Cost of Living Comparison Between Mar del Plata and San Luis Cost of Living Comparison Between Mar del Plata and San Luis

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,023 in Mar del Plata versus $1,026 in San Luis.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,784 in Mar del Plata versus $1,729 in San Luis.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,544 in Mar del Plata versus $2,433 in San Luis.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Mar del Plata 25% lower, San Luis 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.19 ARS 30.6K

$8.64 ARS 13.1K

133.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 ARS 91.2K

$49.14 ARS 74.4K

22.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.54 ARS 19.0K

$8.23 ARS 12.5K

52.37%

Cappuccino

$3.12 ARS 4,717

$2.16 ARS 3,271

44.44%

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

$2.47 ARS 3,737

$2.37 ARS 3,583

4.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ARS 3,073

$1.89 ARS 2,863

7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.10 ARS 6,212

$2.43 ARS 3,675

68.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 ARS 4,571

$2.77 ARS 4,187

9.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 ARS 1,621

$1.34 ARS 2,030

-20.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 ARS 3,324

$1.94 ARS 2,939

13.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.19 ARS 4,828

$1.06 ARS 1,601

200.94%

Eggs

$2.35 ARS 3,556

$2.96 ARS 4,478

-20.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.90 ARS 8,929

$6.75 ARS 10.2K

-12.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.44 ARS 9,750

$4.59 ARS 6,951

40.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.52 ARS 19.0K

$5.39 ARS 8,161

132.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 ARS 4,923

$1.27 ARS 1,923

155.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 ARS 3,707

$2.16 ARS 3,275

13.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 ARS 2,220

$1.30 ARS 1,965

13.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.04 ARS 3,091

$3.21 ARS 4,866

-36.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 ARS 1,541

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 ARS 1,547

$1.50 ARS 2,268

-32.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 ARS 3,064

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ARS 825

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.56 ARS 5,383

$2.82 ARS 4,266

26.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.97 ARS 4,498

$4.14 ARS 6,270

-28.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 ARS 2,588

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 ARS 4,435

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 ARS 1,945

$0.59 ARS 892

116.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.65 ARS 2,505

$0.62 ARS 946

166.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 ARS 1,053

$1.03 ARS 1,556

-32.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.49 ARS 9,827

$4.99 ARS 7,560

30.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 ARS 2,082

$1.22 ARS 1,846

13.11%

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

$26.7K ARS 40.4M

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

$33.5K ARS 50.8M

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

$81.3 ARS 123.2K

$49.38 ARS 74.8K

64.72%

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

$7.94 ARS 12.0K

$13.63 ARS 20.6K

-41.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.34 ARS 45.9K

$23.53 ARS 35.6K

28.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.56 ARS 47.8K

$31.17 ARS 47.2K

1.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.24 ARS 51.8K

Cinema Ticket

$10.14 ARS 15.4K

$5.33 ARS 8,073

90.24%

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

$300 ARS 454.8K

$173 ARS 261.6K

73.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,159 ARS 6.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.6 ARS 132.7K

$117 ARS 176.6K

-24.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$126 ARS 190.9K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 ARS 182.3K

$137 ARS 207.1K

-11.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.0 ARS 81.8K

$124 ARS 187.6K

-56.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$329 ARS 497.5K

$481 ARS 727.8K

-31.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$256 ARS 387.0K

$314 ARS 475.4K

-18.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$813 ARS 1.2M

$942 ARS 1.4M

-13.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$657 ARS 995.4K

$740 ARS 1.1M

-11.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$611 ARS 925.5K

$502 ARS 760.2K

21.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Mar del Plata: September 12, 2026

Last update for San Luis: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $329 in Mar del Plata and $481 in San Luis. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mar del Plata pays 22% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $60.0 in Mar del Plata vs $49.00 in San Luis for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 vs $192 per month, with San Luis 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 San Luis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Average pay runs 22% higher in Mar del Plata, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $329 in Mar del Plata versus $481 in San Luis. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in San Luis pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Mar del Plata – a meal for two runs $60.0 versus $49.00 in San Luis. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,023 in Mar del Plata versus $1,026 in San Luis, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mar del Plata but tight or insufficient in San Luis. The gap between the two cities makes Mar del Plata the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Mar del Plata and San Luis 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, San Luis on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.