Cost of Living Comparison Between Mar del Plata and San Martin de los Andes Cost of Living Comparison Between Mar del Plata and San Martin de los Andes

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,042 in Mar del Plata versus $1,178 in San Martin de los Andes.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,777 in Mar del Plata versus $2,000 in San Martin de los Andes.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,511 in Mar del Plata versus $2,822 in San Martin de los Andes.

Living in Mar del Plata costs roughly 12% less than in San Martin de los Andes, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mar del Plata 24% lower, San Martin de los Andes 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.02 ARS 30.2K

$15.45 ARS 23.3K

29.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.1 ARS 89.2K

$55.0 ARS 83.0K

7.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.68 ARS 19.1K

$13.21 ARS 19.9K

-4.01%

Cappuccino

$3.09 ARS 4,661

$3.83 ARS 5,772

-19.32%

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

$2.54 ARS 3,835

$2.06 ARS 3,101

23.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ARS 3,042

$1.71 ARS 2,573

18.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.04 ARS 6,093

$3.66 ARS 5,527

10.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 ARS 4,578

$3.78 ARS 5,699

-19.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 ARS 1,634

$1.38 ARS 2,078

-21.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.19 ARS 3,303

$2.16 ARS 3,262

1.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.19 ARS 4,819

$1.57 ARS 2,373

103.18%

Eggs

$2.45 ARS 3,700

$2.37 ARS 3,575

3.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.66 ARS 8,543

$10.35 ARS 15.6K

-45.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.63 ARS 10.0K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.10 ARS 18.2K

$11.63 ARS 17.5K

4.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.41 ARS 5,150

$2.37 ARS 3,578

43.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 ARS 3,858

$2.14 ARS 3,227

19.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 ARS 2,314

$1.42 ARS 2,136

7.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.04 ARS 3,075

$2.13 ARS 3,207

-4.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 ARS 1,592

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 ARS 1,537

$0.97 ARS 1,465

5.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.63 ARS 2,466

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 ARS 2,504

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.46 ARS 5,216

$3.28 ARS 4,945

5.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.95 ARS 4,445

$4.89 ARS 7,370

-39.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 ARS 3,088

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ARS 4,291

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 ARS 1,926

$1.02 ARS 1,537

25.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 ARS 2,399

$1.57 ARS 2,369

1.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ARS 1,032

$0.99 ARS 1,491

-31.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.26 ARS 9,445

$7.40 ARS 11.2K

-15.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ARS 2,055

$1.20 ARS 1,817

13.33%

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

$27.9K ARS 42.0M

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

$33.5K ARS 50.5M

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

$81.4 ARS 122.8K

$86.0 ARS 129.7K

-5.27%

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

$8.04 ARS 12.1K

$17.47 ARS 26.4K

-53.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.95 ARS 45.2K

$27.68 ARS 41.7K

8.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.33 ARS 47.3K

$30.57 ARS 46.1K

2.49%

Cinema Ticket

$10.14 ARS 15.3K

$8.34 ARS 12.6K

21.58%

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

$304 ARS 459.3K

$301 ARS 453.6K

1.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,261 ARS 6.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.2 ARS 134.6K

$107 ARS 160.7K

-16.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.6 ARS 114.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ARS 177.8K

$118 ARS 178.5K

-0.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.0 ARS 83.0K

$129 ARS 193.9K

-57.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$331 ARS 499.8K

$487 ARS 735.2K

-32.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$250 ARS 377.0K

$307 ARS 462.4K

-18.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$806 ARS 1.2M

$992 ARS 1.5M

-18.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$654 ARS 985.9K

$766 ARS 1.2M

-14.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,393 ARS 3.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$612 ARS 923.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

56.56

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

Last update for Mar del Plata: September 8, 2026

Last update for San Martin de los Andes: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $331 in Mar del Plata and $487 in San Martin de los Andes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $59.0 in Mar del Plata vs $55.0 in San Martin de los Andes. Groceries flip the comparison at $198 vs $249, 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 San Martin de los Andes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mar del Plata wins on cost – living expenses run 13% lower than in San Martin de los Andes. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mar del Plata the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,564 in Mar del Plata and $1,767 in San Martin de los Andes to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $331 in Mar del Plata versus $487 in San Martin de los Andes. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 25% higher in San Martin de los Andes. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,042 per month in Mar del Plata versus $1,178 in San Martin de los Andes – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,042 in Mar del Plata versus $1,178 in San Martin de los Andes, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mar del Plata but tight or insufficient in San Martin de los Andes. 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 Martin de los Andes 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 13% less than in San Martin de los Andes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.