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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $847 in Mar del Plata versus $871 in Lanus.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,433 in Mar del Plata versus $1,452 in Lanus.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,019 in Mar del Plata versus $2,033 in Lanus.

Living in Mar del Plata costs roughly 3% less than in Lanus, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mar del Plata 37% lower, Lanus 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.93 ARS 14.3K

$8.98 ARS 12.9K

10.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.70 ARS 54.2K

$29.88 ARS 43.0K

26.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 ARS 11.8K

$8.92 ARS 12.8K

-7.85%

Cappuccino

$2.45 ARS 3,523

$1.72 ARS 2,474

42.44%

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

$2.26 ARS 3,249

$1.28 ARS 1,844

76.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ARS 3,044

$1.18 ARS 1,691

79.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 ARS 4,618

$1.24 ARS 1,783

158.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ARS 4,806

$2.81 ARS 4,042

18.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 ARS 1,577

$1.22 ARS 1,749

-9.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ARS 2,048

$1.53 ARS 2,194

-7.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 ARS 2,966

$1.85 ARS 2,666

11.35%

Eggs

$1.52 ARS 2,189

$2.24 ARS 3,217

-32.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.79 ARS 9,763

$12.04 ARS 17.3K

-43.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.28 ARS 7,598

$6.12 ARS 8,800

-13.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.55 ARS 10.9K

$9.59 ARS 13.8K

-21.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 ARS 4,129

$1.87 ARS 2,692

53.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 ARS 3,069

$2.13 ARS 3,060

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 ARS 2,252

$0.93 ARS 1,334

68.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.49 ARS 3,587

$2.61 ARS 3,759

-4.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 ARS 1,770

$1.43 ARS 2,052

-13.99%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 ARS 1,373

$1.37 ARS 1,973

-30.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ARS 903

$0.86 ARS 1,241

-26.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 ARS 1,690

$1.47 ARS 2,119

-20.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.42 ARS 4,918

$3.22 ARS 4,628

6.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.92 ARS 4,198

$5.91 ARS 8,502

-50.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 ARS 1,987

$1.26 ARS 1,811

9.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ARS 2,848

$3.02 ARS 4,341

-34.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 ARS 1,047

$0.84 ARS 1,202

-13.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.97 ARS 14.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 ARS 2,197

$1.63 ARS 2,347

-6.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 ARS 1,130

$0.93 ARS 1,341

-15.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.95 ARS 11.4K

$5.88 ARS 8,452

35.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ARS 1,639

$1.07 ARS 1,543

6.54%

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

$27.5K ARS 39.5M

$23.9K ARS 34.4M

15.11%

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

$39.9K ARS 57.4M

$26.4K ARS 37.9M

51.39%

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

$84.2 ARS 121.1K

$56.1 ARS 80.8K

50.00%

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

$10.23 ARS 14.7K

$18.32 ARS 26.3K

-44.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.44 ARS 36.6K

$14.58 ARS 21.0K

74.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.04 ARS 24.5K

$26.56 ARS 38.2K

-35.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.02 ARS 11.5K

$13.73 ARS 19.8K

-41.59%

Cinema Ticket

$3.90 ARS 5,604

$4.92 ARS 7,082

-20.73%

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

$163 ARS 233.9K

$331 ARS 475.8K

-50.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,145 ARS 4.5M

$1,092 ARS 1.6M

188.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 ARS 82.4K

$61.1 ARS 87.8K

-6.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.0 ARS 90.6K

$60.9 ARS 87.6K

3.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.9 ARS 91.9K

$107 ARS 153.7K

-40.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.9 ARS 89.0K

$95.4 ARS 137.2K

-35.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$286 ARS 411.5K

$340 ARS 488.9K

-15.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$204 ARS 294.1K

$241 ARS 346.4K

-15.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$723 ARS 1.0M

$687 ARS 987.6K

5.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 ARS 823.1K

$542 ARS 779.6K

5.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,953 ARS 2.8M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$599 ARS 862.3K

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Lanus: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $286 in Mar del Plata and $340 in Lanus. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $38.00 in Mar del Plata vs $30.00 in Lanus. Groceries flip the comparison at $194 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 Lanus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mar del Plata is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,271 in Mar del Plata and $1,306 in Lanus 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: $286 in Mar del Plata versus $340 in Lanus. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $163 in Mar del Plata versus $331 in Lanus. 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 $38.00 versus $30.00 in Lanus. 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 Lanus 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 3% less than in Lanus. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.