Cost of Living Comparison Between Mar del Plata and Santa Fe Cost of Living Comparison Between Mar del Plata and Santa Fe

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $847 in Mar del Plata versus $801 in Santa Fe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,433 in Mar del Plata versus $1,216 in Santa Fe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,019 in Mar del Plata versus $1,632 in Santa Fe.

Living in Mar del Plata is roughly 6% more expensive than Santa Fe, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mar del Plata 37% lower, Santa Fe 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.93 ARS 14.2K

$7.08 ARS 10.1K

40.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.70 ARS 53.8K

$16.21 ARS 23.1K

132.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 ARS 11.7K

$7.53 ARS 10.7K

9.16%

Cappuccino

$2.45 ARS 3,494

$1.68 ARS 2,402

45.83%

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

$2.26 ARS 3,222

$1.33 ARS 1,893

69.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ARS 3,018

$1.16 ARS 1,656

82.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 ARS 4,579

$1.19 ARS 1,694

169.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ARS 4,766

$2.56 ARS 3,647

30.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 ARS 1,564

$1.01 ARS 1,443

8.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ARS 2,031

$0.99 ARS 1,412

43.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 ARS 2,941

$1.79 ARS 2,557

15.08%

Eggs

$1.52 ARS 2,171

$1.46 ARS 2,089

4.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.79 ARS 9,681

$8.97 ARS 12.8K

-24.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.28 ARS 7,535

$6.06 ARS 8,643

-12.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.55 ARS 10.8K

$8.09 ARS 11.5K

-6.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 ARS 4,094

$1.89 ARS 2,696

51.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 ARS 3,044

$2.08 ARS 2,973

2.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 ARS 2,233

$0.92 ARS 1,309

70.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.49 ARS 3,557

$2.72 ARS 3,886

-8.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 ARS 1,755

$0.51 ARS 734

141.18%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 ARS 1,361

$1.37 ARS 1,960

-30.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ARS 895

$0.92 ARS 1,319

-31.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 ARS 1,676

$1.86 ARS 2,659

-37.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.42 ARS 4,877

$3.33 ARS 4,751

2.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.92 ARS 4,163

$4.86 ARS 6,937

-39.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 ARS 1,971

$1.25 ARS 1,778

10.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ARS 2,825

$3.18 ARS 4,535

-37.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 ARS 1,038

$1.03 ARS 1,462

-29.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.97 ARS 14.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 ARS 2,179

$0.99 ARS 1,412

54.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 ARS 1,121

$0.87 ARS 1,240

-9.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.95 ARS 11.3K

$5.90 ARS 8,410

34.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ARS 1,626

$1.07 ARS 1,524

6.54%

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

$27.5K ARS 39.2M

$29.8K ARS 42.6M

-7.86%

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

$39.9K ARS 57.0M

$29.5K ARS 42.1M

35.32%

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

$84.2 ARS 120.1K

$55.0 ARS 78.5K

53.11%

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

$10.23 ARS 14.6K

$7.76 ARS 11.1K

31.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.44 ARS 36.3K

$14.82 ARS 21.1K

71.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.04 ARS 24.3K

$39.67 ARS 56.6K

-57.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.02 ARS 11.4K

$13.54 ARS 19.3K

-40.77%

Cinema Ticket

$3.90 ARS 5,557

$5.02 ARS 7,168

-22.31%

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

$163 ARS 232.0K

$221 ARS 315.2K

-26.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,145 ARS 4.5M

$1,061 ARS 1.5M

196.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 ARS 81.7K

$62.1 ARS 88.6K

-7.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.0 ARS 89.8K

$58.9 ARS 84.0K

6.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.9 ARS 91.1K

$108 ARS 154.5K

-41.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.9 ARS 88.2K

$95.4 ARS 136.0K

-35.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$286 ARS 408.1K

$319 ARS 454.5K

-10.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$204 ARS 291.6K

$200 ARS 285.1K

2.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$723 ARS 1.0M

$585 ARS 834.3K

23.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 ARS 816.2K

$327 ARS 467.1K

74.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,268 ARS 1.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,037 ARS 1.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$599 ARS 855.1K

$824 ARS 1.2M

-27.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

58.5

100

-41.50%

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

Last update for Mar del Plata: May 30, 2026

Last update for Santa Fe: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $286 in Mar del Plata and $319 in Santa Fe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Fe pays 38% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $38.00 in Mar del Plata vs $16.00 in Santa Fe. Groceries flip the comparison at $194 vs $206, 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 Santa Fe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santa Fe wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Mar del Plata. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Santa Fe the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Santa Fe earns 38% 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: $286 in Mar del Plata versus $319 in Santa Fe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Mar del Plata pay roughly 7% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $847 per month in Mar del Plata versus $801 in Santa Fe – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Santa Fe gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 Santa Fe 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 Santa Fe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Mar del Plata. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.