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 $1,175 per month in Cordoba vs $960 in El Calafate, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,846 per month in Cordoba vs $1,554 in El Calafate, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,516 per month in Cordoba vs $2,148 in El Calafate, rent included.

Cordoba costs about 22% more than El Calafate, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Cordoba and El Calafate are more affordable than the global median – Cordoba 13% lower, El Calafate 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.81 ARS 14.0K

$10.29 ARS 14.7K

-4.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.49 ARS 63.6K

$34.12 ARS 48.7K

30.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.16 ARS 14.5K

$8.87 ARS 12.7K

14.54%

Cappuccino

$2.26 ARS 3,232

$2.80 ARS 3,994

-19.29%

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

$1.55 ARS 2,218

$1.70 ARS 2,428

-8.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 ARS 2,133

$1.56 ARS 2,223

-4.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 ARS 3,264

$2.15 ARS 3,066

6.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ARS 4,239

$3.07 ARS 4,392

-3.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ARS 2,224

$1.25 ARS 1,785

24.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 ARS 3,422

$1.65 ARS 2,351

45.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 ARS 2,846

$2.01 ARS 2,878

-1.00%

Eggs

$2.37 ARS 3,386

$2.17 ARS 3,097

9.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.08 ARS 13.0K

$10.06 ARS 14.4K

-9.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 ARS 9,453

$6.14 ARS 8,767

7.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.46 ARS 13.5K

$9.57 ARS 13.7K

-1.15%

Apples (1kg)

$1.89 ARS 2,703

$1.95 ARS 2,782

-3.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 ARS 3,086

$2.14 ARS 3,056

0.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 ARS 1,789

$1.32 ARS 1,889

-5.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.72 ARS 3,887

$2.63 ARS 3,755

3.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 ARS 1,701

$1.19 ARS 1,695

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 ARS 1,821

$1.24 ARS 1,766

2.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 ARS 2,185

$1.26 ARS 1,802

21.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 ARS 2,388

$1.49 ARS 2,134

12.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.44 ARS 3,482

$3.21 ARS 4,579

-23.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.05 ARS 7,211

$4.90 ARS 7,005

3.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 ARS 2,844

$2.02 ARS 2,882

-1.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 ARS 4,203

$3.14 ARS 4,485

-6.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 ARS 1,409

$0.78 ARS 1,117

26.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.8 ARS 81.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 ARS 1,642

$1.54 ARS 2,204

-25.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.97 ARS 1,392

$0.90 ARS 1,290

7.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.13 ARS 8,755

$6.16 ARS 8,806

-0.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ARS 1,621

$1.11 ARS 1,581

1.80%

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

$26.6K ARS 38.0M

$27.2K ARS 38.8M

-1.95%

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

$35.0K ARS 50.0M

$29.8K ARS 42.5M

17.44%

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

$99.3 ARS 141.9K

$66.6 ARS 95.1K

49.18%

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

$17.15 ARS 24.5K

$17.32 ARS 24.7K

-0.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.23 ARS 37.5K

$22.34 ARS 31.9K

17.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.04 ARS 35.8K

$26.02 ARS 37.2K

-3.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.55 ARS 33.6K

$13.64 ARS 19.5K

72.65%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 ARS 11.2K

$6.15 ARS 8,786

27.64%

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

$184 ARS 262.7K

$219 ARS 312.1K

-15.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,191 ARS 3.1M

$2,687 ARS 3.8M

-18.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$124 ARS 177.0K

$74.4 ARS 106.3K

66.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$84.4 ARS 120.5K

$70.4 ARS 100.5K

19.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 ARS 188.5K

$117 ARS 166.7K

13.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 ARS 188.4K

$113 ARS 161.9K

16.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$434 ARS 620.1K

$340 ARS 485.8K

27.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$316 ARS 450.9K

$234 ARS 333.8K

35.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$757 ARS 1.1M

$678 ARS 969.0K

11.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$569 ARS 813.2K

$532 ARS 760.4K

6.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,359 ARS 3.4M

$1,896 ARS 2.7M

24.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 ARS 2.0M

$1,614 ARS 2.3M

-15.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 ARS 949.4K

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 Cordoba: June 6, 2026

Last update for El Calafate: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $434 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 $44.00 in Cordoba versus $34.00 in El Calafate. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $245 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 22%, 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 $1,762 per month in Cordoba and $1,440 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 $44.00 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 6% 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 $1,175. 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.