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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $855 in Mar del Plata.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,426 in Mar del Plata.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,997 in Mar del Plata.

Living in Phuket is roughly 48% more expensive than Mar del Plata, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Mar del Plata 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$9.39 ARS 13.4K

-51.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$38.16 ARS 54.5K

22.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$8.07 ARS 11.5K

4.96%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$2.47 ARS 3,529

22.67%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$2.17 ARS 3,094

-68.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$2.12 ARS 3,033

-82.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$3.28 ARS 4,687

-24.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.30 ARS 4,721

10.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.06 ARS 1,510

105.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$1.43 ARS 2,049

32.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$2.16 ARS 3,082

1.85%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$1.58 ARS 2,261

40.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$6.84 ARS 9,772

192.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$5.35 ARS 7,639

-31.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$7.74 ARS 11.1K

71.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$2.76 ARS 3,946

17.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$2.13 ARS 3,036

-20.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.50 ARS 2,140

59.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$2.53 ARS 3,618

-17.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.28 ARS 1,829

24.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$0.96 ARS 1,370

54.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.62 ARS 885

66.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$1.21 ARS 1,725

-57.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$3.49 ARS 4,979

21.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$3.08 ARS 4,399

510.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.33 ARS 1,904

32.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$1.96 ARS 2,805

40.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.75 ARS 1,076

81.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$9.94 ARS 14.2K

14.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$1.46 ARS 2,089

115.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$0.74 ARS 1,051

40.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$7.84 ARS 11.2K

75.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.10 ARS 1,570

21.82%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$27.3K ARS 38.9M

1.51%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$39.0K ARS 55.7M

-13.13%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$85.4 ARS 122.0K

44.75%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$10.27 ARS 14.7K

31.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$25.40 ARS 36.3K

-26.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$17.28 ARS 24.7K

257.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$7.86 ARS 11.2K

119.47%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$3.98 ARS 5,686

129.65%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$162 ARS 232.1K

332.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$3,242 ARS 4.6M

389.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$56.5 ARS 80.7K

5.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$62.4 ARS 89.1K

-43.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$64.2 ARS 91.7K

79.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$62.9 ARS 89.9K

33.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$285 ARS 406.9K

117.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$206 ARS 294.8K

109.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$718 ARS 1.0M

187.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$582 ARS 831.8K

159.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$618 ARS 882.5K

-17.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

58.5

-90.89%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Mar del Plata: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $285 in Mar del Plata. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mar del Plata pays 22% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $38.00 in Mar del Plata for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $195 per month, with Mar del Plata cheaper across the board.

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

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

Mar del Plata wins on cost – living expenses run 48% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mar del Plata the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Mar del Plata earns 22% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $285 in Mar del Plata. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Phuket versus $855 in Mar del Plata – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mar del Plata runs roughly 14% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $855 in Mar del Plata versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mar del Plata but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Mar del Plata the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Mar del Plata delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $855 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mar del Plata hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket 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 48% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.