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: $1,147 in Neuquen versus $1,006 in Mar del Plata.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,902 in Neuquen versus $1,765 in Mar del Plata.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,657 in Neuquen versus $2,523 in Mar del Plata.

Living in Neuquen is roughly 14% more expensive than in Mar del Plata, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Neuquen 16% lower, Mar del Plata 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.21 ARS 19.8K

$19.81 ARS 29.7K

-33.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.0 ARS 74.9K

$59.1 ARS 88.5K

-15.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.29 ARS 21.4K

$12.32 ARS 18.4K

15.99%

Cappuccino

$3.37 ARS 5,044

$3.22 ARS 4,826

4.66%

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

$2.15 ARS 3,221

$2.56 ARS 3,829

-16.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 ARS 2,541

$1.94 ARS 2,911

-12.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.52 ARS 6,769

$4.03 ARS 6,038

12.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.15 ARS 6,219

$2.99 ARS 4,470

38.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 ARS 2,075

$1.12 ARS 1,674

24.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 ARS 3,091

$2.11 ARS 3,156

-1.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 ARS 2,415

$3.34 ARS 5,005

-51.80%

Eggs

$2.21 ARS 3,303

$2.43 ARS 3,644

-9.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.72 ARS 16.1K

$5.67 ARS 8,482

89.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 ARS 9,364

$6.66 ARS 9,973

-6.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.90 ARS 17.8K

$12.50 ARS 18.7K

-4.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.48 ARS 3,707

$3.26 ARS 4,881

-23.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 ARS 2,800

$2.44 ARS 3,648

-23.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ARS 2,393

$1.47 ARS 2,207

8.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 ARS 3,216

$1.96 ARS 2,942

9.69%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 ARS 1,466

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 ARS 1,423

$0.98 ARS 1,469

-3.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 ARS 2,202

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 ARS 2,106

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.65 ARS 5,467

$3.56 ARS 5,324

2.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.59 ARS 6,874

$2.94 ARS 4,408

56.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ARS 2,550

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ARS 4,347

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 ARS 1,641

$1.28 ARS 1,914

-14.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 ARS 2,254

$1.58 ARS 2,360

-4.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 ARS 1,388

$0.65 ARS 975

43.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.08 ARS 10.6K

$6.35 ARS 9,507

11.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ARS 1,697

$1.32 ARS 1,969

-14.39%

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

$25.7K ARS 38.5M

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

$33.1K ARS 49.6M

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

$87.5 ARS 131.0K

$80.6 ARS 120.6K

8.59%

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

$17.55 ARS 26.3K

$7.77 ARS 11.6K

125.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.31 ARS 43.9K

$30.32 ARS 45.4K

-3.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.09 ARS 45.0K

$31.28 ARS 46.8K

-3.80%

Cinema Ticket

$7.49 ARS 11.2K

$10.17 ARS 15.2K

-26.35%

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

$344 ARS 515.5K

$298 ARS 445.5K

15.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,611 ARS 6.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 ARS 159.4K

$87.6 ARS 131.1K

21.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.0 ARS 86.8K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 ARS 157.1K

$118 ARS 176.6K

-11.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 ARS 219.5K

$55.9 ARS 83.6K

162.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$483 ARS 723.7K

$337 ARS 504.8K

43.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$325 ARS 487.0K

$250 ARS 374.5K

30.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 ARS 1.4M

$812 ARS 1.2M

16.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$726 ARS 1.1M

$652 ARS 975.8K

11.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ARS 3.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,374 ARS 2.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ARS 939.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

54.72

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

Last update for Neuquen: August 17, 2026

Last update for Mar del Plata: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $483 in Neuquen and $337 in Mar del Plata. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $50.0 in Neuquen vs $59.0 in Mar del Plata. Groceries flip the comparison at $241 vs $198, 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 14% 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 $1,721 in Neuquen and $1,510 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: $483 in Neuquen versus $337 in Mar del Plata. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Neuquen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,147 per month in Neuquen versus $1,006 in Mar del Plata – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,006 in Mar del Plata versus $1,147 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 14% less than in Neuquen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.