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 $1,006 per month in Mar del Plata vs $959 in La Plata, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,765 per month in Mar del Plata vs $1,718 in La Plata, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,523 per month in Mar del Plata vs $2,477 in La Plata, rent included.

Mar del Plata costs about 5% more than La Plata, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Mar del Plata and La Plata are more affordable than the global median – Mar del Plata 27% lower, La Plata 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.81 ARS 29.7K

$15.68 ARS 23.5K

26.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.1 ARS 88.5K

$49.39 ARS 73.9K

19.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 ARS 18.4K

$9.77 ARS 14.6K

26.10%

Cappuccino

$3.22 ARS 4,826

$3.87 ARS 5,787

-16.80%

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

$2.56 ARS 3,829

$1.56 ARS 2,339

64.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 ARS 2,911

$0.89 ARS 1,326

117.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.03 ARS 6,038

$4.01 ARS 6,009

0.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ARS 4,470

$3.53 ARS 5,277

-15.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 ARS 1,674

$1.09 ARS 1,631

2.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 ARS 3,156

$2.18 ARS 3,257

-3.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.34 ARS 5,005

$0.81 ARS 1,210

312.35%

Eggs

$2.43 ARS 3,644

$2.29 ARS 3,429

6.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.67 ARS 8,482

$8.90 ARS 13.3K

-36.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.66 ARS 9,973

$5.55 ARS 8,306

20.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.50 ARS 18.7K

$9.24 ARS 13.8K

35.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 ARS 4,881

$2.01 ARS 3,012

62.19%

Banana (1kg)

$2.44 ARS 3,648

$1.97 ARS 2,946

23.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 ARS 2,207

$0.70 ARS 1,051

110.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 ARS 2,942

$1.55 ARS 2,321

26.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 ARS 817

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 ARS 1,469

$0.63 ARS 946

55.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ARS 1,517

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 ARS 1,582

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.56 ARS 5,324

$3.18 ARS 4,763

11.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.94 ARS 4,408

$5.04 ARS 7,543

-41.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 ARS 3,407

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 ARS 4,438

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 ARS 1,914

$0.72 ARS 1,078

77.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.59 ARS 6,867

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 ARS 2,360

$1.60 ARS 2,389

-1.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 ARS 975

$0.71 ARS 1,057

-8.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.35 ARS 9,507

$7.86 ARS 11.8K

-19.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 ARS 1,969

$1.13 ARS 1,690

16.81%

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

$22.3K ARS 33.4M

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

$33.7K ARS 50.5M

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

$80.6 ARS 120.6K

$69.9 ARS 104.6K

15.26%

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

$7.77 ARS 11.6K

$10.87 ARS 16.3K

-28.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.32 ARS 45.4K

$24.37 ARS 36.5K

24.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.28 ARS 46.8K

$25.56 ARS 38.3K

22.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.78 ARS 16.1K

Cinema Ticket

$10.17 ARS 15.2K

$5.16 ARS 7,724

97.09%

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

$298 ARS 445.5K

$136 ARS 203.6K

118.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,203 ARS 6.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.6 ARS 131.1K

$106 ARS 158.2K

-17.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.44 ARS 30.6K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ARS 176.6K

$98.2 ARS 147.0K

20.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.9 ARS 83.6K

$55.4 ARS 82.9K

0.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$337 ARS 504.8K

$347 ARS 519.1K

-2.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$250 ARS 374.5K

$242 ARS 362.3K

3.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$812 ARS 1.2M

$1,213 ARS 1.8M

-33.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$652 ARS 975.8K

$755 ARS 1.1M

-13.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,038 ARS 3.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,206 ARS 1.8M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ARS 939.4K

$731 ARS 1.1M

-14.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Mar del Plata: August 17, 2026

Last update for La Plata: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $337 in Mar del Plata versus $347 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 16% higher in La Plata, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in Mar del Plata versus $49.00 in La Plata. Groceries tell a different story – $198 in Mar del Plata vs $207 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: $1,006 in Mar del Plata, $959 in La Plata – roughly 5% apart. Mar del Plata costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,510 per month in Mar del Plata and $1,438 in La Plata. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in La 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 $59.0 in Mar del Plata and $49.00 in La Plata. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Mar del Plata – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,006 in Mar del Plata and $959 in La Plata, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward La 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 La Plata. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mar del Plata makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.