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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $838 in Mar del Plata versus $2,227 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,425 in Mar del Plata versus $3,305 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,011 in Mar del Plata versus $4,384 in Lisbon.

Living in Mar del Plata costs roughly 62% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mar del Plata is 37% below, Lisbon is 66% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.87 ARS 13.9K

$16.17 €13.81

-38.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.84 ARS 51.9K

$64.6 €55.1

-42.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 ARS 11.7K

$10.38 €8.86

-20.23%

Cappuccino

$2.42 ARS 3,402

$2.77 €2.37

-12.64%

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

$2.20 ARS 3,097

$2.25 €1.92

-2.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ARS 2,891

$1.57 €1.34

30.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.20 ARS 4,503

$3.49 €2.98

-8.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 ARS 4,664

$4.00 €3.42

-17.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 ARS 1,560

$1.08 €0.93

2.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ARS 2,000

$1.74 €1.49

-18.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 ARS 2,936

$1.74 €1.48

19.54%

Eggs

$1.49 ARS 2,104

$3.18 €2.71

-53.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.73 ARS 9,475

$13.43 €11.47

-49.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.33 ARS 7,507

$7.99 €6.83

-33.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.45 ARS 10.5K

$16.09 €13.74

-53.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 ARS 3,829

$2.28 €1.95

19.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.12 ARS 2,987

$1.72 €1.47

23.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 ARS 2,121

$1.94 €1.66

-22.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 ARS 3,551

$2.54 €2.17

-0.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ARS 1,810

$1.83 €1.56

-29.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 ARS 1,401

$2.04 €1.74

-50.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ARS 881

$1.98 €1.69

-68.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ARS 1,696

$0.85 €0.73

41.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.54 ARS 4,987

$6.85 €5.85

-48.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.94 ARS 6,960

$5.78 €4.93

-14.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 ARS 1,892

$1.37 €1.17

-2.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 ARS 2,747

$2.90 €2.48

-32.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 ARS 1,069

$2.28 €1.95

-66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.90 ARS 13.9K

$46.84 €40.00

-78.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 ARS 2,158

$4.08 €3.48

-62.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 ARS 1,079

$0.82 €0.70

-6.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.91 ARS 11.1K

$18.27 €15.60

-56.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ARS 1,595

$2.01 €1.71

-43.78%

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

$27.9K ARS 39.2M

$35.3K €30.1K

-20.97%

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

$40.2K ARS 56.6M

$38.5K €32.9K

4.37%

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

$83.7 ARS 117.8K

$145 €124

-42.44%

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

$10.36 ARS 14.6K

$20.96 €17.90

-50.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.20 ARS 35.5K

$40.05 €34.21

-37.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.02 ARS 24.0K

$48.79 €41.66

-65.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.93 ARS 11.2K

$18.69 €15.97

-57.57%

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 ARS 5,481

$9.06 €7.74

-57.06%

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

$159 ARS 223.8K

$607 €518

-73.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,227 ARS 4.5M

$16.3K €13.9K

-80.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 ARS 78.1K

$105 €89.4

-46.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.7 ARS 86.9K

$40.95 €34.97

50.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.9 ARS 89.9K

$93.6 €79.9

-31.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.6 ARS 89.6K

$119 €101

-46.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 ARS 395.1K

$1,604 €1,370

-82.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$206 ARS 290.0K

$1,236 €1,055

-83.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$734 ARS 1.0M

$3,046 €2,601

-75.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$575 ARS 809.5K

$2,057 €1,756

-72.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,203 ARS 3.1M

$7,709 €6,583

-71.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,644

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$604 ARS 850.3K

$1,584 €1,353

-61.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

58.5

3.81

1435.43%

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 Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $281 in Mar del Plata and $1,604 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 162% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $37.00 in Mar del Plata vs $65.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 vs $271 per month, with Mar del Plata cheaper across the board.

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 Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mar del Plata and Lisbon differ by about 166% in total monthly costs ($838 vs $2,227 including rent). Mar del Plata is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lisbon earns 162% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $281 in Mar del Plata versus $1,604 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $159 in Mar del Plata versus $607 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 37% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $838 in Mar del Plata versus $2,227 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mar del Plata but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Mar del Plata the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Lisbon 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 166% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.