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: $969 in El Calafate versus $1,341 in Mendoza.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,588 in El Calafate versus $2,114 in Mendoza.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,207 in El Calafate versus $2,887 in Mendoza.

Living in El Calafate costs roughly 28% less than in Mendoza, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: El Calafate 30% lower, Mendoza 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.49 ARS 15.8K

$11.13 ARS 16.8K

-5.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.47 ARS 50.5K

$50.8 ARS 76.7K

-34.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.23 ARS 13.9K

$14.90 ARS 22.5K

-38.05%

Cappuccino

$2.78 ARS 4,186

$4.45 ARS 6,708

-37.53%

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

$1.64 ARS 2,472

$2.33 ARS 3,517

-29.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ARS 2,360

$1.97 ARS 2,967

-20.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 ARS 3,127

$4.09 ARS 6,162

-49.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 ARS 4,415

$4.44 ARS 6,700

-34.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 ARS 1,957

$1.40 ARS 2,111

-7.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ARS 2,361

$2.28 ARS 3,446

-31.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 ARS 3,045

$2.78 ARS 4,195

-27.34%

Eggs

$2.27 ARS 3,421

$3.25 ARS 4,896

-30.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.96 ARS 15.0K

$14.47 ARS 21.8K

-31.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.38 ARS 9,627

$6.17 ARS 9,311

3.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ARS 13.7K

$11.00 ARS 16.6K

-17.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 ARS 2,948

$2.35 ARS 3,546

-17.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 ARS 3,087

$2.17 ARS 3,271

-5.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 ARS 1,894

$1.30 ARS 1,968

-3.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 ARS 3,876

$3.29 ARS 4,958

-21.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 ARS 1,798

$2.02 ARS 3,042

-41.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ARS 1,816

$1.51 ARS 2,282

-20.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 ARS 1,995

$1.92 ARS 2,901

-31.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 ARS 2,167

$2.47 ARS 3,722

-41.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 ARS 4,671

$2.72 ARS 4,098

13.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.01 ARS 7,564

$4.97 ARS 7,502

0.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 ARS 3,028

$1.79 ARS 2,701

12.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 ARS 4,611

$2.95 ARS 4,454

3.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 ARS 1,176

$0.97 ARS 1,464

-19.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.74 ARS 29.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 ARS 2,223

$2.05 ARS 3,089

-28.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ARS 1,390

$1.02 ARS 1,535

-9.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.90 ARS 8,904

$4.84 ARS 7,296

21.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 ARS 1,609

$1.20 ARS 1,815

-10.83%

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

$27.3K ARS 41.2M

$26.6K ARS 40.1M

2.74%

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

$30.3K ARS 45.7M

$32.8K ARS 49.4M

-7.44%

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

$65.8 ARS 99.2K

$135 ARS 203.8K

-51.32%

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

$17.07 ARS 25.7K

$17.47 ARS 26.3K

-2.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.38 ARS 33.8K

$23.78 ARS 35.9K

-5.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.00 ARS 39.2K

$29.83 ARS 45.0K

-12.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.99 ARS 21.1K

$18.32 ARS 27.6K

-23.64%

Cinema Ticket

$6.21 ARS 9,373

$7.27 ARS 11.0K

-14.58%

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

$216 ARS 325.3K

$176 ARS 265.1K

22.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,691 ARS 4.1M

$4,124 ARS 6.2M

-34.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.0 ARS 110.1K

$116 ARS 174.6K

-36.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.3 ARS 104.5K

$127 ARS 191.2K

-45.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ARS 171.1K

$140 ARS 211.1K

-18.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 ARS 169.6K

$128 ARS 192.3K

-11.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$331 ARS 499.4K

$483 ARS 727.8K

-31.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$233 ARS 351.0K

$335 ARS 505.8K

-30.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$672 ARS 1.0M

$876 ARS 1.3M

-23.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$540 ARS 814.1K

$651 ARS 981.3K

-17.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,870 ARS 2.8M

$1,691 ARS 2.6M

10.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,596 ARS 2.4M

$1,112 ARS 1.7M

43.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$780 ARS 1.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

58.5

-0.85%

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

Last update for El Calafate: August 30, 2026

Last update for Mendoza: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $331 in El Calafate and $483 in Mendoza. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in El Calafate vs $51.0 in Mendoza for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $286 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 38% in total monthly costs ($969 vs $1,341 including rent). El Calafate is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,453 in El Calafate and $2,011 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: $331 in El Calafate versus $483 in Mendoza. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $216 in El Calafate 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 El Calafate – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $51.0 in Mendoza. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $969 in El Calafate versus $1,341 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 38% less than in Mendoza. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.