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: $953 in El Calafate versus $1,075 in Mendoza.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,554 in El Calafate versus $1,730 in Mendoza.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,156 in El Calafate versus $2,385 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 29% lower, Mendoza 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.44 ARS 14.9K

$10.84 ARS 15.5K

-3.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.71 ARS 48.1K

$41.73 ARS 59.5K

-19.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.11 ARS 13.0K

$9.70 ARS 13.8K

-6.08%

Cappuccino

$2.74 ARS 3,915

$3.69 ARS 5,262

-25.75%

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

$1.71 ARS 2,441

$2.24 ARS 3,193

-23.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 ARS 2,191

$2.06 ARS 2,938

-25.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ARS 3,071

$2.02 ARS 2,884

6.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ARS 4,203

$2.93 ARS 4,187

0.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 ARS 1,783

$1.27 ARS 1,808

-1.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ARS 2,322

$1.49 ARS 2,128

9.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 ARS 2,922

$1.97 ARS 2,816

4.06%

Eggs

$2.27 ARS 3,237

$2.21 ARS 3,146

2.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.21 ARS 14.6K

$11.57 ARS 16.5K

-11.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.09 ARS 8,690

$7.37 ARS 10.5K

-17.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.39 ARS 13.4K

$9.56 ARS 13.6K

-1.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ARS 2,805

$2.01 ARS 2,872

-1.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 ARS 2,975

$1.54 ARS 2,191

35.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 ARS 1,867

$1.47 ARS 2,092

-10.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.62 ARS 3,730

$2.09 ARS 2,985

25.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 ARS 1,681

$0.97 ARS 1,391

21.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 ARS 1,774

$1.01 ARS 1,442

22.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 ARS 1,874

$1.02 ARS 1,459

28.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 ARS 2,063

$2.74 ARS 3,911

-47.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.08 ARS 4,393

$2.45 ARS 3,493

25.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.14 ARS 7,335

$5.09 ARS 7,255

0.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 ARS 2,957

$1.97 ARS 2,814

5.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 ARS 4,527

$3.47 ARS 4,951

-8.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 ARS 1,114

$0.73 ARS 1,035

6.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ARS 26.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 ARS 2,198

$0.41 ARS 587

275.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.88 ARS 1,250

$1.02 ARS 1,455

-13.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 ARS 8,781

$4.93 ARS 7,036

24.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ARS 1,555

$1.20 ARS 1,712

-9.17%

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

$27.6K ARS 39.3M

$31.7K ARS 45.2M

-12.96%

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

$30.9K ARS 44.0M

$33.2K ARS 47.4M

-7.17%

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

$67.7 ARS 96.5K

$77.6 ARS 110.7K

-12.80%

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

$17.29 ARS 24.7K

$17.56 ARS 25.1K

-1.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.23 ARS 31.7K

$21.55 ARS 30.7K

3.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.54 ARS 37.9K

$27.98 ARS 39.9K

-5.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.72 ARS 19.6K

$16.31 ARS 23.3K

-15.88%

Cinema Ticket

$6.08 ARS 8,672

$6.10 ARS 8,697

-0.33%

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

$217 ARS 309.9K

$103 ARS 147.6K

109.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,719 ARS 3.9M

$2,124 ARS 3.0M

28.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.1 ARS 107.2K

$81.1 ARS 115.8K

-7.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.6 ARS 100.7K

$75.6 ARS 107.8K

-6.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ARS 161.6K

$150 ARS 214.5K

-24.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ARS 158.9K

$119 ARS 169.8K

-6.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$336 ARS 478.6K

$353 ARS 504.0K

-5.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ARS 339.2K

$274 ARS 391.0K

-13.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$686 ARS 979.2K

$611 ARS 871.9K

12.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$538 ARS 767.9K

$502 ARS 716.5K

7.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,864 ARS 2.7M

$1,691 ARS 2.4M

10.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,588 ARS 2.3M

$1,127 ARS 1.6M

40.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$725 ARS 1.0M

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Mendoza: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $336 in El Calafate and $353 in Mendoza. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $34.00 in El Calafate vs $42.00 in Mendoza for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $249 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 13% in total monthly costs ($953 vs $1,075 including rent). El Calafate is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,429 in El Calafate and $1,612 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: $336 in El Calafate versus $353 in Mendoza. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $217 in El Calafate versus $103 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 $34.00 versus $42.00 in Mendoza. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $953 in El Calafate versus $1,075 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 13% less than in Mendoza. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.