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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $847 per month in Mar del Plata vs $1,058 in Durban, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,433 per month in Mar del Plata vs $1,552 in Durban, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,019 per month in Mar del Plata vs $2,046 in Durban, rent included.

Mar del Plata is about 20% cheaper than Durban, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Mar del Plata and Durban are more affordable than the global median – Mar del Plata 37% lower, Durban 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.93 ARS 14.3K

$7.60 R 124

30.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.70 ARS 54.2K

$28.12 R 460

34.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 ARS 11.8K

$4.97 R 81.3

65.39%

Cappuccino

$2.45 ARS 3,523

$1.97 R 32.17

24.37%

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

$2.26 ARS 3,249

$0.87 R 14.21

159.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ARS 3,044

$0.67 R 11.00

216.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 ARS 4,618

$1.93 R 31.48

66.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ARS 4,806

$2.22 R 36.23

50.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 ARS 1,577

$1.00 R 16.27

10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ARS 2,048

$0.91 R 14.89

56.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 ARS 2,966

$1.48 R 24.27

39.19%

Eggs

$1.52 ARS 2,189

$2.11 R 34.46

-27.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.79 ARS 9,763

$7.28 R 119

-6.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.28 ARS 7,598

$4.59 R 75.1

15.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.55 ARS 10.9K

$6.33 R 104

19.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 ARS 4,129

$1.57 R 25.68

82.80%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 ARS 3,069

$1.36 R 22.21

56.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 ARS 2,252

$1.38 R 22.57

13.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.49 ARS 3,587

$1.36 R 22.27

83.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 ARS 1,770

$1.27 R 20.78

-3.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 ARS 1,373

$1.18 R 19.29

-19.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ARS 903

$0.97 R 15.92

-35.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 ARS 1,690

$0.96 R 15.67

21.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.42 ARS 4,918

$3.13 R 51.3

9.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.92 ARS 4,198

$5.02 R 82.1

-41.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 ARS 1,987

$1.46 R 23.88

-5.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ARS 2,848

$1.75 R 28.55

13.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 ARS 1,047

$1.50 R 24.47

-51.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.97 ARS 14.3K

$37.86 R 619

-73.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 ARS 2,197

$1.71 R 27.92

-10.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 ARS 1,130

$0.61 R 10.01

29.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.95 ARS 11.4K

$6.78 R 111

17.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ARS 1,639

$1.28 R 20.85

-10.94%

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

$27.5K ARS 39.5M

$20.3K R 331.9K

35.40%

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

$39.9K ARS 57.4M

$24.2K R 396.2K

64.74%

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

$84.2 ARS 121.1K

$147 R 2,402

-42.69%

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

$10.23 ARS 14.7K

$29.29 R 479

-65.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.44 ARS 36.6K

$33.72 R 551

-24.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.04 ARS 24.5K

$34.46 R 563

-50.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.02 ARS 11.5K

$9.14 R 149

-12.25%

Cinema Ticket

$3.90 ARS 5,604

$6.56 R 107

-40.55%

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

$163 ARS 233.9K

$210 R 3,425

-22.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,145 ARS 4.5M

$4,585 R 75.0K

-31.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 ARS 82.4K

$42.78 R 699

33.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.0 ARS 90.6K

$29.50 R 482

113.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.9 ARS 91.9K

$93.3 R 1,524

-31.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.9 ARS 89.0K

$73.1 R 1,194

-15.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$286 ARS 411.5K

$373 R 6,099

-23.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$204 ARS 294.1K

$368 R 6,009

-44.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$723 ARS 1.0M

$754 R 12.3K

-4.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 ARS 823.1K

$594 R 9,708

-3.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$910 R 14.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$581 R 9,496

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$599 ARS 862.3K

$1,395 R 22.8K

-57.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

58.5

12.01

387.09%

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

Last update for Mar del Plata: May 30, 2026

Last update for Durban: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $286 in Mar del Plata versus $373 in Durban. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 133% higher in Durban, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Mar del Plata versus $28.00 in Durban. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $194 vs $168 – making Durban the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Durban: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Durban is pricier by about 25%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,271 per month in Mar del Plata and $1,587 in Durban. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $847 in Mar del Plata and $1,058 in Durban. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 280% less in Mar del Plata. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $847 in Mar del Plata and $1,058 in Durban, 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, Durban makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.