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 $844 per month in Mar del Plata vs $917 in Cafayate, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,417 per month in Mar del Plata vs $1,499 in Cafayate, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,991 per month in Mar del Plata vs $2,082 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 37% lower, Cafayate 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.53 ARS 14.1K

$6.91 ARS 10.3K

37.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.25 ARS 55.3K

$32.38 ARS 48.1K

15.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.17 ARS 12.1K

$8.98 ARS 13.3K

-9.02%

Cappuccino

$2.41 ARS 3,579

$2.71 ARS 4,017

-11.07%

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

$2.18 ARS 3,238

$1.53 ARS 2,271

42.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ARS 3,051

$0.79 ARS 1,169

159.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.34 ARS 4,959

$2.06 ARS 3,053

62.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 ARS 4,732

$2.98 ARS 4,422

7.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 ARS 1,559

$1.31 ARS 1,947

-19.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 ARS 2,050

$1.56 ARS 2,311

-11.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 ARS 3,064

$2.05 ARS 3,040

0.49%

Eggs

$1.52 ARS 2,264

$2.16 ARS 3,215

-29.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.93 ARS 10.3K

$9.98 ARS 14.8K

-30.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.22 ARS 7,758

$6.28 ARS 9,327

-16.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.47 ARS 11.1K

$9.15 ARS 13.6K

-18.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.74 ARS 4,063

$1.95 ARS 2,892

40.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 ARS 3,222

$2.15 ARS 3,188

0.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 ARS 2,302

$1.27 ARS 1,891

22.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 ARS 3,637

$2.59 ARS 3,853

-5.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 ARS 1,815

$1.13 ARS 1,684

7.96%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 ARS 1,408

$1.24 ARS 1,848

-23.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ARS 939

$1.31 ARS 1,952

-51.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ARS 1,784

$1.43 ARS 2,126

-16.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.48 ARS 5,166

$3.19 ARS 4,740

9.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.95 ARS 4,377

$4.96 ARS 7,365

-40.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 ARS 2,068

$2.09 ARS 3,098

-33.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ARS 2,947

$3.17 ARS 4,703

-37.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 ARS 1,129

$0.84 ARS 1,243

-9.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.94 ARS 14.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ARS 2,212

$1.47 ARS 2,187

1.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 ARS 1,129

$0.92 ARS 1,372

-17.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.18 ARS 12.1K

$6.02 ARS 8,934

35.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ARS 1,710

$1.05 ARS 1,556

9.52%

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

$28.2K ARS 41.9M

$27.4K ARS 40.6M

3.21%

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

$38.9K ARS 57.8M

$30.6K ARS 45.5M

27.13%

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

$85.2 ARS 126.6K

$68.0 ARS 101.0K

25.34%

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

$10.11 ARS 15.0K

$17.29 ARS 25.7K

-41.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.00 ARS 37.1K

$22.57 ARS 33.5K

10.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.57 ARS 26.1K

$26.23 ARS 39.0K

-33.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.84 ARS 11.6K

$13.92 ARS 20.7K

-43.68%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 ARS 6,083

$6.24 ARS 9,266

-34.29%

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

$159 ARS 236.8K

$217 ARS 322.3K

-26.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,177 ARS 4.7M

$2,667 ARS 4.0M

19.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 ARS 84.2K

$73.8 ARS 109.6K

-23.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.5 ARS 91.3K

$70.4 ARS 104.6K

-12.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.0 ARS 96.5K

$117 ARS 173.1K

-44.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.7 ARS 93.1K

$114 ARS 168.8K

-44.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$283 ARS 419.6K

$333 ARS 494.0K

-15.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$202 ARS 299.3K

$239 ARS 355.2K

-15.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$726 ARS 1.1M

$689 ARS 1.0M

5.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$585 ARS 868.7K

$533 ARS 791.5K

9.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,616 ARS 3.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,564 ARS 2.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$616 ARS 915.1K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Cafayate: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $283 in Mar del Plata versus $333 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 $37.00 in Mar del Plata versus $32.00 in Cafayate. Groceries tell a different story – $192 in Mar del Plata vs $230 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: $844 in Mar del Plata, $917 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 $1,266 per month in Mar del Plata and $1,375 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 $37.00 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 20% 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 $844 in Mar del Plata and $917 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.