Cost of Living Comparison Between Mar del Plata and El Calafate Cost of Living Comparison Between Mar del Plata and El Calafate

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $847 in Mar del Plata versus $953 in El Calafate.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,433 in Mar del Plata versus $1,554 in El Calafate.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,019 in Mar del Plata versus $2,156 in El Calafate.

Living in Mar del Plata costs roughly 11% less than in El Calafate, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mar del Plata 37% lower, El Calafate 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.93 ARS 14.2K

$10.44 ARS 14.9K

-4.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.70 ARS 53.8K

$33.71 ARS 48.1K

11.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 ARS 11.7K

$9.11 ARS 13.0K

-9.77%

Cappuccino

$2.45 ARS 3,494

$2.74 ARS 3,915

-10.58%

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

$2.26 ARS 3,222

$1.71 ARS 2,441

32.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ARS 3,018

$1.54 ARS 2,191

37.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 ARS 4,579

$2.15 ARS 3,071

49.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ARS 4,766

$2.95 ARS 4,203

13.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 ARS 1,564

$1.25 ARS 1,783

-12.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ARS 2,031

$1.63 ARS 2,322

-12.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 ARS 2,941

$2.05 ARS 2,922

0.49%

Eggs

$1.52 ARS 2,171

$2.27 ARS 3,237

-33.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.79 ARS 9,681

$10.21 ARS 14.6K

-33.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.28 ARS 7,535

$6.09 ARS 8,690

-13.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.55 ARS 10.8K

$9.39 ARS 13.4K

-19.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 ARS 4,094

$1.97 ARS 2,805

45.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 ARS 3,044

$2.09 ARS 2,975

1.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 ARS 2,233

$1.31 ARS 1,867

19.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.49 ARS 3,557

$2.62 ARS 3,730

-4.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 ARS 1,755

$1.18 ARS 1,681

4.24%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 ARS 1,361

$1.24 ARS 1,774

-23.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ARS 895

$1.31 ARS 1,874

-51.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 ARS 1,676

$1.45 ARS 2,063

-19.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.42 ARS 4,877

$3.08 ARS 4,393

11.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.92 ARS 4,163

$5.14 ARS 7,335

-43.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 ARS 1,971

$2.07 ARS 2,957

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ARS 2,825

$3.17 ARS 4,527

-37.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 ARS 1,038

$0.78 ARS 1,114

-6.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.97 ARS 14.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 ARS 2,179

$1.54 ARS 2,198

-0.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 ARS 1,121

$0.88 ARS 1,250

-10.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.95 ARS 11.3K

$6.16 ARS 8,781

29.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ARS 1,626

$1.09 ARS 1,555

4.59%

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

$27.5K ARS 39.2M

$27.6K ARS 39.3M

-0.28%

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

$39.9K ARS 57.0M

$30.9K ARS 44.0M

29.39%

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

$84.2 ARS 120.1K

$67.7 ARS 96.5K

24.44%

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

$10.23 ARS 14.6K

$17.29 ARS 24.7K

-40.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.44 ARS 36.3K

$22.23 ARS 31.7K

14.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.04 ARS 24.3K

$26.54 ARS 37.9K

-35.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.02 ARS 11.4K

$13.72 ARS 19.6K

-41.55%

Cinema Ticket

$3.90 ARS 5,557

$6.08 ARS 8,672

-35.86%

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

$163 ARS 232.0K

$217 ARS 309.9K

-25.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,145 ARS 4.5M

$2,719 ARS 3.9M

15.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 ARS 81.7K

$75.1 ARS 107.2K

-23.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.0 ARS 89.8K

$70.6 ARS 100.7K

-10.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.9 ARS 91.1K

$113 ARS 161.6K

-43.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.9 ARS 88.2K

$111 ARS 158.9K

-44.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$286 ARS 408.1K

$336 ARS 478.6K

-14.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$204 ARS 291.6K

$238 ARS 339.2K

-14.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$723 ARS 1.0M

$686 ARS 979.2K

5.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 ARS 816.2K

$538 ARS 767.9K

6.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,864 ARS 2.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,588 ARS 2.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$599 ARS 855.1K

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for El Calafate: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $286 in Mar del Plata and $336 in El Calafate. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $38.00 in Mar del Plata vs $34.00 in El Calafate. Groceries flip the comparison at $194 vs $232, with Mar del Plata cheaper for home cooking.

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 El Calafate: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mar del Plata and El Calafate differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($847 vs $953 including rent). Mar del Plata is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,271 in Mar del Plata and $1,429 in El Calafate to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $286 in Mar del Plata versus $336 in El Calafate. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $163 in Mar del Plata versus $217 in El Calafate. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mar del Plata – a meal for two runs $38.00 versus $34.00 in El Calafate. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Mar del Plata gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 El Calafate 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 12% less than in El Calafate. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.