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: $950 in Villa María versus $847 in Mar del Plata.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,581 in Villa María versus $1,433 in Mar del Plata.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,212 in Villa María versus $2,019 in Mar del Plata.

Living in Villa María is roughly 12% more expensive than 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

$10.56 ARS 15.2K

$9.93 ARS 14.3K

6.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.05 ARS 49.0K

$37.70 ARS 54.2K

-9.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.86 ARS 12.7K

$8.22 ARS 11.8K

7.79%

Cappuccino

$2.67 ARS 3,839

$2.45 ARS 3,523

8.98%

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

$1.73 ARS 2,482

$2.26 ARS 3,249

-23.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ARS 2,247

$2.12 ARS 3,044

-26.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ARS 3,097

$3.21 ARS 4,618

-33.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 ARS 4,188

$3.34 ARS 4,806

-12.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 ARS 1,871

$1.10 ARS 1,577

18.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ARS 2,263

$1.42 ARS 2,048

10.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 ARS 2,793

$2.06 ARS 2,966

-5.83%

Eggs

$2.16 ARS 3,103

$1.52 ARS 2,189

42.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.00 ARS 14.4K

$6.79 ARS 9,763

47.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 ARS 8,990

$5.28 ARS 7,598

18.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.52 ARS 13.7K

$7.55 ARS 10.9K

26.09%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 ARS 2,804

$2.87 ARS 4,129

-32.06%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 ARS 3,057

$2.13 ARS 3,069

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 ARS 1,821

$1.57 ARS 2,252

-19.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 ARS 3,601

$2.49 ARS 3,587

0.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 ARS 1,703

$1.23 ARS 1,770

-4.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ARS 1,707

$0.95 ARS 1,373

25.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 ARS 1,841

$0.63 ARS 903

103.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 ARS 2,142

$1.17 ARS 1,690

27.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 ARS 4,486

$3.42 ARS 4,918

-8.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.98 ARS 7,167

$2.92 ARS 4,198

70.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 ARS 2,872

$1.38 ARS 1,987

44.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 ARS 4,438

$1.98 ARS 2,848

56.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 ARS 1,109

$0.73 ARS 1,047

5.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.97 ARS 14.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 ARS 2,132

$1.53 ARS 2,197

-3.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 ARS 1,333

$0.79 ARS 1,130

17.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.91 ARS 8,502

$7.95 ARS 11.4K

-25.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 ARS 1,513

$1.14 ARS 1,639

-7.89%

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

$27.9K ARS 40.1M

$27.5K ARS 39.5M

1.46%

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

$30.0K ARS 43.1M

$39.9K ARS 57.4M

-24.94%

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

$66.6 ARS 95.8K

$84.2 ARS 121.1K

-20.96%

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

$17.04 ARS 24.5K

$10.23 ARS 14.7K

66.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.97 ARS 33.0K

$25.44 ARS 36.6K

-9.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.58 ARS 38.2K

$17.04 ARS 24.5K

55.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.82 ARS 19.9K

$8.02 ARS 11.5K

72.32%

Cinema Ticket

$6.06 ARS 8,711

$3.90 ARS 5,604

55.38%

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

$222 ARS 319.3K

$163 ARS 233.9K

36.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,676 ARS 3.8M

$3,145 ARS 4.5M

-14.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.4 ARS 104.1K

$57.3 ARS 82.4K

26.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.5 ARS 100.0K

$63.0 ARS 90.6K

10.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ARS 165.2K

$63.9 ARS 91.9K

79.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 ARS 161.4K

$61.9 ARS 89.0K

81.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$339 ARS 488.2K

$286 ARS 411.5K

18.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$233 ARS 335.8K

$204 ARS 294.1K

14.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$677 ARS 974.2K

$723 ARS 1.0M

-6.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$532 ARS 765.0K

$572 ARS 823.1K

-7.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,063 ARS 3.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$754 ARS 1.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$485 ARS 697.9K

$599 ARS 862.3K

-19.07%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Mar del Plata: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $339 in Villa María and $286 in Mar del Plata. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mar del Plata pays 24% 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 $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

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

Mar del Plata wins on cost – living expenses run 12% 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, Mar del Plata earns 24% less. 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: $339 in Villa María 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 Villa María. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $950 per month in Villa María versus $847 in Mar del Plata – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $847 in Mar del Plata versus $950 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 12% less than in Villa María. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.