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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $844 in Mar del Plata versus $1,034 in Salta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,417 in Mar del Plata versus $1,568 in Salta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,991 in Mar del Plata versus $2,103 in Salta.

Living in Mar del Plata costs roughly 18% less than in Salta, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mar del Plata 37% lower, Salta 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.53 ARS 14.2K

$9.92 ARS 14.8K

-3.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.25 ARS 55.6K

$39.86 ARS 59.5K

-6.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.17 ARS 12.2K

$6.67 ARS 9,963

22.49%

Cappuccino

$2.41 ARS 3,601

$2.40 ARS 3,591

0.42%

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

$2.18 ARS 3,257

$1.34 ARS 2,004

62.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ARS 3,070

$1.23 ARS 1,834

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.34 ARS 4,989

$1.76 ARS 2,633

89.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 ARS 4,761

$3.09 ARS 4,619

3.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 ARS 1,569

$1.39 ARS 2,078

-24.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 ARS 2,062

$1.70 ARS 2,538

-18.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 ARS 3,082

$2.02 ARS 3,022

1.98%

Eggs

$1.52 ARS 2,278

$2.57 ARS 3,838

-40.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.93 ARS 10.4K

$3.71 ARS 5,547

86.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.22 ARS 7,805

$4.62 ARS 6,899

12.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.47 ARS 11.2K

$10.07 ARS 15.0K

-25.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.74 ARS 4,088

$1.18 ARS 1,757

132.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 ARS 3,242

$1.68 ARS 2,508

29.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 ARS 2,316

$0.77 ARS 1,145

101.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 ARS 3,659

$2.03 ARS 3,033

20.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 ARS 1,826

$0.59 ARS 875

106.78%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 ARS 1,416

$0.82 ARS 1,230

15.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ARS 945

$1.31 ARS 1,950

-51.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ARS 1,795

$1.68 ARS 2,508

-28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.48 ARS 5,197

$3.77 ARS 5,628

-7.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.95 ARS 4,403

$4.83 ARS 7,216

-38.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 ARS 2,081

$1.37 ARS 2,051

1.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ARS 2,964

$4.11 ARS 6,141

-51.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 ARS 1,135

$0.81 ARS 1,210

-6.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.94 ARS 14.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ARS 2,225

$1.48 ARS 2,205

0.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 ARS 1,136

$0.87 ARS 1,297

-12.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.18 ARS 12.2K

$5.98 ARS 8,936

36.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ARS 1,720

$0.97 ARS 1,442

18.56%

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

$28.2K ARS 42.2M

$23.5K ARS 35.1M

20.31%

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

$38.9K ARS 58.2M

$33.3K ARS 49.8M

16.87%

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

$85.2 ARS 127.3K

$96.9 ARS 144.7K

-12.01%

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

$10.11 ARS 15.1K

$15.16 ARS 22.7K

-33.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.00 ARS 37.4K

$10.10 ARS 15.1K

147.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.57 ARS 26.2K

$29.70 ARS 44.4K

-40.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.84 ARS 11.7K

$13.63 ARS 20.4K

-42.48%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 ARS 6,120

$6.15 ARS 9,182

-33.33%

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

$159 ARS 238.2K

$101 ARS 150.9K

57.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,177 ARS 4.7M

$2,706 ARS 4.0M

17.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 ARS 84.7K

$61.2 ARS 91.5K

-7.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.5 ARS 91.9K

$57.0 ARS 85.2K

7.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.0 ARS 97.1K

$105 ARS 157.1K

-38.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.7 ARS 93.7K

$98.2 ARS 146.6K

-36.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$283 ARS 422.1K

$454 ARS 677.6K

-37.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$202 ARS 301.1K

$378 ARS 564.0K

-46.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$726 ARS 1.1M

$645 ARS 964.2K

12.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$585 ARS 873.9K

$551 ARS 822.5K

6.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,300 ARS 3.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,522 ARS 2.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$616 ARS 920.6K

$864 ARS 1.3M

-28.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

58.5

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 Salta: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $283 in Mar del Plata and $454 in Salta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Salta pays 40% 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 $40.00 in Salta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $192 vs $196 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 Salta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mar del Plata wins on cost – living expenses run 23% lower than in Salta. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mar del Plata the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 40% lower in Salta. 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: $283 in Mar del Plata versus $454 in Salta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Salta. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $844 per month in Mar del Plata versus $1,034 in Salta – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $844 in Mar del Plata versus $1,034 in Salta, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mar del Plata but tight or insufficient in Salta. 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 Salta 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 23% less than in Salta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.