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: $838 in Mar del Plata versus $1,051 in Salta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,425 in Mar del Plata versus $1,559 in Salta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,011 in Mar del Plata versus $2,066 in Salta.

Living in Mar del Plata costs roughly 20% 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

$9.87 ARS 13.8K

$9.97 ARS 13.9K

-1.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.84 ARS 51.4K

$39.09 ARS 54.5K

-5.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 ARS 11.5K

$6.54 ARS 9,128

26.61%

Cappuccino

$2.42 ARS 3,371

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

$2.20 ARS 3,069

$1.40 ARS 1,957

57.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ARS 2,865

$1.24 ARS 1,726

65.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.20 ARS 4,462

$1.78 ARS 2,484

79.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 ARS 4,622

$3.06 ARS 4,269

8.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 ARS 1,545

$1.41 ARS 1,968

-21.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ARS 1,982

$1.79 ARS 2,492

-20.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 ARS 2,909

$1.93 ARS 2,690

7.77%

Eggs

$1.49 ARS 2,085

$2.49 ARS 3,474

-40.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.73 ARS 9,388

$3.77 ARS 5,255

78.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.33 ARS 7,438

$4.67 ARS 6,516

14.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.45 ARS 10.4K

$9.87 ARS 13.8K

-24.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 ARS 3,794

$1.22 ARS 1,705

122.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.12 ARS 2,959

$1.66 ARS 2,320

27.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 ARS 2,102

$0.84 ARS 1,168

79.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 ARS 3,519

$2.04 ARS 2,846

23.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ARS 1,793

$0.58 ARS 807

122.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 ARS 1,389

$0.84 ARS 1,166

19.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ARS 873

$1.26 ARS 1,757

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ARS 1,681

$1.67 ARS 2,335

-28.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.54 ARS 4,941

$3.72 ARS 5,189

-4.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.94 ARS 6,896

$5.10 ARS 7,120

-3.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 ARS 1,874

$1.43 ARS 1,996

-6.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 ARS 2,722

$3.96 ARS 5,525

-50.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 ARS 1,060

$0.77 ARS 1,069

-1.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.90 ARS 13.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 ARS 2,139

$1.52 ARS 2,115

0.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 ARS 1,069

$0.86 ARS 1,200

-10.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.91 ARS 11.0K

$6.04 ARS 8,434

30.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ARS 1,580

$0.91 ARS 1,276

24.18%

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

$27.9K ARS 38.9M

$23.4K ARS 32.7M

18.95%

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

$40.2K ARS 56.0M

$33.6K ARS 46.9M

19.44%

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

$83.7 ARS 116.8K

$97.4 ARS 136.0K

-14.11%

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

$10.36 ARS 14.5K

$15.48 ARS 21.6K

-33.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.20 ARS 35.2K

$9.85 ARS 13.7K

155.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.02 ARS 23.8K

$29.55 ARS 41.2K

-42.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.93 ARS 11.1K

$13.59 ARS 19.0K

-41.65%

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 ARS 5,431

$6.15 ARS 8,579

-36.75%

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

$159 ARS 221.8K

$98.3 ARS 137.1K

61.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,227 ARS 4.5M

$2,744 ARS 3.8M

17.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 ARS 77.4K

$61.6 ARS 86.0K

-9.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.7 ARS 86.1K

$56.8 ARS 79.2K

8.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.9 ARS 89.1K

$105 ARS 146.8K

-39.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.6 ARS 88.7K

$102 ARS 141.7K

-37.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 ARS 391.5K

$452 ARS 630.7K

-37.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$206 ARS 287.4K

$387 ARS 539.4K

-46.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$734 ARS 1.0M

$664 ARS 925.9K

10.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$575 ARS 802.1K

$552 ARS 770.8K

4.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,203 ARS 3.1M

$2,073 ARS 2.9M

6.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ARS 2.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$604 ARS 842.6K

$856 ARS 1.2M

-29.46%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Salta: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $281 in Mar del Plata and $452 in Salta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Salta pays 42% 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 $39.00 in Salta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 vs $197 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 25% 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, Salta earns 42% 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: $281 in Mar del Plata versus $452 in Salta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 0% higher in Salta. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $838 per month in Mar del Plata versus $1,051 in Salta – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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 $838 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 25% less than in Salta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.