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: $1,051 in Salta versus $838 in Mar del Plata.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,559 in Salta versus $1,425 in Mar del Plata.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,066 in Salta versus $2,011 in Mar del Plata.

Living in Salta is roughly 25% more expensive than 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

$9.97 ARS 13.9K

$9.87 ARS 13.8K

1.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.09 ARS 54.5K

$36.84 ARS 51.4K

6.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.54 ARS 9,128

$8.28 ARS 11.5K

-21.01%

Cappuccino

$2.42 ARS 3,371

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

$1.40 ARS 1,957

$2.20 ARS 3,069

-36.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 ARS 1,726

$2.05 ARS 2,865

-39.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 ARS 2,484

$3.20 ARS 4,462

-44.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 ARS 4,269

$3.31 ARS 4,622

-7.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 ARS 1,968

$1.11 ARS 1,545

27.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 ARS 2,492

$1.42 ARS 1,982

26.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 ARS 2,690

$2.08 ARS 2,909

-7.21%

Eggs

$2.49 ARS 3,474

$1.49 ARS 2,085

67.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.77 ARS 5,255

$6.73 ARS 9,388

-43.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.67 ARS 6,516

$5.33 ARS 7,438

-12.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ARS 13.8K

$7.45 ARS 10.4K

32.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 ARS 1,705

$2.72 ARS 3,794

-55.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ARS 2,320

$2.12 ARS 2,959

-21.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.84 ARS 1,168

$1.51 ARS 2,102

-44.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.04 ARS 2,846

$2.52 ARS 3,519

-19.05%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 ARS 807

$1.29 ARS 1,793

-55.04%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 ARS 1,166

$1.00 ARS 1,389

-16.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 ARS 1,757

$0.63 ARS 873

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 ARS 2,335

$1.20 ARS 1,681

39.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.72 ARS 5,189

$3.54 ARS 4,941

5.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.10 ARS 7,120

$4.94 ARS 6,896

3.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 ARS 1,996

$1.34 ARS 1,874

6.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 ARS 5,525

$1.95 ARS 2,722

103.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 ARS 1,069

$0.76 ARS 1,060

1.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.90 ARS 13.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 ARS 2,115

$1.53 ARS 2,139

-0.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 ARS 1,200

$0.77 ARS 1,069

11.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 ARS 8,434

$7.91 ARS 11.0K

-23.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 ARS 1,276

$1.13 ARS 1,580

-19.47%

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

$23.4K ARS 32.7M

$27.9K ARS 38.9M

-15.93%

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

$33.6K ARS 46.9M

$40.2K ARS 56.0M

-16.28%

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

$97.4 ARS 136.0K

$83.7 ARS 116.8K

16.43%

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

$15.48 ARS 21.6K

$10.36 ARS 14.5K

49.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.85 ARS 13.7K

$25.20 ARS 35.2K

-60.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.55 ARS 41.2K

$17.02 ARS 23.8K

73.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.59 ARS 19.0K

$7.93 ARS 11.1K

71.37%

Cinema Ticket

$6.15 ARS 8,579

$3.89 ARS 5,431

58.10%

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

$98.3 ARS 137.1K

$159 ARS 221.8K

-38.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,744 ARS 3.8M

$3,227 ARS 4.5M

-14.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.6 ARS 86.0K

$55.5 ARS 77.4K

11.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.8 ARS 79.2K

$61.7 ARS 86.1K

-8.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 ARS 146.8K

$63.9 ARS 89.1K

64.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 ARS 141.7K

$63.6 ARS 88.7K

59.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$452 ARS 630.7K

$281 ARS 391.5K

61.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 ARS 539.4K

$206 ARS 287.4K

87.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$664 ARS 925.9K

$734 ARS 1.0M

-9.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ARS 770.8K

$575 ARS 802.1K

-3.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,073 ARS 2.9M

$2,203 ARS 3.1M

-5.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ARS 2.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$856 ARS 1.2M

$604 ARS 842.6K

41.77%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Mar del Plata: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $452 in Salta and $281 in Mar del Plata. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Salta pays 42% 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: $39.00 in Salta vs $37.00 in Mar del Plata. Groceries flip the comparison at $197 vs $197, with Salta 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

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

Mar del Plata wins on cost – living expenses run 25% 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 42% 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: $452 in Salta versus $281 in Mar del Plata. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 0% higher in Salta. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,051 per month in Salta versus $838 in Mar del Plata – a 25% 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 $838 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 25% less than in Salta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.