Cost of Living Comparison Between Villa María and Mar del Plata Cost of Living Comparison Between Villa María and Mar del Plata

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $952 in Villa María versus $841 in Mar del Plata.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,576 in Villa María versus $1,452 in Mar del Plata.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,200 in Villa María versus $2,062 in Mar del Plata.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.30 ARS 15.2K

$9.58 ARS 14.2K

7.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.29 ARS 50.7K

$36.91 ARS 54.5K

-7.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ARS 13.1K

$8.12 ARS 12.0K

8.87%

Cappuccino

$2.70 ARS 3,988

$2.49 ARS 3,674

8.43%

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

$1.63 ARS 2,416

$2.27 ARS 3,353

-28.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 ARS 2,266

$2.15 ARS 3,176

-28.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.08 ARS 3,071

$3.29 ARS 4,870

-36.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 ARS 4,350

$3.18 ARS 4,707

-7.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 ARS 1,942

$1.05 ARS 1,557

24.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ARS 2,401

$1.43 ARS 2,114

13.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 ARS 2,899

$2.15 ARS 3,180

-8.84%

Eggs

$2.25 ARS 3,322

$1.55 ARS 2,296

45.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 ARS 15.1K

$6.64 ARS 9,818

53.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.37 ARS 9,417

$5.13 ARS 7,584

24.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.25 ARS 13.7K

$7.75 ARS 11.5K

19.35%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 ARS 2,877

$2.72 ARS 4,014

-28.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 ARS 3,162

$2.11 ARS 3,119

1.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 ARS 1,931

$1.55 ARS 2,296

-15.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 ARS 3,758

$2.50 ARS 3,689

1.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 ARS 1,753

$1.22 ARS 1,796

-2.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ARS 1,776

$1.03 ARS 1,519

16.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ARS 1,850

$0.67 ARS 985

86.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 ARS 2,100

$1.16 ARS 1,717

22.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.22 ARS 4,760

$3.55 ARS 5,251

-9.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.50 ARS 6,646

$2.97 ARS 4,394

51.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 ARS 3,060

$1.38 ARS 2,039

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 ARS 4,635

$2.05 ARS 3,030

53.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 ARS 1,133

$0.71 ARS 1,051

8.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.89 ARS 14.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 ARS 2,164

$1.47 ARS 2,167

-0.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 ARS 1,350

$0.77 ARS 1,133

18.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.84 ARS 8,631

$8.23 ARS 12.2K

-29.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ARS 1,628

$1.14 ARS 1,685

-3.51%

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

$27.2K ARS 40.2M

$27.5K ARS 40.7M

-1.14%

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

$29.9K ARS 44.2M

$39.7K ARS 58.7M

-24.71%

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

$67.4 ARS 99.6K

$86.7 ARS 128.1K

-22.24%

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

$17.20 ARS 25.4K

$10.21 ARS 15.1K

68.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.26 ARS 32.9K

$24.91 ARS 36.8K

-10.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.84 ARS 38.2K

$17.08 ARS 25.2K

51.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.50 ARS 20.0K

$7.77 ARS 11.5K

73.75%

Cinema Ticket

$6.26 ARS 9,247

$4.01 ARS 5,930

56.11%

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

$219 ARS 324.2K

$162 ARS 239.1K

35.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,742 ARS 4.1M

$3,184 ARS 4.7M

-13.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.0 ARS 107.9K

$55.5 ARS 82.1K

31.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.1 ARS 102.1K

$62.8 ARS 92.9K

9.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 ARS 171.8K

$65.2 ARS 96.4K

78.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 ARS 162.9K

$61.4 ARS 90.8K

79.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$343 ARS 507.5K

$278 ARS 411.3K

23.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ARS 352.5K

$203 ARS 300.2K

17.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$695 ARS 1.0M

$707 ARS 1.0M

-1.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$528 ARS 780.1K

$581 ARS 859.4K

-9.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,280 ARS 3.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,514 ARS 2.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$471 ARS 695.7K

$602 ARS 890.3K

-21.85%

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 Villa María: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mar del Plata: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $343 in Villa María and $278 in Mar del Plata. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mar del Plata pays 28% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $34.00 in Villa María vs $37.00 in Mar del Plata. Groceries flip the comparison at $231 vs $193, 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

Villa María vs Mar del Plata: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mar del Plata wins on cost – living expenses run 13% lower than in Villa María. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mar del Plata the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 28% 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: $343 in Villa María versus $278 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 Villa María. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $952 per month in Villa María versus $841 in Mar del Plata – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $841 in Mar del Plata versus $952 in Villa María, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mar del Plata but tight or insufficient in Villa María. 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, Villa María 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 Villa María. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.