Cost of Living Comparison Between Mar del Plata and Paso de los Libres Cost of Living Comparison Between Mar del Plata and Paso de los Libres

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,020 in Mar del Plata versus $1,183 in Paso de los Libres.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,783 in Mar del Plata versus $2,009 in Paso de los Libres.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,545 in Mar del Plata versus $2,835 in Paso de los Libres.

Living in Mar del Plata costs roughly 14% less than in Paso de los Libres, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mar del Plata 26% lower, Paso de los Libres 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.92 ARS 30.0K

$15.76 ARS 23.8K

26.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.9 ARS 91.8K

$57.6 ARS 86.9K

5.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.64 ARS 19.1K

$14.03 ARS 21.2K

-9.91%

Cappuccino

$3.13 ARS 4,716

$4.02 ARS 6,059

-22.14%

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

$2.55 ARS 3,839

$1.80 ARS 2,712

41.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ARS 3,096

$1.88 ARS 2,830

9.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 ARS 6,004

$3.67 ARS 5,535

8.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ARS 4,484

$3.67 ARS 5,536

-19.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 ARS 1,676

$1.24 ARS 1,870

-10.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 ARS 3,159

$2.29 ARS 3,454

-8.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.33 ARS 5,020

$1.54 ARS 2,327

116.23%

Eggs

$2.46 ARS 3,713

$2.55 ARS 3,844

-3.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.84 ARS 8,807

$9.83 ARS 14.8K

-40.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.68 ARS 10.1K

$6.73 ARS 10.2K

-0.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.22 ARS 18.4K

$10.89 ARS 16.4K

12.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ARS 5,074

$2.08 ARS 3,137

61.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.49 ARS 3,752

$2.48 ARS 3,745

0.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 ARS 2,297

$1.27 ARS 1,908

19.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 ARS 2,957

$2.28 ARS 3,445

-14.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 ARS 1,542

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 ARS 1,493

$0.88 ARS 1,324

12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.65 ARS 2,487

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ARS 2,683

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.55 ARS 5,361

$3.33 ARS 5,024

6.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.96 ARS 4,462

$5.56 ARS 8,381

-46.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 ARS 3,078

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ARS 3,999

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.33 ARS 2,007

$1.13 ARS 1,697

17.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.57 ARS 2,368

$1.39 ARS 2,099

12.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 ARS 982

$1.15 ARS 1,727

-43.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.31 ARS 9,518

$8.29 ARS 12.5K

-23.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 ARS 1,996

$1.26 ARS 1,902

4.76%

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

$23.7K ARS 35.8M

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

$34.2K ARS 51.5M

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

$79.3 ARS 119.6K

$76.4 ARS 115.2K

3.88%

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

$8.17 ARS 12.3K

$18.74 ARS 28.3K

-56.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.08 ARS 45.4K

$26.69 ARS 40.3K

12.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.57 ARS 46.1K

$29.32 ARS 44.2K

4.26%

Cinema Ticket

$10.06 ARS 15.2K

$8.36 ARS 12.6K

20.33%

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

$301 ARS 454.2K

$261 ARS 392.9K

15.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,664 ARS 5.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.3 ARS 131.7K

$122 ARS 184.6K

-28.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$77.2 ARS 116.4K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 ARS 180.7K

$115 ARS 173.3K

4.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.3 ARS 81.9K

$120 ARS 180.9K

-54.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$326 ARS 491.7K

$468 ARS 705.5K

-30.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$249 ARS 375.8K

$312 ARS 470.5K

-20.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$813 ARS 1.2M

$953 ARS 1.4M

-14.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$654 ARS 987.1K

$691 ARS 1.0M

-5.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,140 ARS 3.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$613 ARS 923.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

56.56

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

Last update for Mar del Plata: August 30, 2026

Last update for Paso de los Libres: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $326 in Mar del Plata and $468 in Paso de los Libres. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $61.0 in Mar del Plata vs $58.0 in Paso de los Libres. Groceries flip the comparison at $198 vs $249, 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 Paso de los Libres: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mar del Plata wins on cost – living expenses run 16% lower than in Paso de los Libres. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mar del Plata the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,530 in Mar del Plata and $1,775 in Paso de los Libres 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: $326 in Mar del Plata versus $468 in Paso de los Libres. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 25% higher in Paso de los Libres. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,020 per month in Mar del Plata versus $1,183 in Paso de los Libres – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,020 in Mar del Plata versus $1,183 in Paso de los Libres, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mar del Plata but tight or insufficient in Paso de los Libres. 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 Paso de los Libres 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 16% less than in Paso de los Libres. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.