Cost of Living Comparison Between Bariloche and Mendoza Cost of Living Comparison Between Bariloche and Mendoza

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,628 in Bariloche versus $1,341 in Mendoza.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,463 in Bariloche versus $2,114 in Mendoza.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,298 in Bariloche versus $2,887 in Mendoza.

Living in Bariloche is roughly 21% more expensive than in Mendoza, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bariloche is 18% above, Mendoza is 2% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.68 ARS 25.2K

$11.13 ARS 16.8K

49.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.1 ARS 86.3K

$50.8 ARS 76.8K

12.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.37 ARS 21.7K

$14.90 ARS 22.5K

-3.56%

Cappuccino

$3.93 ARS 5,930

$4.45 ARS 6,718

-11.69%

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

$1.76 ARS 2,657

$2.33 ARS 3,522

-24.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ARS 2,618

$1.97 ARS 2,972

-12.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.09 ARS 7,694

$4.09 ARS 6,171

24.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 ARS 6,918

$4.44 ARS 6,710

3.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 ARS 2,019

$1.40 ARS 2,115

-4.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.02 ARS 3,056

$2.28 ARS 3,451

-11.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 ARS 2,212

$2.78 ARS 4,201

-47.48%

Eggs

$2.80 ARS 4,222

$3.25 ARS 4,903

-13.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.59 ARS 23.5K

$14.47 ARS 21.9K

7.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.37 ARS 15.7K

$6.17 ARS 9,325

68.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.51 ARS 20.4K

$11.00 ARS 16.6K

22.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 ARS 3,424

$2.35 ARS 3,552

-3.40%

Banana (1kg)

$2.65 ARS 4,009

$2.17 ARS 3,276

22.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ARS 2,996

$1.30 ARS 1,971

52.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.66 ARS 4,022

$3.29 ARS 4,965

-19.15%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 ARS 1,404

$2.02 ARS 3,047

-53.96%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 ARS 1,114

$1.51 ARS 2,285

-50.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 ARS 2,935

$1.92 ARS 2,906

1.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ARS 1,986

$2.47 ARS 3,727

-46.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.91 ARS 4,398

$2.72 ARS 4,104

6.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.58 ARS 11.4K

$4.97 ARS 7,514

52.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 ARS 2,904

$1.79 ARS 2,705

7.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 ARS 5,943

$2.95 ARS 4,460

33.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 ARS 1,539

$0.97 ARS 1,466

5.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.74 ARS 29.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.99 ARS 1,494

$2.05 ARS 3,093

-51.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ARS 1,538

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.84 ARS 7,307

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ARS 1,678

$1.20 ARS 1,818

-7.50%

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

$20.1K ARS 30.4M

$26.6K ARS 40.2M

-24.32%

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

$32.5K ARS 49.1M

$32.8K ARS 49.5M

-0.86%

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

$84.3 ARS 127.4K

$135 ARS 204.1K

-37.60%

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

$16.83 ARS 25.4K

$17.47 ARS 26.4K

-3.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.93 ARS 36.1K

$23.78 ARS 35.9K

0.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.02 ARS 74.0K

$29.83 ARS 45.1K

64.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.49 ARS 59.7K

$18.32 ARS 27.7K

115.56%

Cinema Ticket

$8.70 ARS 13.1K

$7.27 ARS 11.0K

19.67%

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

$303 ARS 457.6K

$176 ARS 265.5K

72.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,296 ARS 6.5M

$4,124 ARS 6.2M

4.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.5 ARS 114.1K

$116 ARS 174.9K

-34.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.72 ARS 60.0K

$127 ARS 191.5K

-68.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 ARS 165.9K

$140 ARS 211.4K

-21.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.2 ARS 145.3K

$128 ARS 192.6K

-24.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,280 ARS 1.9M

$483 ARS 728.9K

165.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 ARS 1.1M

$335 ARS 506.5K

115.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,179 ARS 1.8M

$876 ARS 1.3M

34.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,153 ARS 1.7M

$651 ARS 982.8K

77.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,045 ARS 4.6M

$1,691 ARS 2.6M

80.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,522 ARS 3.8M

$1,112 ARS 1.7M

126.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$969 ARS 1.5M

$780 ARS 1.2M

24.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

52.54%

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

Last update for Bariloche: August 30, 2026

Last update for Mendoza: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,280 in Bariloche and $483 in Mendoza. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bariloche pays 24% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $57.0 in Bariloche vs $51.0 in Mendoza for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $299 vs $286 per month, with Mendoza cheaper across the board.

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

Bariloche vs Mendoza: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mendoza is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 24% higher in Bariloche, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,280 in Bariloche versus $483 in Mendoza. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $303 in Bariloche versus $176 in Mendoza. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mendoza – a meal for two runs $51.0 versus $57.0 in Bariloche. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,341 in Mendoza versus $1,628 in Bariloche, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mendoza but tight or insufficient in Bariloche. The gap between the two cities makes Mendoza the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mendoza is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Bariloche, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Bariloche and Mendoza 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 Mendoza gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Bariloche. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.