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: $841 in Mar del Plata versus $844 in Rosario.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,452 in Mar del Plata versus $1,363 in Rosario.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,062 in Mar del Plata versus $1,882 in Rosario.

Monthly costs are close between Mar del Plata and Rosario; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.58 ARS 14.2K

$9.25 ARS 13.7K

3.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.91 ARS 54.5K

$30.40 ARS 44.9K

21.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 ARS 12.0K

$8.73 ARS 12.9K

-6.99%

Cappuccino

$2.49 ARS 3,674

$1.69 ARS 2,503

47.34%

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

$2.27 ARS 3,353

$1.29 ARS 1,905

75.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ARS 3,176

$1.17 ARS 1,732

83.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.29 ARS 4,870

$1.20 ARS 1,777

174.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ARS 4,707

$2.67 ARS 3,949

19.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 ARS 1,557

$1.27 ARS 1,872

-17.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ARS 2,114

$1.59 ARS 2,343

-10.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 ARS 3,180

$1.79 ARS 2,648

20.11%

Eggs

$1.55 ARS 2,296

$2.17 ARS 3,210

-28.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.64 ARS 9,818

$12.12 ARS 17.9K

-45.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.13 ARS 7,584

$6.00 ARS 8,866

-14.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.75 ARS 11.5K

$9.21 ARS 13.6K

-15.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 ARS 4,014

$1.80 ARS 2,658

51.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 ARS 3,119

$2.02 ARS 2,983

4.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 ARS 2,296

$0.92 ARS 1,364

68.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 ARS 3,689

$2.64 ARS 3,903

-5.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 ARS 1,796

$1.50 ARS 2,216

-18.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 ARS 1,519

$1.42 ARS 2,101

-27.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ARS 985

$0.86 ARS 1,270

-22.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ARS 1,717

$1.43 ARS 2,118

-18.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.55 ARS 5,251

$3.30 ARS 4,873

7.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.97 ARS 4,394

$4.67 ARS 6,895

-36.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 ARS 2,039

$1.23 ARS 1,823

12.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ARS 3,030

$3.07 ARS 4,534

-33.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 ARS 1,051

$0.87 ARS 1,292

-18.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.89 ARS 14.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 ARS 2,167

$1.58 ARS 2,335

-6.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 ARS 1,133

$0.93 ARS 1,380

-17.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.23 ARS 12.2K

$5.86 ARS 8,659

40.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ARS 1,685

$1.08 ARS 1,598

5.56%

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

$27.5K ARS 40.7M

$24.1K ARS 35.7M

14.11%

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

$39.7K ARS 58.7M

$26.0K ARS 38.5M

52.69%

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

$86.7 ARS 128.1K

$56.1 ARS 82.9K

54.63%

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

$10.21 ARS 15.1K

$18.38 ARS 27.2K

-44.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.91 ARS 36.8K

$14.68 ARS 21.7K

69.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.08 ARS 25.2K

$24.75 ARS 36.6K

-30.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.77 ARS 11.5K

$6.01 ARS 8,888

29.28%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 ARS 5,930

$4.88 ARS 7,209

-17.83%

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

$162 ARS 239.1K

$333 ARS 492.8K

-51.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,184 ARS 4.7M

$1,091 ARS 1.6M

191.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 ARS 82.1K

$62.5 ARS 92.4K

-11.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.8 ARS 92.9K

$58.9 ARS 87.1K

6.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.2 ARS 96.4K

$106 ARS 156.3K

-38.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.4 ARS 90.8K

$94.4 ARS 139.5K

-34.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$278 ARS 411.3K

$201 ARS 297.6K

38.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$203 ARS 300.2K

$181 ARS 267.5K

12.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$707 ARS 1.0M

$521 ARS 770.1K

35.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$581 ARS 859.4K

$397 ARS 586.1K

46.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,033 ARS 3.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ARS 890.3K

$699 ARS 1.0M

-13.82%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Rosario: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $278 in Mar del Plata and $201 in Rosario. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rosario pays 16% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $37.00 in Mar del Plata vs $30.00 in Rosario. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $226, 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

On paper, salaries run 16% lower in Rosario. 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: $278 in Mar del Plata versus $201 in Rosario. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Rosario. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Mar del Plata – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $30.00 in Rosario. 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 work as nomad bases, but Mar del Plata delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $841 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 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.

It comes down to priorities – Mar del Plata wins on affordability, Rosario on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.