Cost of Living Comparison Between Lacey, WA and Mendoza Cost of Living Comparison Between Lacey, WA and Mendoza

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,675 in Lacey, WA versus $1,069 in Mendoza.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,977 in Lacey, WA versus $1,723 in Mendoza.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,279 in Lacey, WA versus $2,378 in Mendoza.

Living in Lacey, WA is roughly 150% more expensive than in Mendoza, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lacey, WA is 100% above, Mendoza is 20% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.81 $27.81

$10.93 ARS 16.2K

154.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$111 $111

$41.47 ARS 61.3K

168.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.46 $12.46

$9.60 ARS 14.2K

29.79%

Cappuccino

$6.20 $6.20

$3.79 ARS 5,601

63.59%

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

$3.59 $3.59

$2.32 ARS 3,424

54.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.98 ARS 2,925

41.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.16 $7.16

$1.94 ARS 2,875

269.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.83 $10.83

$2.93 ARS 4,337

269.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.29 ARS 1,906

-17.05%

White Bread (500g)

$4.35 $4.35

$1.48 ARS 2,183

193.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.86 $2.86

$2.03 ARS 2,996

40.89%

Eggs

$4.31 $4.31

$2.12 ARS 3,137

103.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.88 $14.88

$11.73 ARS 17.3K

26.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.55 $10.55

$7.69 ARS 11.4K

37.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.44 $15.44

$9.46 ARS 14.0K

63.21%

Apples (1kg)

$5.03 $5.03

$2.01 ARS 2,974

150.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.53 ARS 2,255

4.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$1.51 ARS 2,236

174.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.18 ARS 3,229

70.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.49 $2.49

$1.01 ARS 1,497

146.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.68 $2.68

$1.03 ARS 1,517

160.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.02 ARS 1,515

140.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.62 ARS 3,878

11.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.39 $9.39

$2.44 ARS 3,613

284.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.24 $15.24

$5.10 ARS 7,544

198.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.95 ARS 2,883

-2.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 $3.62

$3.56 ARS 5,266

1.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.01 $2.01

$0.69 ARS 1,018

191.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.28 ARS 27.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.03 $5.03

$0.41 ARS 605

1126.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.02 ARS 1,506

99.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.3 $52.3

$4.85 ARS 7,170

978.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.19 ARS 1,761

-1.68%

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

$29.8K $29.8K

$31.6K ARS 46.7M

-5.84%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$33.0K ARS 48.8M

-22.72%

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

$157 $157

$76.0 ARS 112.3K

106.40%

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

$53.0 $53.0

$17.52 ARS 25.9K

202.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$95.1 $95.1

$21.72 ARS 32.1K

337.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.88 $42.88

$27.75 ARS 41.0K

54.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.19 ARS 23.9K

Cinema Ticket

$12.79 $12.79

$6.10 ARS 9,021

109.67%

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

$1,470 $1,470

$102 ARS 150.4K

1344.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.4K $30.4K

$2,172 ARS 3.2M

1297.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.4 $50.4

$80.9 ARS 119.6K

-37.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.26 $37.26

$77.5 ARS 114.6K

-51.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.8 $91.8

$147 ARS 217.8K

-37.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.4 $96.4

$120 ARS 177.4K

-19.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,575 $1,575

$363 ARS 536.4K

334.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 $1,331

$270 ARS 398.9K

393.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,597 $2,597

$609 ARS 899.8K

326.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,218 $2,218

$502 ARS 741.9K

341.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,011 $3,011

$1,705 ARS 2.5M

76.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,421 $2,421

$1,121 ARS 1.7M

115.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,308 $4,308

$722 ARS 1.1M

496.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.61

-91.63%

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

Last update for Lacey, WA: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mendoza: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,575 in Lacey, WA and $363 in Mendoza. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lacey, WA pays 497% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $111 in Lacey, WA vs $41.00 in Mendoza for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $402 vs $250 per month, with Mendoza 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

Lacey, WA vs Mendoza: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mendoza is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 150% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 497% higher in Lacey, WA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,575 in Lacey, WA versus $363 in Mendoza. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,470 in Lacey, WA 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 Mendoza – a meal for two runs $41.00 versus $111 in Lacey, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,069 in Mendoza versus $2,675 in Lacey, WA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mendoza but tight or insufficient in Lacey, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Mendoza the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mendoza is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lacey, WA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Lacey, WA 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 Mendoza gentler on the wallet – expenses run 150% less than in Lacey, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.