Cost of Living Comparison Between Mendoza and Bariloche Cost of Living Comparison Between Mendoza and Bariloche

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,075 in Mendoza versus $1,207 in Bariloche.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,730 in Mendoza versus $1,946 in Bariloche.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,385 in Mendoza versus $2,684 in Bariloche.

Living in Mendoza costs roughly 11% less than in Bariloche, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mendoza 20% lower, Bariloche 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.84 ARS 15.5K

$11.03 ARS 15.7K

-1.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.73 ARS 59.5K

$25.82 ARS 36.8K

61.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 ARS 13.8K

$9.16 ARS 13.1K

5.90%

Cappuccino

$3.69 ARS 5,262

$3.60 ARS 5,139

2.50%

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

$2.24 ARS 3,193

$1.80 ARS 2,569

24.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ARS 2,938

$1.76 ARS 2,513

17.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 ARS 2,884

$2.19 ARS 3,122

-7.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 ARS 4,187

$2.53 ARS 3,616

15.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 ARS 1,808

$1.53 ARS 2,186

-16.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 ARS 2,128

$2.93 ARS 4,174

-49.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 ARS 2,816

$3.02 ARS 4,311

-34.77%

Eggs

$2.21 ARS 3,146

$2.52 ARS 3,598

-12.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.57 ARS 16.5K

$11.20 ARS 16.0K

3.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.37 ARS 10.5K

$8.29 ARS 11.8K

-11.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.56 ARS 13.6K

$12.13 ARS 17.3K

-21.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 ARS 2,872

$1.98 ARS 2,826

1.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 ARS 2,191

$2.09 ARS 2,984

-26.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 ARS 2,092

$1.95 ARS 2,776

-24.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 ARS 2,985

$2.57 ARS 3,665

-18.68%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 ARS 1,391

$1.13 ARS 1,606

-14.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 ARS 1,442

$0.94 ARS 1,336

7.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ARS 1,459

$1.85 ARS 2,646

-44.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 ARS 3,911

$1.20 ARS 1,708

128.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.45 ARS 3,493

$2.55 ARS 3,632

-3.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.09 ARS 7,255

$7.36 ARS 10.5K

-30.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 ARS 2,814

$2.41 ARS 3,437

-18.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 ARS 4,951

$2.90 ARS 4,132

19.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 ARS 1,035

$1.02 ARS 1,450

-28.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ARS 26.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 ARS 587

$1.51 ARS 2,160

-72.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ARS 1,455

$1.19 ARS 1,693

-14.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.93 ARS 7,036

$5.89 ARS 8,406

-16.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ARS 1,712

$1.03 ARS 1,463

16.50%

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

$31.7K ARS 45.2M

$29.6K ARS 42.2M

7.19%

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

$33.2K ARS 47.4M

$31.8K ARS 45.4M

4.46%

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

$77.6 ARS 110.7K

$56.3 ARS 80.4K

37.76%

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

$17.56 ARS 25.1K

$21.49 ARS 30.7K

-18.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.55 ARS 30.7K

$18.71 ARS 26.7K

15.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.98 ARS 39.9K

$49.02 ARS 69.9K

-42.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.31 ARS 23.3K

$25.38 ARS 36.2K

-35.74%

Cinema Ticket

$6.10 ARS 8,697

$6.47 ARS 9,229

-5.72%

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

$103 ARS 147.6K

$216 ARS 308.4K

-52.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,124 ARS 3.0M

$4,047 ARS 5.8M

-47.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.1 ARS 115.8K

$65.0 ARS 92.7K

24.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.6 ARS 107.8K

$54.1 ARS 77.1K

39.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$150 ARS 214.5K

$98.1 ARS 139.9K

53.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 ARS 169.8K

$105 ARS 149.7K

13.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$353 ARS 504.0K

$527 ARS 752.1K

-32.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$274 ARS 391.0K

$413 ARS 589.3K

-33.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$611 ARS 871.9K

$914 ARS 1.3M

-33.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$502 ARS 716.5K

$950 ARS 1.4M

-47.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,691 ARS 2.4M

$3,041 ARS 4.3M

-44.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,127 ARS 1.6M

$2,454 ARS 3.5M

-54.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$725 ARS 1.0M

$956 ARS 1.4M

-24.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

87.5

-9.71%

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

Last update for Mendoza: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bariloche: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $353 in Mendoza and $527 in Bariloche. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bariloche pays 32% 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: $42.00 in Mendoza vs $26.00 in Bariloche. Groceries flip the comparison at $249 vs $281, with Mendoza cheaper for home cooking.

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

Mendoza vs Bariloche: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mendoza is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Bariloche earns 32% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $353 in Mendoza versus $527 in Bariloche. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $103 in Mendoza versus $216 in Bariloche. 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 $26.00 in Bariloche. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,075 in Mendoza versus $1,207 in Bariloche, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mendoza but tight or insufficient in Bariloche. 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 Bariloche, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Mendoza and Bariloche 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 12% less than in Bariloche. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.