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 $862 in La Plata, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,439 per month in Mar del Plata vs $1,485 in La Plata, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,040 per month in Mar del Plata vs $2,108 in La Plata, rent included.

Mar del Plata is about 3% 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

$9.92 ARS 14.4K

$12.03 ARS 17.5K

-17.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.15 ARS 55.3K

$28.05 ARS 40.7K

36.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.34 ARS 12.1K

$5.40 ARS 7,832

54.44%

Cappuccino

$2.38 ARS 3,448

$3.07 ARS 4,447

-22.48%

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

$2.23 ARS 3,229

$0.73 ARS 1,063

205.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ARS 2,983

$0.72 ARS 1,040

186.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.20 ARS 4,644

$1.02 ARS 1,478

213.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 ARS 4,768

$3.99 ARS 5,781

-17.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 ARS 1,588

$1.16 ARS 1,688

-6.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ARS 2,082

$1.64 ARS 2,377

-12.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 ARS 3,017

$1.62 ARS 2,343

28.40%

Eggs

$1.58 ARS 2,291

$2.26 ARS 3,273

-30.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.75 ARS 9,797

$7.50 ARS 10.9K

-10.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.28 ARS 7,656

$5.79 ARS 8,396

-8.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.79 ARS 11.3K

$8.12 ARS 11.8K

-4.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.80 ARS 4,067

$2.53 ARS 3,673

10.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 ARS 3,190

$1.80 ARS 2,618

22.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ARS 2,174

$1.16 ARS 1,679

29.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 ARS 3,497

$2.52 ARS 3,654

-4.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ARS 1,794

$0.73 ARS 1,061

69.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 ARS 1,463

$1.10 ARS 1,593

-8.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ARS 964

$1.87 ARS 2,714

-64.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ARS 1,753

$1.28 ARS 1,852

-5.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.57 ARS 5,180

$2.92 ARS 4,240

22.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.02 ARS 4,386

$5.06 ARS 7,342

-40.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 ARS 2,010

$2.20 ARS 3,191

-36.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ARS 2,975

$3.03 ARS 4,397

-32.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 ARS 1,028

$0.30 ARS 435

136.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.16 ARS 14.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 ARS 2,239

$1.50 ARS 2,172

2.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 ARS 1,070

$0.90 ARS 1,310

-17.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.22 ARS 11.9K

$6.12 ARS 8,878

34.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ARS 1,591

$0.94 ARS 1,358

17.02%

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

$28.2K ARS 41.0M

$24.6K ARS 35.7M

14.88%

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

$39.3K ARS 57.0M

$29.4K ARS 42.7M

33.46%

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

$83.9 ARS 121.7K

$35.75 ARS 51.9K

134.60%

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

$10.45 ARS 15.2K

$16.34 ARS 23.7K

-36.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.44 ARS 36.9K

$23.24 ARS 33.7K

9.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.30 ARS 25.1K

$21.69 ARS 31.5K

-20.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.88 ARS 11.4K

$13.94 ARS 20.2K

-43.47%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 ARS 5,771

$7.03 ARS 10.2K

-43.39%

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

$159 ARS 230.6K

$327 ARS 474.7K

-51.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,212 ARS 4.7M

$5,105 ARS 7.4M

-37.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ARS 80.4K

$90.0 ARS 130.6K

-38.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.7 ARS 92.4K

$86.3 ARS 125.1K

-26.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.2 ARS 93.0K

$121 ARS 175.0K

-46.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.2 ARS 90.2K

$133 ARS 192.5K

-53.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$288 ARS 418.3K

$297 ARS 431.3K

-3.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$207 ARS 300.3K

$181 ARS 262.2K

14.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$724 ARS 1.0M

$632 ARS 916.4K

14.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$579 ARS 840.0K

$499 ARS 724.2K

15.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,016 ARS 2.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ARS 2.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$616 ARS 893.9K

$653 ARS 947.3K

-5.64%

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for La Plata: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $288 in Mar del Plata versus $297 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 6% 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 $38.00 in Mar del Plata versus $28.00 in La Plata. Groceries tell a different story – $195 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, $862 in La Plata – roughly 3% apart. La Plata costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,256 per month in Mar del Plata and $1,292 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 $38.00 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 10% 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 $862 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.