Cost of Living Comparison Between Mendoza and Cafayate Cost of Living Comparison Between Mendoza and Cafayate

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,104 per month in Mendoza vs $928 in Cafayate, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,750 per month in Mendoza vs $1,504 in Cafayate, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,396 per month in Mendoza vs $2,080 in Cafayate, rent included.

Mendoza costs about 19% more than Cafayate, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Mendoza and Cafayate are more affordable than the global median – Mendoza 18% lower, Cafayate 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.12 ARS 15.9K

$6.89 ARS 9,848

61.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.16 ARS 58.8K

$32.13 ARS 45.9K

28.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 ARS 13.3K

$9.00 ARS 12.9K

3.22%

Cappuccino

$3.61 ARS 5,160

$2.79 ARS 3,991

29.39%

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

$2.32 ARS 3,319

$1.53 ARS 2,191

51.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ARS 2,931

$0.84 ARS 1,200

144.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 ARS 2,893

$2.06 ARS 2,942

-1.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 ARS 4,352

$3.04 ARS 4,338

0.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 ARS 1,836

$1.29 ARS 1,843

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 ARS 2,201

$1.56 ARS 2,228

-1.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 ARS 2,890

$1.94 ARS 2,768

4.12%

Eggs

$2.13 ARS 3,044

$2.18 ARS 3,116

-2.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.51 ARS 16.4K

$10.21 ARS 14.6K

12.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.60 ARS 10.9K

$6.08 ARS 8,685

25.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.76 ARS 13.9K

$9.33 ARS 13.3K

4.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 ARS 2,896

$1.96 ARS 2,793

3.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 ARS 2,179

$2.09 ARS 2,985

-26.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 ARS 2,126

$1.33 ARS 1,896

12.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ARS 2,972

$2.57 ARS 3,669

-19.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 ARS 1,464

$1.14 ARS 1,634

-9.65%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 ARS 1,408

$1.20 ARS 1,711

-17.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 ARS 1,388

$1.27 ARS 1,813

-23.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 ARS 3,731

$1.48 ARS 2,114

76.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.45 ARS 3,496

$3.20 ARS 4,565

-23.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.15 ARS 7,354

$5.41 ARS 7,727

-4.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 ARS 2,821

$2.08 ARS 2,965

-5.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 ARS 5,105

$3.15 ARS 4,503

13.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 ARS 1,045

$0.82 ARS 1,174

-10.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.18 ARS 26.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 ARS 631

$1.53 ARS 2,191

-71.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 ARS 1,404

$0.85 ARS 1,219

15.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.89 ARS 6,984

$6.08 ARS 8,684

-19.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ARS 1,661

$1.06 ARS 1,508

9.43%

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

$32.1K ARS 45.9M

$27.0K ARS 38.6M

18.89%

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

$33.4K ARS 47.7M

$30.9K ARS 44.2M

7.99%

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

$78.8 ARS 112.5K

$65.8 ARS 94.0K

19.68%

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

$16.93 ARS 24.2K

$16.89 ARS 24.1K

0.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.44 ARS 30.6K

$22.45 ARS 32.1K

-4.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.12 ARS 38.7K

$26.49 ARS 37.8K

2.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.05 ARS 22.9K

$13.69 ARS 19.6K

17.24%

Cinema Ticket

$6.14 ARS 8,767

$6.05 ARS 8,640

1.49%

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

$102 ARS 145.1K

$216 ARS 309.2K

-53.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,194 ARS 3.1M

$2,654 ARS 3.8M

-17.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.0 ARS 117.1K

$73.1 ARS 104.5K

12.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$76.8 ARS 109.7K

$69.7 ARS 99.5K

10.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$152 ARS 216.4K

$116 ARS 165.3K

30.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 ARS 172.1K

$113 ARS 161.9K

6.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$360 ARS 514.6K

$339 ARS 484.0K

6.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$275 ARS 392.8K

$240 ARS 342.5K

14.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$618 ARS 883.0K

$669 ARS 955.1K

-7.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ARS 714.8K

$527 ARS 753.4K

-5.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,650 ARS 2.4M

$1,837 ARS 2.6M

-10.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,127 ARS 1.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$745 ARS 1.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

58.5

35.04%

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

Last update for Mendoza: June 8, 2026

Last update for Cafayate: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $360 in Mendoza versus $339 in Cafayate. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Mendoza versus $32.00 in Cafayate. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $231 – making Cafayate the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Cafayate: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,104 in Mendoza, $928 in Cafayate – roughly 19% apart. Mendoza costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,656 per month in Mendoza and $1,392 in Cafayate. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cafayate, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Mendoza and $32.00 in Cafayate. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Mendoza, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Cafayate, where all-in costs run around $928, than in Mendoza at $1,104. In Cafayate it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mendoza it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mendoza has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $928 in Cafayate to $1,104 in Mendoza. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Cafayate. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mendoza makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.