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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $844 in Rosario versus $841 in Mar del Plata.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,363 in Rosario versus $1,452 in Mar del Plata.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,882 in Rosario versus $2,062 in Mar del Plata.

Monthly costs are close between Rosario and Mar del Plata; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.25 ARS 13.7K

$9.58 ARS 14.2K

-3.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.40 ARS 44.9K

$36.91 ARS 54.5K

-17.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.73 ARS 12.9K

$8.12 ARS 12.0K

7.51%

Cappuccino

$1.69 ARS 2,503

$2.49 ARS 3,674

-32.13%

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

$1.29 ARS 1,905

$2.27 ARS 3,353

-43.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 ARS 1,732

$2.15 ARS 3,176

-45.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.20 ARS 1,777

$3.29 ARS 4,870

-63.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 ARS 3,949

$3.18 ARS 4,707

-16.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 ARS 1,872

$1.05 ARS 1,557

20.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ARS 2,343

$1.43 ARS 2,114

11.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 ARS 2,648

$2.15 ARS 3,180

-16.74%

Eggs

$2.17 ARS 3,210

$1.55 ARS 2,296

40.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.12 ARS 17.9K

$6.64 ARS 9,818

82.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.00 ARS 8,866

$5.13 ARS 7,584

16.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.21 ARS 13.6K

$7.75 ARS 11.5K

18.84%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 ARS 2,658

$2.72 ARS 4,014

-33.82%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 ARS 2,983

$2.11 ARS 3,119

-4.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 ARS 1,364

$1.55 ARS 2,296

-40.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 ARS 3,903

$2.50 ARS 3,689

5.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 ARS 2,216

$1.22 ARS 1,796

22.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ARS 2,101

$1.03 ARS 1,519

37.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 ARS 1,270

$0.67 ARS 985

28.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 ARS 2,118

$1.16 ARS 1,717

23.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 ARS 4,873

$3.55 ARS 5,251

-7.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.67 ARS 6,895

$2.97 ARS 4,394

57.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ARS 1,823

$1.38 ARS 2,039

-10.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 ARS 4,534

$2.05 ARS 3,030

49.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ARS 1,292

$0.71 ARS 1,051

22.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.89 ARS 14.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 ARS 2,335

$1.47 ARS 2,167

7.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 ARS 1,380

$0.77 ARS 1,133

20.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.86 ARS 8,659

$8.23 ARS 12.2K

-28.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 ARS 1,598

$1.14 ARS 1,685

-5.26%

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

$24.1K ARS 35.7M

$27.5K ARS 40.7M

-12.36%

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

$26.0K ARS 38.5M

$39.7K ARS 58.7M

-34.51%

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

$56.1 ARS 82.9K

$86.7 ARS 128.1K

-35.33%

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

$18.38 ARS 27.2K

$10.21 ARS 15.1K

80.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.68 ARS 21.7K

$24.91 ARS 36.8K

-41.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.75 ARS 36.6K

$17.08 ARS 25.2K

44.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.01 ARS 8,888

$7.77 ARS 11.5K

-22.65%

Cinema Ticket

$4.88 ARS 7,209

$4.01 ARS 5,930

21.70%

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

$333 ARS 492.8K

$162 ARS 239.1K

106.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,091 ARS 1.6M

$3,184 ARS 4.7M

-65.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 ARS 92.4K

$55.5 ARS 82.1K

12.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.9 ARS 87.1K

$62.8 ARS 92.9K

-6.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 ARS 156.3K

$65.2 ARS 96.4K

62.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.4 ARS 139.5K

$61.4 ARS 90.8K

53.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$201 ARS 297.6K

$278 ARS 411.3K

-27.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 ARS 267.5K

$203 ARS 300.2K

-10.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$521 ARS 770.1K

$707 ARS 1.0M

-26.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 ARS 586.1K

$581 ARS 859.4K

-31.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,033 ARS 3.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$699 ARS 1.0M

$602 ARS 890.3K

16.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

52.71

58.5

-9.90%

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

Last update for Rosario: July 14, 2026

Last update for Mar del Plata: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $201 in Rosario and $278 in Mar del Plata. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rosario pays 16% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $30.00 in Rosario vs $37.00 in Mar del Plata. Groceries flip the comparison at $226 vs $193, 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

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

Average pay runs 16% higher in Rosario, 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: $201 in Rosario versus $278 in Mar del Plata. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Rosario. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Mar del Plata – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $30.00 in Rosario. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Mar del Plata gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Mar del Plata delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $841 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mar del Plata hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Rosario 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.

It comes down to priorities – Mar del Plata wins on affordability, Rosario on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.