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: $1,341 in Mendoza versus $1,628 in Bariloche.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,114 in Mendoza versus $2,463 in Bariloche.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,887 in Mendoza versus $3,298 in Bariloche.

Living in Mendoza costs roughly 18% less than in Bariloche, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mendoza is 2% below, Bariloche is 18% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.13 ARS 16.8K

$16.68 ARS 25.2K

-33.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.8 ARS 76.9K

$57.1 ARS 86.4K

-11.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.90 ARS 22.5K

$14.37 ARS 21.7K

3.69%

Cappuccino

$4.45 ARS 6,727

$3.93 ARS 5,938

13.23%

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

$2.33 ARS 3,527

$1.76 ARS 2,660

32.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 ARS 2,976

$1.73 ARS 2,621

13.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.09 ARS 6,179

$5.09 ARS 7,704

-19.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 ARS 6,719

$4.58 ARS 6,927

-3.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 ARS 2,117

$1.34 ARS 2,022

4.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 ARS 3,455

$2.02 ARS 3,060

12.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.78 ARS 4,206

$1.46 ARS 2,215

90.41%

Eggs

$3.25 ARS 4,910

$2.80 ARS 4,227

16.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.47 ARS 21.9K

$15.59 ARS 23.6K

-7.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.17 ARS 9,337

$10.37 ARS 15.7K

-40.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 ARS 16.6K

$13.51 ARS 20.4K

-18.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ARS 3,556

$2.27 ARS 3,429

3.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 ARS 3,281

$2.65 ARS 4,014

-18.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ARS 1,974

$1.98 ARS 3,000

-34.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.29 ARS 4,972

$2.66 ARS 4,028

23.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 ARS 3,051

$0.93 ARS 1,406

117.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 ARS 2,288

$0.74 ARS 1,115

104.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 ARS 2,910

$1.94 ARS 2,939

-1.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 ARS 3,732

$1.31 ARS 1,989

88.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.72 ARS 4,109

$2.91 ARS 4,404

-6.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.97 ARS 7,524

$7.58 ARS 11.5K

-34.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ARS 2,709

$1.92 ARS 2,907

-6.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ARS 4,466

$3.93 ARS 5,951

-24.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 ARS 1,468

$1.02 ARS 1,541

-4.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.74 ARS 29.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 ARS 3,097

$0.99 ARS 1,496

107.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ARS 1,540

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.84 ARS 7,317

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ARS 1,821

$1.11 ARS 1,680

8.11%

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

$26.6K ARS 40.2M

$20.1K ARS 30.5M

32.14%

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

$32.8K ARS 49.5M

$32.5K ARS 49.1M

0.87%

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

$135 ARS 204.4K

$84.3 ARS 127.5K

60.25%

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

$17.47 ARS 26.4K

$16.83 ARS 25.5K

3.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.78 ARS 36.0K

$23.93 ARS 36.2K

-0.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.83 ARS 45.1K

$49.02 ARS 74.1K

-39.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 ARS 27.7K

$39.49 ARS 59.7K

-53.61%

Cinema Ticket

$7.27 ARS 11.0K

$8.70 ARS 13.2K

-16.44%

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

$176 ARS 265.9K

$303 ARS 458.2K

-41.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,124 ARS 6.2M

$4,296 ARS 6.5M

-3.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$116 ARS 175.1K

$75.5 ARS 114.2K

53.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$127 ARS 191.7K

$39.72 ARS 60.1K

219.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$140 ARS 211.7K

$110 ARS 166.1K

27.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 ARS 192.9K

$96.2 ARS 145.5K

32.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$483 ARS 729.9K

$1,280 ARS 1.9M

-62.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 ARS 507.2K

$723 ARS 1.1M

-53.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$876 ARS 1.3M

$1,179 ARS 1.8M

-25.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$651 ARS 984.1K

$1,153 ARS 1.7M

-43.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,691 ARS 2.6M

$3,045 ARS 4.6M

-44.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,112 ARS 1.7M

$2,522 ARS 3.8M

-55.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$780 ARS 1.2M

$969 ARS 1.5M

-19.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-34.44%

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

Last update for Mendoza: August 30, 2026

Last update for Bariloche: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $483 in Mendoza and $1,280 in Bariloche. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bariloche pays 24% 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: $51.0 in Mendoza vs $57.0 in Bariloche for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $299 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

Mendoza vs Bariloche: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mendoza is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 24% lower in Bariloche. 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: $483 in Mendoza versus $1,280 in Bariloche. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $176 in Mendoza versus $303 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 $51.0 versus $57.0 in Bariloche. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,341 in Mendoza versus $1,628 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 21% less than in Bariloche. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.