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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $847 in Mar del Plata versus $817 in Rosario.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,433 in Mar del Plata versus $1,345 in Rosario.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,019 in Mar del Plata versus $1,872 in Rosario.

Living in Mar del Plata is roughly 4% more expensive than Rosario, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mar del Plata 37% lower, Rosario 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.93 ARS 14.3K

$9.19 ARS 13.2K

8.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.70 ARS 54.2K

$29.56 ARS 42.5K

27.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 ARS 11.8K

$8.85 ARS 12.7K

-7.12%

Cappuccino

$2.45 ARS 3,523

$1.69 ARS 2,429

44.97%

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

$2.26 ARS 3,249

$1.29 ARS 1,855

75.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ARS 3,044

$1.14 ARS 1,633

85.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 ARS 4,618

$1.24 ARS 1,785

158.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ARS 4,806

$2.69 ARS 3,875

24.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 ARS 1,577

$1.26 ARS 1,818

-12.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ARS 2,048

$1.53 ARS 2,196

-7.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 ARS 2,966

$1.78 ARS 2,565

15.73%

Eggs

$1.52 ARS 2,189

$2.23 ARS 3,214

-31.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.79 ARS 9,763

$12.25 ARS 17.6K

-44.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.28 ARS 7,598

$5.90 ARS 8,491

-10.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.55 ARS 10.9K

$9.15 ARS 13.2K

-17.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 ARS 4,129

$1.87 ARS 2,693

53.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 ARS 3,069

$2.02 ARS 2,902

5.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 ARS 2,252

$1.00 ARS 1,436

57.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.49 ARS 3,587

$2.55 ARS 3,672

-2.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 ARS 1,770

$1.43 ARS 2,062

-13.99%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 ARS 1,373

$1.37 ARS 1,978

-30.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ARS 903

$0.89 ARS 1,278

-29.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 ARS 1,690

$1.50 ARS 2,152

-22.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.42 ARS 4,918

$3.18 ARS 4,570

7.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.92 ARS 4,198

$4.72 ARS 6,784

-38.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 ARS 1,987

$1.28 ARS 1,844

7.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ARS 2,848

$3.20 ARS 4,606

-38.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 ARS 1,047

$0.84 ARS 1,203

-13.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.97 ARS 14.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 ARS 2,197

$1.58 ARS 2,273

-3.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 ARS 1,130

$0.90 ARS 1,295

-12.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.95 ARS 11.4K

$6.07 ARS 8,725

30.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ARS 1,639

$1.04 ARS 1,492

9.62%

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

$27.5K ARS 39.5M

$23.9K ARS 34.3M

15.27%

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

$39.9K ARS 57.4M

$26.5K ARS 38.1M

50.70%

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

$84.2 ARS 121.1K

$54.4 ARS 78.3K

54.68%

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

$10.23 ARS 14.7K

$18.61 ARS 26.8K

-45.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.44 ARS 36.6K

$14.56 ARS 20.9K

74.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.04 ARS 24.5K

$24.79 ARS 35.7K

-31.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.02 ARS 11.5K

$6.03 ARS 8,670

33.00%

Cinema Ticket

$3.90 ARS 5,604

$5.14 ARS 7,396

-24.12%

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

$163 ARS 233.9K

$334 ARS 480.0K

-51.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,145 ARS 4.5M

$1,078 ARS 1.6M

191.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 ARS 82.4K

$62.5 ARS 89.9K

-8.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.0 ARS 90.6K

$60.5 ARS 87.0K

4.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.9 ARS 91.9K

$109 ARS 157.3K

-41.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.9 ARS 89.0K

$96.8 ARS 139.3K

-36.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$286 ARS 411.5K

$198 ARS 285.0K

44.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$204 ARS 294.1K

$183 ARS 262.8K

11.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$723 ARS 1.0M

$511 ARS 735.2K

41.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 ARS 823.1K

$393 ARS 565.1K

45.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,103 ARS 3.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$599 ARS 862.3K

$705 ARS 1.0M

-14.97%

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 Rosario: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $286 in Mar del Plata and $198 in Rosario. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rosario pays 18% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $38.00 in Mar del Plata vs $30.00 in Rosario. Groceries flip the comparison at $194 vs $227, 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 Rosario: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rosario wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Mar del Plata. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Rosario the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Rosario earns 18% 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: $286 in Mar del Plata versus $198 in Rosario. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Mar del Plata pay roughly 17% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $847 per month in Mar del Plata versus $817 in Rosario – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Rosario gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Rosario delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $817 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Rosario hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Mar del Plata and Rosario 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 Rosario gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Mar del Plata. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.