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: $1,020 in Mar del Plata versus $969 in El Calafate.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,783 in Mar del Plata versus $1,588 in El Calafate.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,545 in Mar del Plata versus $2,207 in El Calafate.

Living in Mar del Plata is roughly 5% more expensive than in El Calafate, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mar del Plata 26% lower, El Calafate 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.92 ARS 30.0K

$10.49 ARS 15.8K

89.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.9 ARS 91.8K

$33.47 ARS 50.5K

81.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.64 ARS 19.1K

$9.23 ARS 13.9K

36.94%

Cappuccino

$3.13 ARS 4,716

$2.78 ARS 4,186

12.59%

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

$2.55 ARS 3,839

$1.64 ARS 2,472

55.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ARS 3,096

$1.56 ARS 2,360

31.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 ARS 6,004

$2.07 ARS 3,127

92.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ARS 4,484

$2.93 ARS 4,415

1.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 ARS 1,676

$1.30 ARS 1,957

-14.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 ARS 3,159

$1.57 ARS 2,361

33.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.33 ARS 5,020

$2.02 ARS 3,045

64.85%

Eggs

$2.46 ARS 3,713

$2.27 ARS 3,421

8.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.84 ARS 8,807

$9.96 ARS 15.0K

-41.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.68 ARS 10.1K

$6.38 ARS 9,627

4.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.22 ARS 18.4K

$9.11 ARS 13.7K

34.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ARS 5,074

$1.95 ARS 2,948

72.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.49 ARS 3,752

$2.05 ARS 3,087

21.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 ARS 2,297

$1.26 ARS 1,894

20.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 ARS 2,957

$2.57 ARS 3,876

-23.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 ARS 1,798

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 ARS 1,493

$1.20 ARS 1,816

-17.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 ARS 1,995

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 ARS 2,167

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.55 ARS 5,361

$3.10 ARS 4,671

14.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.96 ARS 4,462

$5.01 ARS 7,564

-40.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 ARS 3,028

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 ARS 4,611

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.33 ARS 2,007

$0.78 ARS 1,176

70.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.57 ARS 2,368

$1.47 ARS 2,223

6.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 ARS 982

$0.92 ARS 1,390

-29.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.31 ARS 9,518

$5.90 ARS 8,904

6.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 ARS 1,996

$1.07 ARS 1,609

23.36%

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

$27.3K ARS 41.2M

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

$30.3K ARS 45.7M

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

$79.3 ARS 119.6K

$65.8 ARS 99.2K

20.57%

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

$8.17 ARS 12.3K

$17.07 ARS 25.7K

-52.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.08 ARS 45.4K

$22.38 ARS 33.8K

34.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.57 ARS 46.1K

$26.00 ARS 39.2K

17.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.99 ARS 21.1K

Cinema Ticket

$10.06 ARS 15.2K

$6.21 ARS 9,373

62.00%

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

$301 ARS 454.2K

$216 ARS 325.3K

39.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,691 ARS 4.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.3 ARS 131.7K

$73.0 ARS 110.1K

19.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.3 ARS 104.5K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 ARS 180.7K

$113 ARS 171.1K

5.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.3 ARS 81.9K

$112 ARS 169.6K

-51.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$326 ARS 491.7K

$331 ARS 499.4K

-1.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$249 ARS 375.8K

$233 ARS 351.0K

7.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$813 ARS 1.2M

$672 ARS 1.0M

21.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$654 ARS 987.1K

$540 ARS 814.1K

21.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,870 ARS 2.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,596 ARS 2.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$613 ARS 923.9K

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: August 30, 2026

Last update for El Calafate: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $326 in Mar del Plata and $331 in El Calafate. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $61.0 in Mar del Plata vs $33.00 in El Calafate. Groceries flip the comparison at $198 vs $230, 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 5% in total monthly costs ($1,020 vs $969 including rent). El Calafate is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,530 in Mar del Plata and $1,453 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: $326 in Mar del Plata versus $331 in El Calafate. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $301 in Mar del Plata versus $216 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 El Calafate – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $61.0 in Mar del Plata. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though El Calafate 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 El Calafate gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Mar del Plata. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.