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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $955 in El Calafate versus $1,069 in Mendoza.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,592 in El Calafate versus $1,723 in Mendoza.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,228 in El Calafate versus $2,378 in Mendoza.

Living in El Calafate costs roughly 11% less than in Mendoza, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: El Calafate 28% lower, Mendoza 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.37 ARS 15.3K

$10.93 ARS 16.2K

-5.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.18 ARS 49.0K

$41.47 ARS 61.3K

-19.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ARS 13.6K

$9.60 ARS 14.2K

-3.96%

Cappuccino

$2.76 ARS 4,085

$3.79 ARS 5,601

-27.18%

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

$1.72 ARS 2,547

$2.32 ARS 3,424

-25.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 ARS 2,296

$1.98 ARS 2,925

-21.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ARS 3,173

$1.94 ARS 2,875

10.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 ARS 4,454

$2.93 ARS 4,337

2.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 ARS 1,874

$1.29 ARS 1,906

-1.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ARS 2,319

$1.48 ARS 2,183

6.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 ARS 2,980

$2.03 ARS 2,996

-0.49%

Eggs

$2.19 ARS 3,235

$2.12 ARS 3,137

3.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 ARS 15.1K

$11.73 ARS 17.3K

-13.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 ARS 9,148

$7.69 ARS 11.4K

-19.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ARS 13.8K

$9.46 ARS 14.0K

-1.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 ARS 2,957

$2.01 ARS 2,974

-0.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 ARS 3,193

$1.53 ARS 2,255

41.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 ARS 1,929

$1.51 ARS 2,236

-13.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 ARS 3,753

$2.18 ARS 3,229

16.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 ARS 1,697

$1.01 ARS 1,497

13.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ARS 1,753

$1.03 ARS 1,517

15.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 ARS 1,958

$1.02 ARS 1,515

29.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 ARS 2,203

$2.62 ARS 3,878

-43.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.15 ARS 4,662

$2.44 ARS 3,613

29.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.11 ARS 7,549

$5.10 ARS 7,544

0.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 ARS 2,924

$1.95 ARS 2,883

1.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 ARS 4,466

$3.56 ARS 5,266

-15.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 ARS 1,129

$0.69 ARS 1,018

10.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.28 ARS 27.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 ARS 2,170

$0.41 ARS 605

258.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.87 ARS 1,281

$1.02 ARS 1,506

-14.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.02 ARS 8,894

$4.85 ARS 7,170

24.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 ARS 1,566

$1.19 ARS 1,761

-10.92%

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

$27.9K ARS 41.2M

$31.6K ARS 46.7M

-11.87%

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

$30.5K ARS 45.1M

$33.0K ARS 48.8M

-7.50%

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

$66.0 ARS 97.5K

$76.0 ARS 112.3K

-13.20%

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

$17.47 ARS 25.8K

$17.52 ARS 25.9K

-0.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.11 ARS 32.7K

$21.72 ARS 32.1K

1.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.57 ARS 39.3K

$27.75 ARS 41.0K

-4.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.87 ARS 20.5K

$16.19 ARS 23.9K

-14.33%

Cinema Ticket

$6.22 ARS 9,195

$6.10 ARS 9,021

1.97%

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

$216 ARS 319.0K

$102 ARS 150.4K

112.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,690 ARS 4.0M

$2,172 ARS 3.2M

23.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.5 ARS 108.6K

$80.9 ARS 119.6K

-9.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.4 ARS 102.6K

$77.5 ARS 114.6K

-10.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 ARS 167.9K

$147 ARS 217.8K

-22.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 ARS 163.0K

$120 ARS 177.4K

-8.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$340 ARS 502.4K

$363 ARS 536.4K

-6.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$236 ARS 348.8K

$270 ARS 398.9K

-12.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$694 ARS 1.0M

$609 ARS 899.8K

14.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$533 ARS 787.1K

$502 ARS 741.9K

6.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,872 ARS 2.8M

$1,705 ARS 2.5M

9.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,594 ARS 2.4M

$1,121 ARS 1.7M

42.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$722 ARS 1.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

58.5

-25.95%

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

Last update for El Calafate: July 14, 2026

Last update for Mendoza: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $340 in El Calafate and $363 in Mendoza. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in El Calafate vs $41.00 in Mendoza for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $231 vs $250 per month, with El Calafate 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

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

El Calafate and Mendoza differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($955 vs $1,069 including rent). El Calafate is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,433 in El Calafate and $1,603 in Mendoza to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $340 in El Calafate versus $363 in Mendoza. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $216 in El Calafate versus $102 in Mendoza. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in El Calafate – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $41.00 in Mendoza. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $955 in El Calafate versus $1,069 in Mendoza, a $2,000 budget is realistic in El Calafate but tight or insufficient in Mendoza. The gap between the two cities makes El Calafate 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, El Calafate 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 El Calafate gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Mendoza. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.