Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Rosa and Mar del Plata Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Rosa and Mar del Plata

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $961 in Santa Rosa versus $844 in Mar del Plata.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,578 in Santa Rosa versus $1,417 in Mar del Plata.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,196 in Santa Rosa versus $1,991 in Mar del Plata.

Living in Santa Rosa is roughly 14% more expensive than in Mar del Plata, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santa Rosa 28% lower, Mar del Plata 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.48 ARS 15.6K

$9.53 ARS 14.1K

9.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.09 ARS 49.1K

$37.25 ARS 55.3K

-11.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.24 ARS 13.7K

$8.17 ARS 12.1K

13.10%

Cappuccino

$2.65 ARS 3,940

$2.41 ARS 3,579

9.96%

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

$1.71 ARS 2,538

$2.18 ARS 3,238

-21.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 ARS 2,304

$2.05 ARS 3,051

-24.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.08 ARS 3,088

$3.34 ARS 4,959

-37.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 ARS 4,421

$3.19 ARS 4,732

-6.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 ARS 1,922

$1.05 ARS 1,559

22.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 ARS 2,342

$1.38 ARS 2,050

14.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 ARS 2,880

$2.06 ARS 3,064

-5.83%

Eggs

$2.17 ARS 3,221

$1.52 ARS 2,264

42.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.30 ARS 15.3K

$6.93 ARS 10.3K

48.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.34 ARS 9,412

$5.22 ARS 7,758

21.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.14 ARS 13.6K

$7.47 ARS 11.1K

22.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 ARS 3,026

$2.74 ARS 4,063

-25.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 ARS 3,082

$2.17 ARS 3,222

-4.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ARS 1,936

$1.55 ARS 2,302

-16.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 ARS 3,777

$2.45 ARS 3,637

3.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 ARS 1,699

$1.22 ARS 1,815

-6.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 ARS 1,839

$0.95 ARS 1,408

30.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 ARS 1,879

$0.63 ARS 939

101.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 ARS 2,140

$1.20 ARS 1,784

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.21 ARS 4,762

$3.48 ARS 5,166

-7.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.84 ARS 7,188

$2.95 ARS 4,377

64.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 ARS 3,073

$1.39 ARS 2,068

48.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 ARS 4,637

$1.98 ARS 2,947

57.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 ARS 1,167

$0.76 ARS 1,129

3.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.94 ARS 14.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 ARS 2,247

$1.49 ARS 2,212

1.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ARS 1,268

$0.76 ARS 1,129

11.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 ARS 9,143

$8.18 ARS 12.1K

-24.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ARS 1,639

$1.15 ARS 1,710

-4.35%

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

$27.4K ARS 40.7M

$28.2K ARS 41.9M

-2.88%

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

$30.2K ARS 44.9M

$38.9K ARS 57.8M

-22.40%

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

$67.3 ARS 100.0K

$85.2 ARS 126.6K

-20.99%

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

$16.95 ARS 25.2K

$10.11 ARS 15.0K

67.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.98 ARS 34.1K

$25.00 ARS 37.1K

-8.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.27 ARS 39.0K

$17.57 ARS 26.1K

49.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.00 ARS 20.8K

$7.84 ARS 11.6K

78.57%

Cinema Ticket

$6.36 ARS 9,443

$4.10 ARS 6,083

55.12%

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

$222 ARS 329.0K

$159 ARS 236.8K

38.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,735 ARS 4.1M

$3,177 ARS 4.7M

-13.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.7 ARS 108.0K

$56.7 ARS 84.2K

28.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.3 ARS 101.4K

$61.5 ARS 91.3K

10.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 ARS 169.9K

$65.0 ARS 96.5K

76.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ARS 169.1K

$62.7 ARS 93.1K

81.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$335 ARS 497.2K

$283 ARS 419.6K

18.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$236 ARS 350.3K

$202 ARS 299.3K

17.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$669 ARS 993.5K

$726 ARS 1.1M

-7.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$532 ARS 790.4K

$585 ARS 868.7K

-9.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,214 ARS 3.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,533 ARS 2.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$616 ARS 915.1K

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 Santa Rosa: July 26, 2026

Last update for Mar del Plata: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $335 in Santa Rosa and $283 in Mar del Plata. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Santa Rosa vs $37.00 in Mar del Plata. Groceries flip the comparison at $230 vs $192, 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

Santa Rosa vs Mar del Plata: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mar del Plata wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Santa Rosa. 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 $1,441 in Santa Rosa and $1,266 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: $335 in Santa Rosa versus $283 in Mar del Plata. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Santa Rosa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $961 per month in Santa Rosa versus $844 in Mar del Plata – a 14% 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, Santa Rosa 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 14% less than in Santa Rosa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.