Cost of Living Comparison Between Neuquen and Mar del Plata Cost of Living Comparison Between Neuquen and Mar del Plata

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $978 in Neuquen versus $838 in Mar del Plata.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,694 in Neuquen versus $1,425 in Mar del Plata.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,410 in Neuquen versus $2,011 in Mar del Plata.

Living in Neuquen is roughly 17% more expensive than Mar del Plata, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Neuquen 27% lower, Mar del Plata 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.55 ARS 14.7K

$9.87 ARS 13.8K

6.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.41 ARS 48.0K

$36.84 ARS 51.4K

-6.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.01 ARS 12.6K

$8.28 ARS 11.5K

8.82%

Cappuccino

$2.70 ARS 3,773

$2.42 ARS 3,371

11.57%

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

$1.72 ARS 2,396

$2.20 ARS 3,069

-21.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 ARS 2,098

$2.05 ARS 2,865

-26.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 ARS 2,865

$3.20 ARS 4,462

-35.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 ARS 4,131

$3.31 ARS 4,622

-10.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 ARS 1,755

$1.11 ARS 1,545

13.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 ARS 2,288

$1.42 ARS 1,982

15.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 ARS 2,712

$2.08 ARS 2,909

-6.73%

Eggs

$2.16 ARS 3,020

$1.49 ARS 2,085

44.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.16 ARS 14.2K

$6.73 ARS 9,388

50.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.03 ARS 8,414

$5.33 ARS 7,438

13.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ARS 13.0K

$7.45 ARS 10.4K

24.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 ARS 2,727

$2.72 ARS 3,794

-28.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.15 ARS 3,000

$2.12 ARS 2,959

1.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 ARS 1,749

$1.51 ARS 2,102

-17.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.61 ARS 3,637

$2.52 ARS 3,519

3.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 ARS 1,654

$1.29 ARS 1,793

-7.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 ARS 1,731

$1.00 ARS 1,389

24.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 ARS 1,846

$0.63 ARS 873

109.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 ARS 2,075

$1.20 ARS 1,681

24.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.04 ARS 4,247

$3.54 ARS 4,941

-14.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.28 ARS 5,970

$4.94 ARS 6,896

-13.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 ARS 2,903

$1.34 ARS 1,874

55.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 ARS 4,416

$1.95 ARS 2,722

62.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 ARS 1,064

$0.76 ARS 1,060

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.90 ARS 13.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 ARS 2,055

$1.53 ARS 2,139

-3.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ARS 1,278

$0.77 ARS 1,069

19.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.08 ARS 8,478

$7.91 ARS 11.0K

-23.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ARS 1,547

$1.13 ARS 1,580

-1.77%

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

$27.0K ARS 37.7M

$27.9K ARS 38.9M

-3.10%

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

$30.0K ARS 41.8M

$40.2K ARS 56.0M

-25.42%

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

$66.7 ARS 93.0K

$83.7 ARS 116.8K

-20.31%

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

$17.35 ARS 24.2K

$10.36 ARS 14.5K

67.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.37 ARS 31.2K

$25.20 ARS 35.2K

-11.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.16 ARS 42.1K

$17.02 ARS 23.8K

77.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.64 ARS 19.0K

$7.93 ARS 11.1K

72.01%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 ARS 8,632

$3.89 ARS 5,431

59.13%

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

$217 ARS 303.4K

$159 ARS 221.8K

36.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,704 ARS 3.8M

$3,227 ARS 4.5M

-16.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 ARS 103.6K

$55.5 ARS 77.4K

33.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.6 ARS 97.1K

$61.7 ARS 86.1K

12.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ARS 161.0K

$63.9 ARS 89.1K

80.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ARS 158.2K

$63.6 ARS 88.7K

78.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$694 ARS 968.4K

$281 ARS 391.5K

147.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$233 ARS 325.5K

$206 ARS 287.4K

13.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,504 ARS 2.1M

$734 ARS 1.0M

104.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$799 ARS 1.1M

$575 ARS 802.1K

39.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,762 ARS 2.5M

$2,203 ARS 3.1M

-20.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,251 ARS 1.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$604 ARS 842.6K

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 Neuquen: April 27, 2026

Last update for Mar del Plata: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $694 in Neuquen and $281 in Mar del Plata. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $34.00 in Neuquen vs $37.00 in Mar del Plata. Groceries flip the comparison at $229 vs $197, 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

Neuquen vs Mar del Plata: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mar del Plata wins on cost – living expenses run 17% lower than in Neuquen. 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 $1,468 in Neuquen and $1,257 in Mar del Plata 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: $694 in Neuquen versus $281 in Mar del Plata. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Neuquen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $978 per month in Neuquen versus $838 in Mar del Plata – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $838 in Mar del Plata versus $978 in Neuquen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mar del Plata but tight or insufficient in Neuquen. 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, Neuquen and Mar del Plata 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 17% less than in Neuquen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.