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: $2,695 in Lacey, WA versus $1,075 in Mendoza.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,009 in Lacey, WA versus $1,730 in Mendoza.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,323 in Lacey, WA versus $2,385 in Mendoza.

Living in Lacey, WA is roughly 151% more expensive than Mendoza, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lacey, WA is 101% above, Mendoza is 20% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.79 $27.79

$10.84 ARS 15.5K

156.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$112 $112

$41.73 ARS 59.5K

168.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.54 $12.54

$9.70 ARS 13.8K

29.28%

Cappuccino

$6.19 $6.19

$3.69 ARS 5,262

67.75%

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

$3.53 $3.53

$2.24 ARS 3,193

57.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.06 ARS 2,938

32.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.81 $6.81

$2.02 ARS 2,884

237.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.85 $10.85

$2.93 ARS 4,187

270.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.27 ARS 1,808

-14.96%

White Bread (500g)

$4.33 $4.33

$1.49 ARS 2,128

190.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.97 ARS 2,816

45.69%

Eggs

$4.38 $4.38

$2.21 ARS 3,146

98.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.76 $14.76

$11.57 ARS 16.5K

27.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.42 $10.42

$7.37 ARS 10.5K

41.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.46 $15.46

$9.56 ARS 13.6K

61.72%

Apples (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$2.01 ARS 2,872

163.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.54 ARS 2,191

9.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.14 $4.14

$1.47 ARS 2,092

181.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.74 $3.74

$2.09 ARS 2,985

78.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 $2.45

$0.97 ARS 1,391

152.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 $2.64

$1.01 ARS 1,442

161.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.02 ARS 1,459

142.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.74 ARS 3,911

12.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.16 $9.16

$2.45 ARS 3,493

273.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.96 $14.96

$5.09 ARS 7,255

193.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.97 ARS 2,814

-2.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 $3.59

$3.47 ARS 4,951

3.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.01 $2.01

$0.73 ARS 1,035

175.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ARS 26.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.93 $4.93

$0.41 ARS 587

1102.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.02 ARS 1,455

98.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.3 $52.3

$4.93 ARS 7,036

960.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.20 ARS 1,712

-5.83%

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

$29.9K $29.9K

$31.7K ARS 45.2M

-5.46%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$33.2K ARS 47.4M

-22.81%

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

$155 $155

$77.6 ARS 110.7K

100.31%

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

$51.4 $51.4

$17.56 ARS 25.1K

192.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$94.4 $94.4

$21.55 ARS 30.7K

338.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.03 $43.03

$27.98 ARS 39.9K

53.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.31 ARS 23.3K

Cinema Ticket

$12.66 $12.66

$6.10 ARS 8,697

107.54%

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

$1,479 $1,479

$103 ARS 147.6K

1329.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.6K $29.6K

$2,124 ARS 3.0M

1292.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.6 $50.6

$81.1 ARS 115.8K

-37.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.90 $36.90

$75.6 ARS 107.8K

-51.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 $90.5

$150 ARS 214.5K

-39.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.2 $98.2

$119 ARS 169.8K

-17.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 $1,612

$353 ARS 504.0K

356.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,357 $1,357

$274 ARS 391.0K

394.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,671 $2,671

$611 ARS 871.9K

337.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,258 $2,258

$502 ARS 716.5K

349.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,539 $2,539

$1,691 ARS 2.4M

50.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,495 $2,495

$1,127 ARS 1.6M

121.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,479 $4,479

$725 ARS 1.0M

517.40%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mendoza: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,612 in Lacey, WA and $353 in Mendoza. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lacey, WA pays 517% 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: $112 in Lacey, WA vs $42.00 in Mendoza for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $404 vs $249 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 151% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Lacey, WA pays 517% more on average, 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: $1,612 in Lacey, WA versus $353 in Mendoza. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,479 in Lacey, WA 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 Mendoza – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $112 in Lacey, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,075 in Mendoza versus $2,695 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 151% less than in Lacey, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.