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: $1,026 in San Luis versus $1,023 in Mar del Plata.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,729 in San Luis versus $1,784 in Mar del Plata.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,433 in San Luis versus $2,544 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 25% lower, Mar del Plata 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.64 ARS 13.1K

$20.19 ARS 30.6K

-57.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.14 ARS 74.4K

$60.2 ARS 91.2K

-18.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.23 ARS 12.5K

$12.54 ARS 19.0K

-34.37%

Cappuccino

$2.16 ARS 3,271

$3.12 ARS 4,717

-30.77%

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

$2.37 ARS 3,583

$2.47 ARS 3,737

-4.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 ARS 2,863

$2.03 ARS 3,073

-6.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ARS 3,675

$4.10 ARS 6,212

-40.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 ARS 4,187

$3.02 ARS 4,571

-8.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 ARS 2,030

$1.07 ARS 1,621

25.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.94 ARS 2,939

$2.20 ARS 3,324

-11.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 ARS 1,601

$3.19 ARS 4,828

-66.77%

Eggs

$2.96 ARS 4,478

$2.35 ARS 3,556

25.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.75 ARS 10.2K

$5.90 ARS 8,929

14.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.59 ARS 6,951

$6.44 ARS 9,750

-28.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.39 ARS 8,161

$12.52 ARS 19.0K

-56.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 ARS 1,923

$3.25 ARS 4,923

-60.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 ARS 3,275

$2.45 ARS 3,707

-11.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ARS 1,965

$1.47 ARS 2,220

-11.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.21 ARS 4,866

$2.04 ARS 3,091

57.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 ARS 1,541

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ARS 2,268

$1.02 ARS 1,547

47.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 ARS 3,064

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ARS 825

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 ARS 4,266

$3.56 ARS 5,383

-20.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.14 ARS 6,270

$2.97 ARS 4,498

39.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 ARS 2,588

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 ARS 4,435

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 ARS 892

$1.28 ARS 1,945

-53.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.62 ARS 946

$1.65 ARS 2,505

-62.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ARS 1,556

$0.70 ARS 1,053

47.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.99 ARS 7,560

$6.49 ARS 9,827

-23.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ARS 1,846

$1.38 ARS 2,082

-11.59%

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

$26.7K ARS 40.4M

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

$33.5K ARS 50.8M

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

$49.38 ARS 74.8K

$81.3 ARS 123.2K

-39.29%

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

$13.63 ARS 20.6K

$7.94 ARS 12.0K

71.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.53 ARS 35.6K

$30.34 ARS 45.9K

-22.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.17 ARS 47.2K

$31.56 ARS 47.8K

-1.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.24 ARS 51.8K

Cinema Ticket

$5.33 ARS 8,073

$10.14 ARS 15.4K

-47.44%

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

$173 ARS 261.6K

$300 ARS 454.8K

-42.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,159 ARS 6.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$117 ARS 176.6K

$87.6 ARS 132.7K

33.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$126 ARS 190.9K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 ARS 207.1K

$120 ARS 182.3K

13.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 ARS 187.6K

$54.0 ARS 81.8K

129.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ARS 727.8K

$329 ARS 497.5K

46.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$314 ARS 475.4K

$256 ARS 387.0K

22.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$942 ARS 1.4M

$813 ARS 1.2M

15.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$740 ARS 1.1M

$657 ARS 995.4K

12.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ARS 760.2K

$611 ARS 925.5K

-17.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for San Luis: September 13, 2026

Last update for Mar del Plata: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $481 in San Luis and $329 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: $49.00 in San Luis vs $60.0 in Mar del Plata for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $192 vs $197 per month, with San Luis 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

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

On paper, salaries run 22% lower in Mar del Plata. 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: $481 in San Luis versus $329 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 3% 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 $60.0 versus $49.00 in San Luis. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,023 in Mar del Plata versus $1,026 in San Luis, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mar del Plata but tight or insufficient in San Luis. The gap between the two cities makes Mar del Plata the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.