8M

22.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.5 ARS 80.7K

$73.1 ARS 104.5K

-22.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.4 ARS 89.1K

$69.7 ARS 99.5K

-10.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.2 ARS 91.7K

$116 ARS 165.3K

-44.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.9 ARS 89.9K

$113 ARS 161.9K

-44.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$285 ARS 406.9K

$339 ARS 484.0K

-15.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$206 ARS 294.8K

$240 ARS 342.5K

-13.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$718 ARS 1.0M

$669 ARS 955.1K

7.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$582 ARS 831.8K

$527 ARS 753.4K

10.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,837 ARS 2.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$618 ARS 882.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

58.5

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 Cafayate: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $285 in Mar del Plata versus $339 in Cafayate. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Mar del Plata versus $32.00 in Cafayate. Groceries tell a different story – $195 in Mar del Plata vs $231 in Cafayate – so Mar del Plata wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Cafayate: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $855 in Mar del Plata, $928 in Cafayate – roughly 9% apart. Cafayate costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,282 per month in Mar del Plata and $1,392 in Cafayate. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mar del Plata, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Mar del Plata and $32.00 in Cafayate. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% more in Cafayate, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $855 in Mar del Plata and $928 in Cafayate, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Mar del Plata – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Mar del Plata. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cafayate makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.