Cost of Living Comparison Between Cordoba and El Calafate Cost of Living Comparison Between Cordoba and El Calafate

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,384 per month in Cordoba vs $960 in El Calafate, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,267 per month in Cordoba vs $1,563 in El Calafate, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,150 per month in Cordoba vs $2,166 in El Calafate, rent included.

Cordoba costs about 44% more than El Calafate, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Cordoba sits 1% above the global median, while El Calafate is 30% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.74 ARS 20.8K

$10.70 ARS 16.2K

28.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.2 ARS 80.4K

$33.91 ARS 51.3K

56.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.25 ARS 20.0K

$8.91 ARS 13.5K

48.71%

Cappuccino

$3.72 ARS 5,619

$2.76 ARS 4,167

34.78%

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

$2.51 ARS 3,800

$1.72 ARS 2,603

45.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ARS 3,057

$1.56 ARS 2,354

29.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.27 ARS 4,941

$2.14 ARS 3,241

52.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ARS 5,542

$3.08 ARS 4,663

19.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ARS 2,494

$1.30 ARS 1,967

26.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.83 ARS 4,276

$1.59 ARS 2,398

77.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 ARS 3,099

$1.96 ARS 2,961

4.59%

Eggs

$2.40 ARS 3,635

$2.26 ARS 3,413

6.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 ARS 15.4K

$10.22 ARS 15.4K

-0.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.79 ARS 11.8K

$6.36 ARS 9,612

22.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ARS 17.2K

$9.30 ARS 14.1K

22.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 ARS 3,779

$2.02 ARS 3,052

23.76%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 ARS 3,479

$2.05 ARS 3,103

12.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ARS 2,439

$1.26 ARS 1,901

27.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.91 ARS 4,396

$2.51 ARS 3,802

15.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ARS 1,867

$1.19 ARS 1,806

4.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ARS 2,022

$1.20 ARS 1,815

11.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ARS 1,894

$1.33 ARS 2,004

-6.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ARS 2,535

$1.48 ARS 2,239

13.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.94 ARS 7,476

$3.06 ARS 4,620

61.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.08 ARS 7,679

$4.94 ARS 7,470

2.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 ARS 3,580

$2.01 ARS 3,041

17.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ARS 5,731

$3.14 ARS 4,743

20.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 ARS 1,844

$0.79 ARS 1,192

54.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.1 ARS 84.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.24 ARS 1,872

$1.53 ARS 2,317

-18.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 ARS 3,099

$0.85 ARS 1,290

141.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.83 ARS 10.3K

$6.05 ARS 9,148

12.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ARS 1,802

$1.07 ARS 1,614

11.21%

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

$35.7K ARS 53.9M

$27.9K ARS 42.2M

27.86%

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

$35.3K ARS 53.4M

$30.5K ARS 46.0M

16.05%

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

$161 ARS 243.7K

$67.3 ARS 101.8K

139.49%

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

$17.38 ARS 26.3K

$16.95 ARS 25.6K

2.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.11 ARS 48.5K

$22.72 ARS 34.4K

41.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.38 ARS 42.9K

$26.41 ARS 39.9K

7.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.72 ARS 34.4K

$13.93 ARS 21.1K

63.10%

Cinema Ticket

$9.86 ARS 14.9K

$6.14 ARS 9,279

60.59%

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

$220 ARS 331.9K

$219 ARS 331.2K

0.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,171 ARS 6.3M

$2,731 ARS 4.1M

52.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$127 ARS 192.0K

$72.9 ARS 110.3K

74.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$105 ARS 159.5K

$69.7 ARS 105.3K

51.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 ARS 210.1K

$116 ARS 175.3K

19.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 ARS 204.2K

$112 ARS 169.8K

20.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 ARS 721.1K

$340 ARS 514.7K

40.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$302 ARS 457.0K

$234 ARS 354.4K

28.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$988 ARS 1.5M

$671 ARS 1.0M

47.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$773 ARS 1.2M

$541 ARS 817.7K

42.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,745 ARS 4.2M

$1,846 ARS 2.8M

48.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,595 ARS 2.4M

$1,591 ARS 2.4M

0.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 ARS 1.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

48.5

58.5

-17.09%

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

Last update for Cordoba: September 15, 2026

Last update for El Calafate: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Cordoba versus $340 in El Calafate. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Cordoba versus $34.00 in El Calafate. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $275 vs $231 – making El Calafate the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Cordoba vs El Calafate: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cordoba is pricier by about 44%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,076 per month in Cordoba and $1,441 in El Calafate. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in El Calafate, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Cordoba and $34.00 in El Calafate. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Cordoba, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in El Calafate, where all-in costs run around $960, than in Cordoba at $1,384. In El Calafate it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cordoba it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward El Calafate – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with El Calafate. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cordoba makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.