Cost of Living Comparison Between San Martin de los Andes and Mar del Plata Cost of Living Comparison Between San Martin de los Andes and Mar del Plata

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $953 in San Martin de los Andes versus $847 in Mar del Plata.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,564 in San Martin de los Andes versus $1,433 in Mar del Plata.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,176 in San Martin de los Andes versus $2,019 in Mar del Plata.

Living in San Martin de los Andes is roughly 12% more expensive than Mar del Plata, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: San Martin de los Andes 29% lower, Mar del Plata 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.57 ARS 15.2K

$9.93 ARS 14.3K

6.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.95 ARS 48.8K

$37.70 ARS 54.2K

-9.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.10 ARS 13.1K

$8.22 ARS 11.8K

10.71%

Cappuccino

$2.76 ARS 3,968

$2.45 ARS 3,523

12.65%

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

$1.72 ARS 2,469

$2.26 ARS 3,249

-23.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 ARS 2,228

$2.12 ARS 3,044

-26.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ARS 3,098

$3.21 ARS 4,618

-33.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 ARS 4,251

$3.34 ARS 4,806

-11.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 ARS 1,881

$1.10 ARS 1,577

19.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ARS 2,265

$1.42 ARS 2,048

10.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 ARS 2,903

$2.06 ARS 2,966

-1.94%

Eggs

$2.25 ARS 3,235

$1.52 ARS 2,189

48.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 ARS 14.4K

$6.79 ARS 9,763

47.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.17 ARS 8,882

$5.28 ARS 7,598

16.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.57 ARS 13.8K

$7.55 ARS 10.9K

26.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 ARS 2,798

$2.87 ARS 4,129

-32.06%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 ARS 2,934

$2.13 ARS 3,069

-4.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ARS 1,871

$1.57 ARS 2,252

-17.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.59 ARS 3,731

$2.49 ARS 3,587

4.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 ARS 1,695

$1.23 ARS 1,770

-4.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 ARS 1,792

$0.95 ARS 1,373

31.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 ARS 1,835

$0.63 ARS 903

103.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 ARS 2,153

$1.17 ARS 1,690

28.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.14 ARS 4,521

$3.42 ARS 4,918

-8.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.25 ARS 6,115

$2.92 ARS 4,198

45.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 ARS 2,847

$1.38 ARS 1,987

43.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 ARS 4,593

$1.98 ARS 2,848

61.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 ARS 1,123

$0.73 ARS 1,047

6.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.97 ARS 14.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 ARS 2,095

$1.53 ARS 2,197

-4.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 ARS 1,230

$0.79 ARS 1,130

8.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.05 ARS 8,707

$7.95 ARS 11.4K

-23.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ARS 1,598

$1.14 ARS 1,639

-2.63%

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

$27.1K ARS 39.0M

$27.5K ARS 39.5M

-1.30%

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

$30.5K ARS 43.8M

$39.9K ARS 57.4M

-23.70%

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

$66.0 ARS 95.0K

$84.2 ARS 121.1K

-21.61%

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

$17.29 ARS 24.9K

$10.23 ARS 14.7K

69.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.31 ARS 32.1K

$25.44 ARS 36.6K

-12.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.61 ARS 38.3K

$17.04 ARS 24.5K

56.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.93 ARS 20.0K

$8.02 ARS 11.5K

73.69%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 ARS 9,023

$3.90 ARS 5,604

60.77%

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

$223 ARS 320.9K

$163 ARS 233.9K

37.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,650 ARS 3.8M

$3,145 ARS 4.5M

-15.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.3 ARS 105.5K

$57.3 ARS 82.4K

28.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.0 ARS 99.3K

$63.0 ARS 90.6K

9.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 ARS 163.5K

$63.9 ARS 91.9K

77.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ARS 159.3K

$61.9 ARS 89.0K

79.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$333 ARS 478.4K

$286 ARS 411.5K

16.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ARS 347.6K

$204 ARS 294.1K

18.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$669 ARS 962.9K

$723 ARS 1.0M

-7.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$527 ARS 758.2K

$572 ARS 823.1K

-7.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,229 ARS 3.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$599 ARS 862.3K

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 San Martin de los Andes: May 30, 2026

Last update for Mar del Plata: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $333 in San Martin de los Andes and $286 in Mar del Plata. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $34.00 in San Martin de los Andes vs $38.00 in Mar del Plata. Groceries flip the comparison at $230 vs $194, 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 Martin de los Andes vs Mar del Plata: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mar del Plata wins on cost – living expenses run 12% lower than in San Martin de los Andes. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mar del Plata the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,429 in San Martin de los Andes and $1,271 in Mar del Plata to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $333 in San Martin de los Andes versus $286 in Mar del Plata. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in San Martin de los Andes. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $953 per month in San Martin de los Andes versus $847 in Mar del Plata – a 12% 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 Martin de los Andes 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 12% less than in San Martin de los Andes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.