Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenos Aires and Mendoza Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenos Aires and Mendoza

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,412 in Buenos Aires versus $1,075 in Mendoza.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,197 in Buenos Aires versus $1,730 in Mendoza.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,982 in Buenos Aires versus $2,385 in Mendoza.

Living in Buenos Aires is roughly 31% more expensive than Mendoza, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Buenos Aires is 5% above, Mendoza is 20% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.09 ARS 21.5K

$10.84 ARS 15.5K

39.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.7 ARS 86.6K

$41.73 ARS 59.5K

45.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.89 ARS 17.0K

$9.70 ARS 13.8K

22.58%

Cappuccino

$4.01 ARS 5,720

$3.69 ARS 5,262

8.67%

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

$2.09 ARS 2,976

$2.24 ARS 3,193

-6.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 ARS 2,115

$2.06 ARS 2,938

-28.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.58 ARS 5,111

$2.02 ARS 2,884

77.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 ARS 5,816

$2.93 ARS 4,187

39.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 ARS 2,276

$1.27 ARS 1,808

25.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 ARS 3,603

$1.49 ARS 2,128

69.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 ARS 3,259

$1.97 ARS 2,816

15.74%

Eggs

$3.32 ARS 4,739

$2.21 ARS 3,146

50.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.15 ARS 17.3K

$11.57 ARS 16.5K

5.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 ARS 11.2K

$7.37 ARS 10.5K

6.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.66 ARS 13.8K

$9.56 ARS 13.6K

1.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.49 ARS 3,548

$2.01 ARS 2,872

23.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 ARS 2,938

$1.54 ARS 2,191

33.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 ARS 1,805

$1.47 ARS 2,092

-13.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 ARS 3,631

$2.09 ARS 2,985

22.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 ARS 2,126

$0.97 ARS 1,391

53.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 ARS 2,094

$1.01 ARS 1,442

45.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 ARS 2,628

$1.02 ARS 1,459

80.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 ARS 2,059

$2.74 ARS 3,911

-47.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.27 ARS 4,671

$2.45 ARS 3,493

33.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 ARS 8,199

$5.09 ARS 7,255

12.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 ARS 3,202

$1.97 ARS 2,814

13.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ARS 4,565

$3.47 ARS 4,951

-7.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 ARS 1,026

$0.73 ARS 1,035

-1.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.12 ARS 23.0K

$18.74 ARS 26.7K

-13.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.65 ARS 2,347

$0.41 ARS 587

302.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 ARS 1,294

$1.02 ARS 1,455

-10.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.93 ARS 8,461

$4.93 ARS 7,036

20.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ARS 1,584

$1.20 ARS 1,712

-7.50%

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

$24.6K ARS 35.0M

$31.7K ARS 45.2M

-22.46%

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

$28.8K ARS 41.1M

$33.2K ARS 47.4M

-13.33%

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

$109 ARS 155.6K

$77.6 ARS 110.7K

40.55%

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

$21.60 ARS 30.8K

$17.56 ARS 25.1K

23.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.00 ARS 41.4K

$21.55 ARS 30.7K

34.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.80 ARS 61.1K

$27.98 ARS 39.9K

52.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.76 ARS 16.8K

$16.31 ARS 23.3K

-27.90%

Cinema Ticket

$9.01 ARS 12.9K

$6.10 ARS 8,697

47.70%

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

$324 ARS 462.1K

$103 ARS 147.6K

213.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,180 ARS 7.4M

$2,124 ARS 3.0M

143.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 ARS 154.9K

$81.1 ARS 115.8K

33.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$86.8 ARS 123.8K

$75.6 ARS 107.8K

14.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 ARS 176.4K

$150 ARS 214.5K

-17.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 ARS 189.3K

$119 ARS 169.8K

11.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$658 ARS 939.0K

$353 ARS 504.0K

86.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$447 ARS 638.3K

$274 ARS 391.0K

63.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,155 ARS 1.6M

$611 ARS 871.9K

88.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$811 ARS 1.2M

$502 ARS 716.5K

61.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,627 ARS 3.7M

$1,691 ARS 2.4M

55.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,830 ARS 2.6M

$1,127 ARS 1.6M

62.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$820 ARS 1.2M

$725 ARS 1.0M

12.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

52.71

-33.28%

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

Last update for Buenos Aires: June 1, 2026

Last update for Mendoza: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $658 in Buenos Aires and $353 in Mendoza. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buenos Aires pays 13% 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: $61.0 in Buenos Aires vs $42.00 in Mendoza for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $249 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

Buenos Aires vs Mendoza: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Buenos Aires and Mendoza differ by about 31% in total monthly costs ($1,412 vs $1,075 including rent). Mendoza is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Buenos Aires pays 13% more on average, 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: $658 in Buenos Aires versus $353 in Mendoza. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $324 in Buenos Aires versus $103 in Mendoza. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Buenos Aires. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,075 in Mendoza versus $1,412 in Buenos Aires, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mendoza but tight or insufficient in Buenos Aires. The gap between the two cities makes Mendoza 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, Buenos Aires 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 31% less than in Buenos Aires. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.