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: $1,056 in Salta versus $855 in Mar del Plata.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,584 in Salta versus $1,426 in Mar del Plata.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,113 in Salta versus $1,997 in Mar del Plata.

Living in Salta is roughly 24% more expensive than Mar del Plata, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Salta 21% lower, Mar del Plata 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.97 ARS 14.2K

$9.39 ARS 13.4K

6.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.50 ARS 56.4K

$38.16 ARS 54.5K

3.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.55 ARS 9,357

$8.07 ARS 11.5K

-18.84%

Cappuccino

$2.34 ARS 3,337

$2.47 ARS 3,529

-5.26%

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

$1.33 ARS 1,900

$2.17 ARS 3,094

-38.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 ARS 1,818

$2.12 ARS 3,033

-40.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 ARS 2,587

$3.28 ARS 4,687

-44.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 ARS 4,413

$3.30 ARS 4,721

-6.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 ARS 1,954

$1.06 ARS 1,510

29.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 ARS 2,547

$1.43 ARS 2,049

24.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 ARS 2,780

$2.16 ARS 3,082

-9.72%

Eggs

$2.50 ARS 3,573

$1.58 ARS 2,261

58.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.74 ARS 5,336

$6.84 ARS 9,772

-45.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.73 ARS 6,757

$5.35 ARS 7,639

-11.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.10 ARS 14.4K

$7.74 ARS 11.1K

30.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 ARS 1,679

$2.76 ARS 3,946

-57.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ARS 2,372

$2.13 ARS 3,036

-22.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.78 ARS 1,118

$1.50 ARS 2,140

-48.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 ARS 3,008

$2.53 ARS 3,618

-16.60%

Potato (1kg)

$0.62 ARS 888

$1.28 ARS 1,829

-51.56%

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 ARS 1,094

$0.96 ARS 1,370

-19.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 ARS 1,887

$0.62 ARS 885

112.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 ARS 2,377

$1.21 ARS 1,725

37.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.71 ARS 5,299

$3.49 ARS 4,979

6.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.05 ARS 7,211

$3.08 ARS 4,399

63.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 ARS 1,981

$1.33 ARS 1,904

4.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 ARS 5,620

$1.96 ARS 2,805

100.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 ARS 1,129

$0.75 ARS 1,076

5.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.94 ARS 14.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 ARS 2,161

$1.46 ARS 2,089

3.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 ARS 1,303

$0.74 ARS 1,051

22.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.96 ARS 8,518

$7.84 ARS 11.2K

-23.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 ARS 1,393

$1.10 ARS 1,570

-10.91%

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

$23.5K ARS 33.6M

$27.3K ARS 38.9M

-13.65%

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

$33.4K ARS 47.8M

$39.0K ARS 55.7M

-14.25%

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

$99.8 ARS 142.6K

$85.4 ARS 122.0K

16.94%

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

$15.10 ARS 21.6K

$10.27 ARS 14.7K

47.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.13 ARS 14.5K

$25.40 ARS 36.3K

-60.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.71 ARS 42.4K

$17.28 ARS 24.7K

71.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.88 ARS 19.8K

$7.86 ARS 11.2K

76.59%

Cinema Ticket

$5.93 ARS 8,465

$3.98 ARS 5,686

48.99%

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

$98.1 ARS 140.2K

$162 ARS 232.1K

-39.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,692 ARS 3.8M

$3,242 ARS 4.6M

-16.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.7 ARS 86.7K

$56.5 ARS 80.7K

7.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.2 ARS 81.7K

$62.4 ARS 89.1K

-8.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 ARS 147.1K

$64.2 ARS 91.7K

60.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.1 ARS 141.6K

$62.9 ARS 89.9K

57.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$458 ARS 654.0K

$285 ARS 406.9K

60.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$382 ARS 545.2K

$206 ARS 294.8K

84.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$639 ARS 913.0K

$718 ARS 1.0M

-10.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$549 ARS 784.9K

$582 ARS 831.8K

-5.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,020 ARS 2.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,504 ARS 2.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$849 ARS 1.2M

$618 ARS 882.5K

37.39%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Mar del Plata: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $458 in Salta and $285 in Mar del Plata. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Salta pays 37% 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 $38.00 in Mar del Plata for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 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

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

Mar del Plata wins on cost – living expenses run 24% 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.

Salta pays 37% more on average, 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: $458 in Salta versus $285 in Mar del Plata. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Salta. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,056 per month in Salta versus $855 in Mar del Plata – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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 $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, 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 24% less than in Salta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.