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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $838 per month in Mar del Plata vs $877 in La Plata, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,425 per month in Mar del Plata vs $1,492 in La Plata, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,011 per month in Mar del Plata vs $2,107 in La Plata, rent included.

Mar del Plata is about 4% cheaper than La Plata, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Mar del Plata and La Plata are more affordable than the global median – Mar del Plata 37% lower, La Plata 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.87 ARS 13.8K

$11.80 ARS 16.5K

-16.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.84 ARS 51.4K

$28.27 ARS 39.4K

30.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 ARS 11.5K

$5.35 ARS 7,467

54.77%

Cappuccino

$2.42 ARS 3,371

$3.03 ARS 4,233

-20.13%

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

$2.20 ARS 3,069

$0.77 ARS 1,068

185.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ARS 2,865

$0.72 ARS 1,007

184.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.20 ARS 4,462

$1.01 ARS 1,416

216.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 ARS 4,622

$4.01 ARS 5,599

-17.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 ARS 1,545

$1.22 ARS 1,696

-9.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ARS 1,982

$1.58 ARS 2,198

-10.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 ARS 2,909

$1.61 ARS 2,246

29.19%

Eggs

$1.49 ARS 2,085

$2.30 ARS 3,209

-35.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.73 ARS 9,388

$7.43 ARS 10.4K

-9.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.33 ARS 7,438

$5.80 ARS 8,095

-8.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.45 ARS 10.4K

$8.18 ARS 11.4K

-8.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 ARS 3,794

$2.48 ARS 3,457

9.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.12 ARS 2,959

$1.81 ARS 2,526

17.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 ARS 2,102

$1.11 ARS 1,544

36.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 ARS 3,519

$2.56 ARS 3,568

-1.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ARS 1,793

$0.73 ARS 1,012

76.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 ARS 1,389

$1.11 ARS 1,556

-9.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ARS 873

$1.88 ARS 2,618

-66.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ARS 1,681

$1.27 ARS 1,779

-5.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.54 ARS 4,941

$3.07 ARS 4,281

15.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.94 ARS 6,896

$5.02 ARS 7,002

-1.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 ARS 1,874

$2.21 ARS 3,089

-39.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 ARS 2,722

$3.03 ARS 4,234

-35.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 ARS 1,060

$0.33 ARS 454

130.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.90 ARS 13.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 ARS 2,139

$1.50 ARS 2,099

2.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 ARS 1,069

$0.91 ARS 1,266

-15.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.91 ARS 11.0K

$6.04 ARS 8,433

30.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ARS 1,580

$0.93 ARS 1,302

21.51%

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

$27.9K ARS 38.9M

$24.6K ARS 34.3M

13.31%

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

$40.2K ARS 56.0M

$29.2K ARS 40.7M

37.74%

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

$83.7 ARS 116.8K

$35.33 ARS 49.3K

136.88%

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

$10.36 ARS 14.5K

$15.99 ARS 22.3K

-35.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.20 ARS 35.2K

$23.24 ARS 32.4K

8.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.02 ARS 23.8K

$22.38 ARS 31.2K

-23.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.93 ARS 11.1K

$13.99 ARS 19.5K

-43.32%

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 ARS 5,431

$7.13 ARS 9,953

-45.44%

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

$159 ARS 221.8K

$330 ARS 460.9K

-51.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,227 ARS 4.5M

$5,279 ARS 7.4M

-38.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 ARS 77.4K

$93.0 ARS 129.8K

-40.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.7 ARS 86.1K

$87.1 ARS 121.5K

-29.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.9 ARS 89.1K

$124 ARS 173.6K

-48.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.6 ARS 88.7K

$133 ARS 186.0K

-52.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 ARS 391.5K

$300 ARS 419.2K

-6.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$206 ARS 287.4K

$183 ARS 254.9K

12.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$734 ARS 1.0M

$645 ARS 899.7K

13.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$575 ARS 802.1K

$514 ARS 717.8K

11.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,203 ARS 3.1M

$1,981 ARS 2.8M

11.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,448 ARS 2.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$604 ARS 842.6K

$654 ARS 911.8K

-7.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

58.5

52.71

10.98%

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

Last update for Mar del Plata: April 27, 2026

Last update for La Plata: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $281 in Mar del Plata versus $300 in La Plata. 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 8% higher in La Plata, 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 $37.00 in Mar del Plata versus $28.00 in La Plata. Groceries tell a different story – $197 in Mar del Plata vs $214 in La Plata – 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 La Plata: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $838 in Mar del Plata, $877 in La Plata – roughly 5% apart. La Plata costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,257 per month in Mar del Plata and $1,315 in La Plata. 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 $28.00 in La Plata. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% more in La Plata, 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 $838 in Mar del Plata and $877 in La Plata, 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, La Plata makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.