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: $2,577 in Lacey, WA versus $1,341 in Mendoza.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,840 in Lacey, WA versus $2,114 in Mendoza.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,103 in Lacey, WA versus $2,887 in Mendoza.

Living in Lacey, WA is roughly 92% more expensive than in Mendoza, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lacey, WA is 88% above, Mendoza is 2% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.47 $25.47

$11.13 ARS 16.8K

128.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 $69.2

$50.8 ARS 76.8K

36.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$14.90 ARS 22.5K

-11.48%

Cappuccino

$6.33 $6.33

$4.45 ARS 6,718

42.25%

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

$3.94 $3.94

$2.33 ARS 3,522

69.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.97 ARS 2,972

28.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.02 $8.02

$4.09 ARS 6,171

96.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.98 $9.98

$4.44 ARS 6,710

124.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.40 ARS 2,115

-25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$4.48 $4.48

$2.28 ARS 3,451

96.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$2.78 ARS 4,201

-0.36%

Eggs

$5.29 $5.29

$3.25 ARS 4,903

62.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.84 $14.84

$14.47 ARS 21.9K

2.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.42 $10.42

$6.17 ARS 9,325

68.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.39 $15.39

$11.00 ARS 16.6K

39.91%

Apples (1kg)

$5.13 $5.13

$2.35 ARS 3,552

118.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 $1.69

$2.17 ARS 3,276

-22.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.96 $3.96

$1.30 ARS 1,971

204.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$3.29 ARS 4,965

31.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.41 $2.41

$2.02 ARS 3,047

19.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 $2.49

$1.51 ARS 2,285

64.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.92 ARS 2,906

27.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.47 ARS 3,727

-19.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.97 $11.97

$2.72 ARS 4,104

340.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.86 $14.86

$4.97 ARS 7,514

198.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$1.79 ARS 2,705

15.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.95 ARS 4,460

-20.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.97 ARS 1,466

108.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.74 ARS 29.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.89 $4.89

$2.05 ARS 3,093

138.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.69 $2.69

$1.02 ARS 1,538

163.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$53.4 $53.4

$4.84 ARS 7,307

1003.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.20 ARS 1,818

4.17%

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

$37.0K $37.0K

$26.6K ARS 40.2M

38.94%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$32.8K ARS 49.5M

-20.65%

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

$159 $159

$135 ARS 204.1K

17.46%

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

$54.7 $54.7

$17.47 ARS 26.4K

213.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$95.9 $95.9

$23.78 ARS 35.9K

303.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.16 $42.16

$29.83 ARS 45.1K

41.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 ARS 27.7K

Cinema Ticket

$12.79 $12.79

$7.27 ARS 11.0K

75.93%

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

$1,424 $1,424

$176 ARS 265.5K

709.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$49.8K $49.8K

$4,124 ARS 6.2M

1108.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.60 $44.60

$116 ARS 174.9K

-61.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.34 $37.34

$127 ARS 191.5K

-70.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 $90.5

$140 ARS 211.4K

-35.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 $102

$128 ARS 192.6K

-19.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$483 ARS 728.9K

236.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,315 $1,315

$335 ARS 506.5K

292.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,505 $2,505

$876 ARS 1.3M

185.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,135 $2,135

$651 ARS 982.8K

228.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,724 $2,724

$1,691 ARS 2.6M

61.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,384 $2,384

$1,112 ARS 1.7M

114.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,160 $4,160

$780 ARS 1.2M

433.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.03

-89.78%

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

Last update for Lacey, WA: August 31, 2026

Last update for Mendoza: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,621 in Lacey, WA and $483 in Mendoza. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lacey, WA pays 433% 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: $69.0 in Lacey, WA vs $51.0 in Mendoza for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $394 vs $286 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 92% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 433% 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: $1,621 in Lacey, WA versus $483 in Mendoza. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,424 in Lacey, WA 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 Mendoza – a meal for two runs $51.0 versus $69.0 in Lacey, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,341 in Mendoza versus $2,577 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 92% less than in Lacey, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.