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: $855 in Mar del Plata versus $1,056 in Salta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,426 in Mar del Plata versus $1,584 in Salta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,997 in Mar del Plata versus $2,113 in Salta.

Living in Mar del Plata costs roughly 19% less than in Salta, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mar del Plata 36% lower, Salta 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.39 ARS 13.4K

$9.97 ARS 14.2K

-5.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.16 ARS 54.5K

$39.50 ARS 56.4K

-3.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.07 ARS 11.5K

$6.55 ARS 9,357

23.21%

Cappuccino

$2.47 ARS 3,529

$2.34 ARS 3,337

5.56%

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

$2.17 ARS 3,094

$1.33 ARS 1,900

63.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ARS 3,033

$1.27 ARS 1,818

66.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ARS 4,687

$1.81 ARS 2,587

81.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ARS 4,721

$3.09 ARS 4,413

6.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 ARS 1,510

$1.37 ARS 1,954

-22.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ARS 2,049

$1.78 ARS 2,547

-19.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 ARS 3,082

$1.95 ARS 2,780

10.77%

Eggs

$1.58 ARS 2,261

$2.50 ARS 3,573

-36.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.84 ARS 9,772

$3.74 ARS 5,336

82.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.35 ARS 7,639

$4.73 ARS 6,757

13.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.74 ARS 11.1K

$10.10 ARS 14.4K

-23.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ARS 3,946

$1.18 ARS 1,679

133.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 ARS 3,036

$1.66 ARS 2,372

28.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ARS 2,140

$0.78 ARS 1,118

92.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.53 ARS 3,618

$2.11 ARS 3,008

19.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ARS 1,829

$0.62 ARS 888

106.45%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 ARS 1,370

$0.77 ARS 1,094

24.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ARS 885

$1.32 ARS 1,887

-53.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ARS 1,725

$1.66 ARS 2,377

-27.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.49 ARS 4,979

$3.71 ARS 5,299

-5.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.08 ARS 4,399

$5.05 ARS 7,211

-39.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 ARS 1,904

$1.39 ARS 1,981

-4.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 ARS 2,805

$3.93 ARS 5,620

-50.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 ARS 1,076

$0.79 ARS 1,129

-5.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.94 ARS 14.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 ARS 2,089

$1.51 ARS 2,161

-3.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 ARS 1,051

$0.91 ARS 1,303

-18.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ARS 11.2K

$5.96 ARS 8,518

31.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ARS 1,570

$0.98 ARS 1,393

12.24%

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

$27.3K ARS 38.9M

$23.5K ARS 33.6M

15.81%

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

$39.0K ARS 55.7M

$33.4K ARS 47.8M

16.62%

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

$85.4 ARS 122.0K

$99.8 ARS 142.6K

-14.48%

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

$10.27 ARS 14.7K

$15.10 ARS 21.6K

-31.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.40 ARS 36.3K

$10.13 ARS 14.5K

150.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.28 ARS 24.7K

$29.71 ARS 42.4K

-41.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.86 ARS 11.2K

$13.88 ARS 19.8K

-43.37%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 ARS 5,686

$5.93 ARS 8,465

-32.88%

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

$162 ARS 232.1K

$98.1 ARS 140.2K

65.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,242 ARS 4.6M

$2,692 ARS 3.8M

20.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.5 ARS 80.7K

$60.7 ARS 86.7K

-6.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.4 ARS 89.1K

$57.2 ARS 81.7K

8.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.2 ARS 91.7K

$103 ARS 147.1K

-37.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.9 ARS 89.9K

$99.1 ARS 141.6K

-36.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$285 ARS 406.9K

$458 ARS 654.0K

-37.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$206 ARS 294.8K

$382 ARS 545.2K

-45.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$718 ARS 1.0M

$639 ARS 913.0K

12.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$582 ARS 831.8K

$549 ARS 784.9K

5.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,020 ARS 2.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,504 ARS 2.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$618 ARS 882.5K

$849 ARS 1.2M

-27.21%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Salta: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $285 in Mar del Plata and $458 in Salta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Salta pays 37% 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: $38.00 in Mar del Plata vs $40.00 in Salta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $195 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 24% 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 37% 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: $285 in Mar del Plata versus $458 in Salta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Salta. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $855 per month in Mar del Plata versus $1,056 in Salta – a 24% 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 $855 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 24% less than in Salta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.