Cost of Living Comparison Between Mar del Plata and Villa María Cost of Living Comparison Between Mar del Plata and Villa María

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $841 in Mar del Plata versus $952 in Villa María.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,452 in Mar del Plata versus $1,576 in Villa María.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,062 in Mar del Plata versus $2,200 in Villa María.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Mar del Plata 37% lower, Villa María 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.58 ARS 14.2K

$10.30 ARS 15.2K

-6.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.91 ARS 54.5K

$34.29 ARS 50.7K

7.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 ARS 12.0K

$8.84 ARS 13.1K

-8.14%

Cappuccino

$2.49 ARS 3,674

$2.70 ARS 3,988

-7.78%

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

$2.27 ARS 3,353

$1.63 ARS 2,416

39.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ARS 3,176

$1.53 ARS 2,266

40.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.29 ARS 4,870

$2.08 ARS 3,071

58.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ARS 4,707

$2.94 ARS 4,350

8.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 ARS 1,557

$1.31 ARS 1,942

-19.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ARS 2,114

$1.62 ARS 2,401

-11.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 ARS 3,180

$1.96 ARS 2,899

9.69%

Eggs

$1.55 ARS 2,296

$2.25 ARS 3,322

-31.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.64 ARS 9,818

$10.20 ARS 15.1K

-34.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.13 ARS 7,584

$6.37 ARS 9,417

-19.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.75 ARS 11.5K

$9.25 ARS 13.7K

-16.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 ARS 4,014

$1.95 ARS 2,877

39.49%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 ARS 3,119

$2.14 ARS 3,162

-1.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 ARS 2,296

$1.31 ARS 1,931

18.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 ARS 3,689

$2.54 ARS 3,758

-1.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 ARS 1,796

$1.19 ARS 1,753

2.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 ARS 1,519

$1.20 ARS 1,776

-14.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ARS 985

$1.25 ARS 1,850

-46.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ARS 1,717

$1.42 ARS 2,100

-18.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.55 ARS 5,251

$3.22 ARS 4,760

10.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.97 ARS 4,394

$4.50 ARS 6,646

-34.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 ARS 2,039

$2.07 ARS 3,060

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ARS 3,030

$3.14 ARS 4,635

-34.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 ARS 1,051

$0.77 ARS 1,133

-7.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.89 ARS 14.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 ARS 2,167

$1.46 ARS 2,164

0.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 ARS 1,133

$0.91 ARS 1,350

-15.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.23 ARS 12.2K

$5.84 ARS 8,631

40.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ARS 1,685

$1.10 ARS 1,628

3.64%

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

$27.5K ARS 40.7M

$27.2K ARS 40.2M

1.15%

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

$39.7K ARS 58.7M

$29.9K ARS 44.2M

32.82%

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

$86.7 ARS 128.1K

$67.4 ARS 99.6K

28.60%

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

$10.21 ARS 15.1K

$17.20 ARS 25.4K

-40.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.91 ARS 36.8K

$22.26 ARS 32.9K

11.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.08 ARS 25.2K

$25.84 ARS 38.2K

-33.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.77 ARS 11.5K

$13.50 ARS 20.0K

-42.44%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 ARS 5,930

$6.26 ARS 9,247

-35.94%

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

$162 ARS 239.1K

$219 ARS 324.2K

-26.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,184 ARS 4.7M

$2,742 ARS 4.1M

16.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 ARS 82.1K

$73.0 ARS 107.9K

-23.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.8 ARS 92.9K

$69.1 ARS 102.1K

-9.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.2 ARS 96.4K

$116 ARS 171.8K

-43.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.4 ARS 90.8K

$110 ARS 162.9K

-44.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$278 ARS 411.3K

$343 ARS 507.5K

-18.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$203 ARS 300.2K

$239 ARS 352.5K

-14.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$707 ARS 1.0M

$695 ARS 1.0M

1.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$581 ARS 859.4K

$528 ARS 780.1K

10.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,280 ARS 3.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,514 ARS 2.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ARS 890.3K

$471 ARS 695.7K

27.96%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Villa María: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $278 in Mar del Plata and $343 in Villa María. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mar del Plata pays 28% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $37.00 in Mar del Plata vs $34.00 in Villa María. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $231, 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 Villa María: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

Average pay runs 28% 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: $278 in Mar del Plata versus $343 in Villa María. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

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

All in, you'll spend $841 per month in Mar del Plata versus $952 in Villa María – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $841 in Mar del Plata versus $952 in Villa María, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mar del Plata but tight or insufficient in Villa María. 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 Villa María 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 Villa María. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.