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: $1,178 in San Martin de los Andes versus $1,042 in Mar del Plata.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,000 in San Martin de los Andes versus $1,777 in Mar del Plata.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,822 in San Martin de los Andes versus $2,511 in Mar del Plata.

Living in San Martin de los Andes is roughly 13% more expensive than in Mar del Plata, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: San Martin de los Andes 15% lower, Mar del Plata 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.45 ARS 23.3K

$20.02 ARS 30.2K

-22.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.0 ARS 83.0K

$59.1 ARS 89.2K

-6.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.21 ARS 19.9K

$12.68 ARS 19.1K

4.18%

Cappuccino

$3.83 ARS 5,772

$3.09 ARS 4,661

23.95%

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

$2.06 ARS 3,101

$2.54 ARS 3,835

-18.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 ARS 2,573

$2.02 ARS 3,042

-15.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.66 ARS 5,527

$4.04 ARS 6,093

-9.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ARS 5,699

$3.03 ARS 4,578

24.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 ARS 2,078

$1.08 ARS 1,634

27.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 ARS 3,262

$2.19 ARS 3,303

-1.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 ARS 2,373

$3.19 ARS 4,819

-50.78%

Eggs

$2.37 ARS 3,575

$2.45 ARS 3,700

-3.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.35 ARS 15.6K

$5.66 ARS 8,543

82.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.63 ARS 10.0K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.63 ARS 17.5K

$12.10 ARS 18.2K

-3.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 ARS 3,578

$3.41 ARS 5,150

-30.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 ARS 3,227

$2.56 ARS 3,858

-16.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 ARS 2,136

$1.53 ARS 2,314

-7.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ARS 3,207

$2.04 ARS 3,075

4.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 ARS 1,592

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 ARS 1,465

$1.02 ARS 1,537

-4.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.63 ARS 2,466

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 ARS 2,504

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 ARS 4,945

$3.46 ARS 5,216

-5.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.89 ARS 7,370

$2.95 ARS 4,445

65.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 ARS 3,088

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ARS 4,291

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 ARS 1,537

$1.28 ARS 1,926

-20.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.57 ARS 2,369

$1.59 ARS 2,399

-1.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ARS 1,491

$0.68 ARS 1,032

45.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.40 ARS 11.2K

$6.26 ARS 9,445

18.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ARS 1,817

$1.36 ARS 2,055

-11.76%

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

$27.9K ARS 42.0M

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

$33.5K ARS 50.5M

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

$86.0 ARS 129.7K

$81.4 ARS 122.8K

5.56%

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

$17.47 ARS 26.4K

$8.04 ARS 12.1K

117.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.68 ARS 41.7K

$29.95 ARS 45.2K

-7.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.57 ARS 46.1K

$31.33 ARS 47.3K

-2.43%

Cinema Ticket

$8.34 ARS 12.6K

$10.14 ARS 15.3K

-17.75%

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

$301 ARS 453.6K

$304 ARS 459.3K

-1.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,261 ARS 6.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 ARS 160.7K

$89.2 ARS 134.6K

19.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.6 ARS 114.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ARS 178.5K

$118 ARS 177.8K

0.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 ARS 193.9K

$55.0 ARS 83.0K

133.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 ARS 735.2K

$331 ARS 499.8K

47.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 ARS 462.4K

$250 ARS 377.0K

22.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 ARS 1.5M

$806 ARS 1.2M

22.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$766 ARS 1.2M

$654 ARS 985.9K

17.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,393 ARS 3.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$612 ARS 923.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

56.56

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

Last update for San Martin de los Andes: September 5, 2026

Last update for Mar del Plata: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in San Martin de los Andes and $331 in Mar del Plata. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $55.0 in San Martin de los Andes vs $59.0 in Mar del Plata. Groceries flip the comparison at $249 vs $198, 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 13% 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 $1,767 in San Martin de los Andes and $1,564 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: $487 in San Martin de los Andes versus $331 in Mar del Plata. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 25% 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 $1,178 per month in San Martin de los Andes versus $1,042 in Mar del Plata – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,042 in Mar del Plata versus $1,178 in San Martin de los Andes, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mar del Plata but tight or insufficient in San Martin de los Andes. 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 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 13% less than in San Martin de los Andes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.