Cost of Living Comparison Between San Isidro and Mar del Plata Cost of Living Comparison Between San Isidro and Mar del Plata

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $910 in San Isidro versus $838 in Mar del Plata.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,504 in San Isidro versus $1,425 in Mar del Plata.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,098 in San Isidro versus $2,011 in Mar del Plata.

Living in San Isidro is roughly 9% more expensive than Mar del Plata, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: San Isidro 32% lower, Mar del Plata 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.92 ARS 12.4K

$9.87 ARS 13.8K

-9.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.15 ARS 42.1K

$36.84 ARS 51.4K

-18.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.75 ARS 12.2K

$8.28 ARS 11.5K

5.68%

Cappuccino

$1.65 ARS 2,306

$2.42 ARS 3,371

-31.82%

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

$1.31 ARS 1,832

$2.20 ARS 3,069

-40.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 ARS 1,642

$2.05 ARS 2,865

-42.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.20 ARS 1,675

$3.20 ARS 4,462

-62.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ARS 3,923

$3.31 ARS 4,622

-15.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 ARS 1,700

$1.11 ARS 1,545

9.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 ARS 2,286

$1.42 ARS 1,982

15.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 ARS 2,519

$2.08 ARS 2,909

-12.98%

Eggs

$2.22 ARS 3,092

$1.49 ARS 2,085

48.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.05 ARS 16.8K

$6.73 ARS 9,388

79.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.06 ARS 8,458

$5.33 ARS 7,438

13.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.45 ARS 13.2K

$7.45 ARS 10.4K

26.85%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 ARS 2,620

$2.72 ARS 3,794

-30.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 ARS 2,829

$2.12 ARS 2,959

-4.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.94 ARS 1,310

$1.51 ARS 2,102

-37.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 ARS 3,686

$2.52 ARS 3,519

4.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 ARS 2,012

$1.29 ARS 1,793

11.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 ARS 1,934

$1.00 ARS 1,389

39.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 ARS 1,228

$0.63 ARS 873

39.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 ARS 1,997

$1.20 ARS 1,681

19.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.17 ARS 4,427

$3.54 ARS 4,941

-10.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 ARS 7,979

$4.94 ARS 6,896

15.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 ARS 1,734

$1.34 ARS 1,874

-7.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 ARS 4,379

$1.95 ARS 2,722

61.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 ARS 1,134

$0.76 ARS 1,060

6.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.90 ARS 13.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 ARS 2,203

$1.53 ARS 2,139

3.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ARS 1,183

$0.77 ARS 1,069

10.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.96 ARS 8,321

$7.91 ARS 11.0K

-24.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 ARS 1,488

$1.13 ARS 1,580

-5.31%

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

$23.8K ARS 33.2M

$27.9K ARS 38.9M

-14.56%

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

$26.4K ARS 36.8M

$40.2K ARS 56.0M

-34.34%

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

$55.9 ARS 78.0K

$83.7 ARS 116.8K

-33.17%

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

$18.64 ARS 26.0K

$10.36 ARS 14.5K

79.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.56 ARS 20.3K

$25.20 ARS 35.2K

-42.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.16 ARS 36.5K

$17.02 ARS 23.8K

53.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.97 ARS 19.5K

$7.93 ARS 11.1K

76.17%

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 ARS 7,061

$3.89 ARS 5,431

30.08%

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

$323 ARS 450.3K

$159 ARS 221.8K

103.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,068 ARS 1.5M

$3,227 ARS 4.5M

-66.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.9 ARS 112.8K

$55.5 ARS 77.4K

45.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$71.0 ARS 99.1K

$61.7 ARS 86.1K

15.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 ARS 151.3K

$63.9 ARS 89.1K

69.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 ARS 129.9K

$63.6 ARS 88.7K

46.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$335 ARS 468.0K

$281 ARS 391.5K

19.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$241 ARS 336.6K

$206 ARS 287.4K

17.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$673 ARS 939.0K

$734 ARS 1.0M

-8.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ARS 740.4K

$575 ARS 802.1K

-7.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ARS 2.9M

$2,203 ARS 3.1M

-6.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,778 ARS 3.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$598 ARS 834.9K

$604 ARS 842.6K

-0.91%

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 San Isidro: April 27, 2026

Last update for Mar del Plata: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $335 in San Isidro and $281 in Mar del Plata. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mar del Plata pays 1% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $30.00 in San Isidro vs $37.00 in Mar del Plata. Groceries flip the comparison at $230 vs $197, 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

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

Mar del Plata wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in San Isidro. 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 1% 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: $335 in San Isidro 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 17% higher in San Isidro. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $910 per month in San Isidro versus $838 in Mar del Plata – a 9% 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 cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, San Isidro 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 9% less than in San Isidro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.