Cost of Living Comparison Between Paso de los Libres and Mar del Plata Cost of Living Comparison Between Paso de los Libres and Mar del Plata

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,183 in Paso de los Libres versus $1,020 in Mar del Plata.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,009 in Paso de los Libres versus $1,783 in Mar del Plata.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,835 in Paso de los Libres versus $2,545 in Mar del Plata.

Living in Paso de los Libres is roughly 16% more expensive than in Mar del Plata, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Paso de los Libres 14% lower, Mar del Plata 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.76 ARS 23.8K

$19.92 ARS 30.0K

-20.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.6 ARS 86.9K

$60.9 ARS 91.8K

-5.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.03 ARS 21.2K

$12.64 ARS 19.1K

11.00%

Cappuccino

$4.02 ARS 6,059

$3.13 ARS 4,716

28.43%

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

$1.80 ARS 2,712

$2.55 ARS 3,839

-29.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 ARS 2,830

$2.05 ARS 3,096

-8.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.67 ARS 5,535

$3.98 ARS 6,004

-7.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ARS 5,536

$2.97 ARS 4,484

23.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 ARS 1,870

$1.11 ARS 1,676

11.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.29 ARS 3,454

$2.09 ARS 3,159

9.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 ARS 2,327

$3.33 ARS 5,020

-53.75%

Eggs

$2.55 ARS 3,844

$2.46 ARS 3,713

3.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.83 ARS 14.8K

$5.84 ARS 8,807

68.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.73 ARS 10.2K

$6.68 ARS 10.1K

0.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.89 ARS 16.4K

$12.22 ARS 18.4K

-10.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 ARS 3,137

$3.36 ARS 5,074

-38.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 ARS 3,745

$2.49 ARS 3,752

-0.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 ARS 1,908

$1.52 ARS 2,297

-16.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 ARS 3,445

$1.96 ARS 2,957

16.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 ARS 1,542

Onion (1kg)

$0.88 ARS 1,324

$0.99 ARS 1,493

-11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.65 ARS 2,487

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ARS 2,683

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.33 ARS 5,024

$3.55 ARS 5,361

-6.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.56 ARS 8,381

$2.96 ARS 4,462

87.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 ARS 3,078

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ARS 3,999

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 ARS 1,697

$1.33 ARS 2,007

-15.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 ARS 2,099

$1.57 ARS 2,368

-11.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 ARS 1,727

$0.65 ARS 982

76.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 ARS 12.5K

$6.31 ARS 9,518

31.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ARS 1,902

$1.32 ARS 1,996

-4.55%

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

$23.7K ARS 35.8M

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

$34.2K ARS 51.5M

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

$76.4 ARS 115.2K

$79.3 ARS 119.6K

-3.73%

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

$18.74 ARS 28.3K

$8.17 ARS 12.3K

129.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.69 ARS 40.3K

$30.08 ARS 45.4K

-11.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.32 ARS 44.2K

$30.57 ARS 46.1K

-4.09%

Cinema Ticket

$8.36 ARS 12.6K

$10.06 ARS 15.2K

-16.90%

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

$261 ARS 392.9K

$301 ARS 454.2K

-13.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,664 ARS 5.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$122 ARS 184.6K

$87.3 ARS 131.7K

40.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$77.2 ARS 116.4K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ARS 173.3K

$120 ARS 180.7K

-4.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 ARS 180.9K

$54.3 ARS 81.9K

120.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$468 ARS 705.5K

$326 ARS 491.7K

43.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$312 ARS 470.5K

$249 ARS 375.8K

25.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$953 ARS 1.4M

$813 ARS 1.2M

17.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$691 ARS 1.0M

$654 ARS 987.1K

5.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,140 ARS 3.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$613 ARS 923.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

56.56

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

Last update for Paso de los Libres: August 30, 2026

Last update for Mar del Plata: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $468 in Paso de los Libres and $326 in Mar del Plata. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $58.0 in Paso de los Libres vs $61.0 in Mar del Plata. Groceries flip the comparison at $249 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

Paso de los Libres vs Mar del Plata: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mar del Plata wins on cost – living expenses run 16% lower than in Paso de los Libres. 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 $1,775 in Paso de los Libres and $1,530 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: $468 in Paso de los Libres versus $326 in Mar del Plata. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 25% higher in Paso de los Libres. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,183 per month in Paso de los Libres versus $1,020 in Mar del Plata – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,020 in Mar del Plata versus $1,183 in Paso de los Libres, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mar del Plata but tight or insufficient in Paso de los Libres. 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, Paso de los Libres 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 16% less than in Paso de los Libres. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.