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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $844 in Mar del Plata versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,417 in Mar del Plata versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,991 in Mar del Plata versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Mar del Plata costs roughly 33% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mar del Plata 37% lower, Phuket 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.53 ARS 14.1K

$4.48 ฿150

112.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.25 ARS 55.3K

$45.59 ฿1,521

-18.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.17 ARS 12.1K

$8.76 ฿292

-6.74%

Cappuccino

$2.41 ARS 3,579

$2.97 ฿99.0

-18.86%

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

$2.18 ARS 3,238

$0.69 ฿22.90

215.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ARS 3,051

$0.39 ฿13.04

425.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.34 ARS 4,959

$2.53 ฿84.4

32.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 ARS 4,732

$3.75 ฿125

-14.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 ARS 1,559

$2.15 ฿71.6

-51.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 ARS 2,050

$1.82 ฿60.6

-24.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 ARS 3,064

$2.18 ฿72.9

-5.50%

Eggs

$1.52 ARS 2,264

$2.25 ฿75.0

-32.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.93 ARS 10.3K

$20.00 ฿667

-65.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.22 ARS 7,758

$3.63 ฿121

43.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.47 ARS 11.1K

$13.56 ฿452

-44.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.74 ARS 4,063

$3.24 ฿108

-15.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 ARS 3,222

$1.64 ฿54.6

32.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 ARS 2,302

$2.33 ฿77.8

-33.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 ARS 3,637

$2.07 ฿69.1

18.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 ARS 1,815

$1.55 ฿51.6

-21.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 ARS 1,408

$1.46 ฿48.54

-34.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ARS 939

$0.98 ฿32.86

-35.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ARS 1,784

$0.48 ฿16.09

150.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.48 ARS 5,166

$4.35 ฿145

-20.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.95 ARS 4,377

$18.57 ฿620

-84.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 ARS 2,068

$1.86 ฿61.9

-25.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ARS 2,947

$2.65 ฿88.6

-25.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 ARS 1,129

$1.42 ฿47.28

-46.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.94 ARS 14.8K

$11.57 ฿386

-14.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ARS 2,212

$3.17 ฿106

-53.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 ARS 1,129

$1.03 ฿34.41

-26.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.18 ARS 12.1K

$13.89 ฿463

-41.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ARS 1,710

$1.34 ฿44.84

-14.18%

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

$28.2K ARS 41.9M

$27.8K ฿927.1K

1.64%

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

$38.9K ARS 57.8M

$33.4K ฿1.1M

16.62%

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

$85.2 ARS 126.6K

$123 ฿4,105

-30.74%

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

$10.11 ARS 15.0K

$13.77 ฿459

-26.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.00 ARS 37.1K

$18.33 ฿611

36.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.57 ARS 26.1K

$60.7 ฿2,025

-71.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.84 ARS 11.6K

$17.16 ฿573

-54.31%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 ARS 6,083

$8.87 ฿296

-53.78%

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

$159 ARS 236.8K

$688 ฿22.9K

-76.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,177 ARS 4.7M

$15.8K ฿526.4K

-79.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 ARS 84.2K

$59.3 ฿1,978

-4.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.5 ARS 91.3K

$34.69 ฿1,157

77.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.0 ARS 96.5K

$115 ฿3,843

-43.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.7 ARS 93.1K

$83.8 ฿2,794

-25.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$283 ARS 419.6K

$621 ฿20.7K

-54.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$202 ARS 299.3K

$446 ฿14.9K

-54.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$726 ARS 1.1M

$2,034 ฿67.8K

-64.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$585 ARS 868.7K

$1,496 ฿49.9K

-60.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$616 ARS 915.1K

$494 ฿16.5K

24.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

58.5

5.33

997.56%

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

Last update for Mar del Plata: July 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $283 in Mar del Plata and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mar del Plata pays 25% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $37.00 in Mar del Plata vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $192 vs $291 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 Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mar del Plata wins on cost – living expenses run 50% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mar del Plata the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 25% higher in Mar del Plata, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $283 in Mar del Plata versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $844 per month in Mar del Plata versus $1,264 in Phuket – a 50% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mar del Plata runs roughly 16% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $844 in Mar del Plata versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mar del Plata but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Mar del Plata the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Mar del Plata delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $844 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mar del Plata hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Mar del Plata and Phuket 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 50% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.