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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $866 in San Luis versus $838 in Mar del Plata.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,402 in San Luis versus $1,425 in Mar del Plata.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,939 in San Luis versus $2,011 in Mar del Plata.

Living in San Luis is roughly 3% more expensive than Mar del Plata, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: San Luis 35% lower, Mar del Plata 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.17 ARS 15.6K

$9.87 ARS 13.8K

13.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.52 ARS 56.5K

$36.84 ARS 51.4K

9.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.58 ARS 13.4K

$8.28 ARS 11.5K

15.70%

Cappuccino

$3.67 ARS 5,122

$2.42 ARS 3,371

51.65%

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

$2.25 ARS 3,139

$2.20 ARS 3,069

2.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ARS 2,872

$2.05 ARS 2,865

0.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.64 ARS 2,288

$3.20 ARS 4,462

-48.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 ARS 4,094

$3.31 ARS 4,622

-11.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 ARS 1,865

$1.11 ARS 1,545

20.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ARS 2,176

$1.42 ARS 1,982

9.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 ARS 2,806

$2.08 ARS 2,909

-3.37%

Eggs

$2.16 ARS 3,019

$1.49 ARS 2,085

44.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.59 ARS 9,193

$6.73 ARS 9,388

-2.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.64 ARS 6,473

$5.33 ARS 7,438

-12.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.59 ARS 7,806

$7.45 ARS 10.4K

-24.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 ARS 1,714

$2.72 ARS 3,794

-54.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 ARS 2,132

$2.12 ARS 2,959

-27.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 ARS 2,032

$1.51 ARS 2,102

-3.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ARS 2,909

$2.52 ARS 3,519

-17.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 ARS 1,358

$1.29 ARS 1,793

-24.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 ARS 1,380

$1.00 ARS 1,389

-1.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ARS 1,419

$0.63 ARS 873

61.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ARS 707

$1.20 ARS 1,681

-57.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.43 ARS 3,386

$3.54 ARS 4,941

-31.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.93 ARS 6,874

$4.94 ARS 6,896

-0.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 ARS 2,859

$1.34 ARS 1,874

52.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 ARS 4,848

$1.95 ARS 2,722

77.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ARS 753

$0.76 ARS 1,060

-28.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.90 ARS 13.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 ARS 622

$1.53 ARS 2,139

-70.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 ARS 1,410

$0.77 ARS 1,069

31.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.91 ARS 6,854

$7.91 ARS 11.0K

-37.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 ARS 1,425

$1.13 ARS 1,580

-9.73%

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

$31.0K ARS 43.2M

$27.9K ARS 38.9M

11.21%

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

$33.7K ARS 47.0M

$40.2K ARS 56.0M

-16.14%

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

$59.8 ARS 83.4K

$83.7 ARS 116.8K

-28.61%

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

$10.86 ARS 15.2K

$10.36 ARS 14.5K

4.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.91 ARS 30.6K

$25.20 ARS 35.2K

-13.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.00 ARS 36.3K

$17.02 ARS 23.8K

52.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.60 ARS 19.0K

$7.93 ARS 11.1K

71.50%

Cinema Ticket

$5.56 ARS 7,760

$3.89 ARS 5,431

42.93%

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

$104 ARS 145.6K

$159 ARS 221.8K

-34.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,181 ARS 3.0M

$3,227 ARS 4.5M

-32.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.9 ARS 114.3K

$55.5 ARS 77.4K

47.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$78.2 ARS 109.0K

$61.7 ARS 86.1K

26.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 ARS 184.8K

$63.9 ARS 89.1K

107.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 ARS 165.0K

$63.6 ARS 88.7K

85.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$297 ARS 414.0K

$281 ARS 391.5K

5.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$167 ARS 232.9K

$206 ARS 287.4K

-18.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$523 ARS 729.3K

$734 ARS 1.0M

-28.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$303 ARS 422.8K

$575 ARS 802.1K

-47.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,074 ARS 2.9M

$2,203 ARS 3.1M

-5.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$605 ARS 844.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$491 ARS 684.4K

$604 ARS 842.6K

-18.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

58.5

35.04%

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

Last update for San Luis: April 26, 2026

Last update for Mar del Plata: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $297 in San Luis and $281 in Mar del Plata. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mar del Plata pays 23% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $41.00 in San Luis vs $37.00 in Mar del Plata. Groceries flip the comparison at $179 vs $197, with San Luis 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 Luis vs Mar del Plata: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mar del Plata wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in San Luis. 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 23% 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: $297 in San Luis versus $281 in Mar del Plata. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in San Luis pay roughly 10% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $866 per month in San Luis versus $838 in Mar del Plata – a 3% 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 Luis 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 3% less than in San Luis. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.