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: $858 in San Luis versus $855 in Mar del Plata.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,401 in San Luis versus $1,426 in Mar del Plata.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,944 in San Luis versus $1,997 in Mar del Plata.

Monthly costs are close between San Luis and Mar del Plata; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.07 ARS 15.8K

$9.39 ARS 13.4K

17.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.02 ARS 58.6K

$38.16 ARS 54.5K

7.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.59 ARS 13.7K

$8.07 ARS 11.5K

18.84%

Cappuccino

$3.77 ARS 5,388

$2.47 ARS 3,529

52.63%

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

$2.26 ARS 3,230

$2.17 ARS 3,094

4.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 ARS 2,980

$2.12 ARS 3,033

-1.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 ARS 2,268

$3.28 ARS 4,687

-51.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 ARS 4,160

$3.30 ARS 4,721

-11.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 ARS 1,883

$1.06 ARS 1,510

24.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 ARS 2,199

$1.43 ARS 2,049

7.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 ARS 2,823

$2.16 ARS 3,082

-8.33%

Eggs

$2.20 ARS 3,138

$1.58 ARS 2,261

39.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.73 ARS 9,615

$6.84 ARS 9,772

-1.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 ARS 6,588

$5.35 ARS 7,639

-13.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.43 ARS 7,763

$7.74 ARS 11.1K

-29.84%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 ARS 1,771

$2.76 ARS 3,946

-55.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 ARS 2,166

$2.13 ARS 3,036

-28.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 ARS 2,170

$1.50 ARS 2,140

1.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 ARS 3,010

$2.53 ARS 3,618

-16.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 ARS 1,460

$1.28 ARS 1,829

-20.31%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 ARS 1,390

$0.96 ARS 1,370

1.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ARS 1,408

$0.62 ARS 885

59.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ARS 721

$1.21 ARS 1,725

-57.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.53 ARS 3,618

$3.49 ARS 4,979

-27.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.13 ARS 5,898

$3.08 ARS 4,399

34.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 ARS 2,803

$1.33 ARS 1,904

47.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 ARS 4,852

$1.96 ARS 2,805

73.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 ARS 822

$0.75 ARS 1,076

-22.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.94 ARS 14.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 ARS 635

$1.46 ARS 2,089

-69.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 ARS 1,405

$0.74 ARS 1,051

32.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.93 ARS 7,037

$7.84 ARS 11.2K

-37.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 ARS 1,390

$1.10 ARS 1,570

-11.82%

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

$30.9K ARS 44.1M

$27.3K ARS 38.9M

13.27%

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

$33.7K ARS 48.2M

$39.0K ARS 55.7M

-13.48%

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

$59.4 ARS 84.8K

$85.4 ARS 122.0K

-30.44%

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

$10.73 ARS 15.3K

$10.27 ARS 14.7K

4.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.94 ARS 31.3K

$25.40 ARS 36.3K

-13.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.09 ARS 37.3K

$17.28 ARS 24.7K

50.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.57 ARS 19.4K

$7.86 ARS 11.2K

72.65%

Cinema Ticket

$5.52 ARS 7,882

$3.98 ARS 5,686

38.69%

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

$105 ARS 149.8K

$162 ARS 232.1K

-35.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,162 ARS 3.1M

$3,242 ARS 4.6M

-33.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.1 ARS 114.4K

$56.5 ARS 80.7K

41.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.6 ARS 108.0K

$62.4 ARS 89.1K

21.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 ARS 195.8K

$64.2 ARS 91.7K

113.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 ARS 168.1K

$62.9 ARS 89.9K

86.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$298 ARS 426.1K

$285 ARS 406.9K

4.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$167 ARS 238.7K

$206 ARS 294.8K

-19.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$533 ARS 761.3K

$718 ARS 1.0M

-25.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$295 ARS 421.6K

$582 ARS 831.8K

-49.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,004 ARS 1.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$608 ARS 868.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$506 ARS 722.4K

$618 ARS 882.5K

-18.14%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Mar del Plata: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $298 in San Luis and $285 in Mar del Plata. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mar del Plata pays 22% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $41.00 in San Luis vs $38.00 in Mar del Plata. Groceries flip the comparison at $177 vs $195, 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

On paper, Mar del Plata earns 22% 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: $298 in San Luis versus $285 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.

Dining out is cheaper in Mar del Plata – a meal for two runs $38.00 versus $41.00 in San Luis. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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.

It comes down to priorities – Mar del Plata wins on affordability, San Luis on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.