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: $841 in Mar del Plata versus $955 in El Calafate.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,452 in Mar del Plata versus $1,592 in El Calafate.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,062 in Mar del Plata versus $2,228 in El Calafate.

Living in Mar del Plata costs roughly 12% less than in El Calafate, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mar del Plata 37% lower, El Calafate 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.58 ARS 14.2K

$10.37 ARS 15.3K

-7.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.91 ARS 54.5K

$33.18 ARS 49.0K

11.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 ARS 12.0K

$9.22 ARS 13.6K

-11.93%

Cappuccino

$2.49 ARS 3,674

$2.76 ARS 4,085

-9.78%

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

$2.27 ARS 3,353

$1.72 ARS 2,547

31.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ARS 3,176

$1.55 ARS 2,296

38.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.29 ARS 4,870

$2.15 ARS 3,173

53.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ARS 4,707

$3.01 ARS 4,454

5.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 ARS 1,557

$1.27 ARS 1,874

-17.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ARS 2,114

$1.57 ARS 2,319

-8.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 ARS 3,180

$2.02 ARS 2,980

6.44%

Eggs

$1.55 ARS 2,296

$2.19 ARS 3,235

-29.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.64 ARS 9,818

$10.19 ARS 15.1K

-34.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.13 ARS 7,584

$6.19 ARS 9,148

-17.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.75 ARS 11.5K

$9.36 ARS 13.8K

-17.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 ARS 4,014

$2.00 ARS 2,957

36.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 ARS 3,119

$2.16 ARS 3,193

-2.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 ARS 2,296

$1.31 ARS 1,929

18.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 ARS 3,689

$2.54 ARS 3,753

-1.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 ARS 1,796

$1.15 ARS 1,697

6.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 ARS 1,519

$1.19 ARS 1,753

-13.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ARS 985

$1.32 ARS 1,958

-49.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ARS 1,717

$1.49 ARS 2,203

-22.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.55 ARS 5,251

$3.15 ARS 4,662

12.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.97 ARS 4,394

$5.11 ARS 7,549

-41.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 ARS 2,039

$1.98 ARS 2,924

-30.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ARS 3,030

$3.02 ARS 4,466

-32.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 ARS 1,051

$0.76 ARS 1,129

-6.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.89 ARS 14.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 ARS 2,167

$1.47 ARS 2,170

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 ARS 1,133

$0.87 ARS 1,281

-11.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.23 ARS 12.2K

$6.02 ARS 8,894

36.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ARS 1,685

$1.06 ARS 1,566

7.55%

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

$27.5K ARS 40.7M

$27.9K ARS 41.2M

-1.24%

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

$39.7K ARS 58.7M

$30.5K ARS 45.1M

30.12%

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

$86.7 ARS 128.1K

$66.0 ARS 97.5K

31.44%

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

$10.21 ARS 15.1K

$17.47 ARS 25.8K

-41.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.91 ARS 36.8K

$22.11 ARS 32.7K

12.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.08 ARS 25.2K

$26.57 ARS 39.3K

-35.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.77 ARS 11.5K

$13.87 ARS 20.5K

-43.98%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 ARS 5,930

$6.22 ARS 9,195

-35.53%

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

$162 ARS 239.1K

$216 ARS 319.0K

-25.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,184 ARS 4.7M

$2,690 ARS 4.0M

18.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 ARS 82.1K

$73.5 ARS 108.6K

-24.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.8 ARS 92.9K

$69.4 ARS 102.6K

-9.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.2 ARS 96.4K

$114 ARS 167.9K

-42.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.4 ARS 90.8K

$110 ARS 163.0K

-44.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$278 ARS 411.3K

$340 ARS 502.4K

-18.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$203 ARS 300.2K

$236 ARS 348.8K

-13.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$707 ARS 1.0M

$694 ARS 1.0M

1.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$581 ARS 859.4K

$533 ARS 787.1K

9.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,872 ARS 2.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,594 ARS 2.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ARS 890.3K

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 12, 2026

Last update for El Calafate: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $278 in Mar del Plata and $340 in El Calafate. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $37.00 in Mar del Plata vs $33.00 in El Calafate. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $231, 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 14% in total monthly costs ($841 vs $955 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 $1,262 in Mar del Plata and $1,433 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: $278 in Mar del Plata versus $340 in El Calafate. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $162 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 Mar del Plata – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $33.00 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 14% less than in El Calafate. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.