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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Salta versus $844 in Mar del Plata.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,568 in Salta versus $1,417 in Mar del Plata.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,103 in Salta versus $1,991 in Mar del Plata.

Living in Salta is roughly 23% more expensive than in Mar del Plata, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Salta 22% lower, Mar del Plata 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.92 ARS 14.8K

$9.53 ARS 14.2K

4.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.86 ARS 59.5K

$37.25 ARS 55.6K

7.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.67 ARS 9,963

$8.17 ARS 12.2K

-18.36%

Cappuccino

$2.40 ARS 3,591

$2.41 ARS 3,601

-0.41%

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

$1.34 ARS 2,004

$2.18 ARS 3,257

-38.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 ARS 1,834

$2.05 ARS 3,070

-40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 ARS 2,633

$3.34 ARS 4,989

-47.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 ARS 4,619

$3.19 ARS 4,761

-3.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 ARS 2,078

$1.05 ARS 1,569

32.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 ARS 2,538

$1.38 ARS 2,062

23.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 ARS 3,022

$2.06 ARS 3,082

-1.94%

Eggs

$2.57 ARS 3,838

$1.52 ARS 2,278

69.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.71 ARS 5,547

$6.93 ARS 10.4K

-46.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.62 ARS 6,899

$5.22 ARS 7,805

-11.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.07 ARS 15.0K

$7.47 ARS 11.2K

34.81%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 ARS 1,757

$2.74 ARS 4,088

-56.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ARS 2,508

$2.17 ARS 3,242

-22.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.77 ARS 1,145

$1.55 ARS 2,316

-50.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ARS 3,033

$2.45 ARS 3,659

-17.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 ARS 875

$1.22 ARS 1,826

-51.64%

Onion (1kg)

$0.82 ARS 1,230

$0.95 ARS 1,416

-13.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 ARS 1,950

$0.63 ARS 945

107.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ARS 2,508

$1.20 ARS 1,795

40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.77 ARS 5,628

$3.48 ARS 5,197

8.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.83 ARS 7,216

$2.95 ARS 4,403

63.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 ARS 2,051

$1.39 ARS 2,081

-1.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.11 ARS 6,141

$1.98 ARS 2,964

107.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 ARS 1,210

$0.76 ARS 1,135

6.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.94 ARS 14.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 ARS 2,205

$1.49 ARS 2,225

-0.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.87 ARS 1,297

$0.76 ARS 1,136

14.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 ARS 8,936

$8.18 ARS 12.2K

-26.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 ARS 1,442

$1.15 ARS 1,720

-15.65%

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

$23.5K ARS 35.1M

$28.2K ARS 42.2M

-16.88%

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

$33.3K ARS 49.8M

$38.9K ARS 58.2M

-14.44%

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

$96.9 ARS 144.7K

$85.2 ARS 127.3K

13.65%

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

$15.16 ARS 22.7K

$10.11 ARS 15.1K

49.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.10 ARS 15.1K

$25.00 ARS 37.4K

-59.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.70 ARS 44.4K

$17.57 ARS 26.2K

69.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.63 ARS 20.4K

$7.84 ARS 11.7K

73.85%

Cinema Ticket

$6.15 ARS 9,182

$4.10 ARS 6,120

50.00%

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

$101 ARS 150.9K

$159 ARS 238.2K

-36.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,706 ARS 4.0M

$3,177 ARS 4.7M

-14.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.2 ARS 91.5K

$56.7 ARS 84.7K

8.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 ARS 85.2K

$61.5 ARS 91.9K

-7.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 ARS 157.1K

$65.0 ARS 97.1K

61.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.2 ARS 146.6K

$62.7 ARS 93.7K

56.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$454 ARS 677.6K

$283 ARS 422.1K

60.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$378 ARS 564.0K

$202 ARS 301.1K

87.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 ARS 964.2K

$726 ARS 1.1M

-11.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$551 ARS 822.5K

$585 ARS 873.9K

-5.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,300 ARS 3.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,522 ARS 2.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ARS 1.3M

$616 ARS 920.6K

40.20%

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 Salta: July 27, 2026

Last update for Mar del Plata: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $454 in Salta and $283 in Mar del Plata. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Salta pays 40% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $40.00 in Salta vs $37.00 in Mar del Plata for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $196 vs $192 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

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

Mar del Plata wins on cost – living expenses run 23% lower than in Salta. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mar del Plata the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 40% higher in Salta, 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: $454 in Salta versus $283 in Mar del Plata. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Salta. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Salta versus $844 in Mar del Plata – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $844 in Mar del Plata versus $1,034 in Salta, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mar del Plata but tight or insufficient in Salta. 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 $844 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mar del Plata hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Salta 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 23% less than in Salta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.