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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $844 in Mar del Plata versus $961 in Santa Rosa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,417 in Mar del Plata versus $1,578 in Santa Rosa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,991 in Mar del Plata versus $2,196 in Santa Rosa.

Living in Mar del Plata costs roughly 12% less than in Santa Rosa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mar del Plata 37% lower, Santa Rosa 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.53 ARS 14.1K

$10.48 ARS 15.6K

-9.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.25 ARS 55.3K

$33.09 ARS 49.1K

12.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.17 ARS 12.1K

$9.24 ARS 13.7K

-11.58%

Cappuccino

$2.41 ARS 3,579

$2.65 ARS 3,940

-9.06%

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

$2.18 ARS 3,238

$1.71 ARS 2,538

27.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ARS 3,051

$1.55 ARS 2,304

32.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.34 ARS 4,959

$2.08 ARS 3,088

60.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 ARS 4,732

$2.98 ARS 4,421

7.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 ARS 1,559

$1.29 ARS 1,922

-18.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 ARS 2,050

$1.58 ARS 2,342

-12.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 ARS 3,064

$1.94 ARS 2,880

6.19%

Eggs

$1.52 ARS 2,264

$2.17 ARS 3,221

-29.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.93 ARS 10.3K

$10.30 ARS 15.3K

-32.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.22 ARS 7,758

$6.34 ARS 9,412

-17.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.47 ARS 11.1K

$9.14 ARS 13.6K

-18.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.74 ARS 4,063

$2.04 ARS 3,026

34.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 ARS 3,222

$2.08 ARS 3,082

4.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 ARS 2,302

$1.30 ARS 1,936

19.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 ARS 3,637

$2.54 ARS 3,777

-3.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 ARS 1,815

$1.14 ARS 1,699

7.02%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 ARS 1,408

$1.24 ARS 1,839

-23.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ARS 939

$1.27 ARS 1,879

-50.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ARS 1,784

$1.44 ARS 2,140

-16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.48 ARS 5,166

$3.21 ARS 4,762

8.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.95 ARS 4,377

$4.84 ARS 7,188

-39.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 ARS 2,068

$2.07 ARS 3,073

-32.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ARS 2,947

$3.12 ARS 4,637

-36.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 ARS 1,129

$0.79 ARS 1,167

-3.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.94 ARS 14.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ARS 2,212

$1.51 ARS 2,247

-1.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 ARS 1,129

$0.85 ARS 1,268

-10.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.18 ARS 12.1K

$6.16 ARS 9,143

32.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ARS 1,710

$1.10 ARS 1,639

4.55%

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

$28.2K ARS 41.9M

$27.4K ARS 40.7M

2.96%

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

$38.9K ARS 57.8M

$30.2K ARS 44.9M

28.86%

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

$85.2 ARS 126.6K

$67.3 ARS 100.0K

26.57%

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

$10.11 ARS 15.0K

$16.95 ARS 25.2K

-40.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.00 ARS 37.1K

$22.98 ARS 34.1K

8.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.57 ARS 26.1K

$26.27 ARS 39.0K

-33.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.84 ARS 11.6K

$14.00 ARS 20.8K

-44.00%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 ARS 6,083

$6.36 ARS 9,443

-35.53%

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

$159 ARS 236.8K

$222 ARS 329.0K

-28.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,177 ARS 4.7M

$2,735 ARS 4.1M

16.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 ARS 84.2K

$72.7 ARS 108.0K

-22.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.5 ARS 91.3K

$68.3 ARS 101.4K

-9.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.0 ARS 96.5K

$114 ARS 169.9K

-43.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.7 ARS 93.1K

$114 ARS 169.1K

-44.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$283 ARS 419.6K

$335 ARS 497.2K

-15.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$202 ARS 299.3K

$236 ARS 350.3K

-14.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$726 ARS 1.1M

$669 ARS 993.5K

8.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$585 ARS 868.7K

$532 ARS 790.4K

9.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,214 ARS 3.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,533 ARS 2.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$616 ARS 915.1K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Santa Rosa: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $283 in Mar del Plata and $335 in Santa Rosa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $37.00 in Mar del Plata vs $33.00 in Santa Rosa. Groceries flip the comparison at $192 vs $230, 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 Rosa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mar del Plata wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Santa Rosa. 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 $1,266 in Mar del Plata and $1,441 in Santa Rosa 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: $283 in Mar del Plata versus $335 in Santa Rosa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Santa Rosa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $844 per month in Mar del Plata versus $961 in Santa Rosa – a 14% 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 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 Rosa 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 14% less than in Santa Rosa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.