Cost of Living Comparison Between Santiago del Estero and Mar del Plata Cost of Living Comparison Between Santiago del Estero and Mar del Plata

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $956 in Santiago del Estero versus $847 in Mar del Plata.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,566 in Santiago del Estero versus $1,433 in Mar del Plata.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,176 in Santiago del Estero versus $2,019 in Mar del Plata.

Living in Santiago del Estero is roughly 13% more expensive than Mar del Plata, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santiago del Estero 29% lower, Mar del Plata 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.64 ARS 15.2K

$9.93 ARS 14.2K

7.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.17 ARS 47.3K

$37.70 ARS 53.8K

-12.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.26 ARS 13.2K

$8.22 ARS 11.7K

12.65%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ARS 3,994

$2.45 ARS 3,494

14.29%

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

$1.73 ARS 2,467

$2.26 ARS 3,222

-23.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 ARS 2,184

$2.12 ARS 3,018

-27.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 ARS 3,097

$3.21 ARS 4,579

-32.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 ARS 4,310

$3.34 ARS 4,766

-9.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 ARS 1,881

$1.10 ARS 1,564

20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ARS 2,317

$1.42 ARS 2,031

14.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 ARS 2,903

$2.06 ARS 2,941

-0.97%

Eggs

$2.24 ARS 3,192

$1.52 ARS 2,171

47.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.23 ARS 14.6K

$6.79 ARS 9,681

50.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.03 ARS 8,608

$5.28 ARS 7,535

14.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.44 ARS 13.5K

$7.55 ARS 10.8K

25.03%

Apples (1kg)

$1.94 ARS 2,772

$2.87 ARS 4,094

-32.40%

Banana (1kg)

$2.12 ARS 3,022

$2.13 ARS 3,044

-0.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 ARS 1,880

$1.57 ARS 2,233

-15.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.66 ARS 3,790

$2.49 ARS 3,557

6.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 ARS 1,702

$1.23 ARS 1,755

-3.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 ARS 1,787

$0.95 ARS 1,361

31.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 ARS 1,792

$0.63 ARS 895

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 ARS 2,033

$1.17 ARS 1,676

21.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.06 ARS 4,366

$3.42 ARS 4,877

-10.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.57 ARS 6,517

$2.92 ARS 4,163

56.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 ARS 2,917

$1.38 ARS 1,971

47.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 ARS 4,554

$1.98 ARS 2,825

61.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 ARS 1,095

$0.73 ARS 1,038

5.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.97 ARS 14.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 ARS 2,099

$1.53 ARS 2,179

-3.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ARS 1,214

$0.79 ARS 1,121

7.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.08 ARS 8,669

$7.95 ARS 11.3K

-23.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 ARS 1,522

$1.14 ARS 1,626

-6.14%

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

$27.5K ARS 39.3M

$27.5K ARS 39.2M

0.13%

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

$29.9K ARS 42.6M

$39.9K ARS 57.0M

-25.19%

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

$67.5 ARS 96.4K

$84.2 ARS 120.1K

-19.80%

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

$17.26 ARS 24.6K

$10.23 ARS 14.6K

68.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.92 ARS 32.7K

$25.44 ARS 36.3K

-9.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.07 ARS 37.2K

$17.04 ARS 24.3K

52.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.01 ARS 20.0K

$8.02 ARS 11.4K

74.69%

Cinema Ticket

$6.13 ARS 8,750

$3.90 ARS 5,557

57.18%

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

$222 ARS 317.0K

$163 ARS 232.0K

36.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,647 ARS 3.8M

$3,145 ARS 4.5M

-15.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.5 ARS 104.9K

$57.3 ARS 81.7K

28.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.3 ARS 97.5K

$63.0 ARS 89.8K

8.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 ARS 162.8K

$63.9 ARS 91.1K

78.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 ARS 157.0K

$61.9 ARS 88.2K

77.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$338 ARS 482.0K

$286 ARS 408.1K

18.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ARS 341.5K

$204 ARS 291.6K

17.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$681 ARS 971.3K

$723 ARS 1.0M

-5.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$529 ARS 754.8K

$572 ARS 816.2K

-7.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,053 ARS 2.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$599 ARS 855.1K

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 Santiago del Estero: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mar del Plata: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $338 in Santiago del Estero and $286 in Mar del Plata. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Santiago del Estero vs $38.00 in Mar del Plata. Groceries flip the comparison at $231 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

Santiago del Estero vs Mar del Plata: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mar del Plata wins on cost – living expenses run 13% lower than in Santiago del Estero. 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 $1,434 in Santiago del Estero 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: $338 in Santiago del Estero 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 19% higher in Santiago del Estero. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $956 per month in Santiago del Estero versus $847 in Mar del Plata – a 13% 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, Santiago del Estero 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 Santiago del Estero. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.