Cost of Living Comparison Between Mendoza and El Calafate Cost of Living Comparison Between Mendoza and El Calafate

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,341 in Mendoza versus $969 in El Calafate.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,114 in Mendoza versus $1,588 in El Calafate.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,887 in Mendoza versus $2,207 in El Calafate.

Living in Mendoza is roughly 38% more expensive than in El Calafate, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mendoza 2% lower, El Calafate 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.13 ARS 16.8K

$10.49 ARS 15.8K

6.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.8 ARS 76.7K

$33.47 ARS 50.5K

51.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.90 ARS 22.5K

$9.23 ARS 13.9K

61.43%

Cappuccino

$4.45 ARS 6,708

$2.78 ARS 4,186

60.07%

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

$2.33 ARS 3,517

$1.64 ARS 2,472

42.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 ARS 2,967

$1.56 ARS 2,360

26.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.09 ARS 6,162

$2.07 ARS 3,127

97.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 ARS 6,700

$2.93 ARS 4,415

51.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 ARS 2,111

$1.30 ARS 1,957

7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 ARS 3,446

$1.57 ARS 2,361

45.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.78 ARS 4,195

$2.02 ARS 3,045

37.62%

Eggs

$3.25 ARS 4,896

$2.27 ARS 3,421

43.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.47 ARS 21.8K

$9.96 ARS 15.0K

45.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.17 ARS 9,311

$6.38 ARS 9,627

-3.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 ARS 16.6K

$9.11 ARS 13.7K

20.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ARS 3,546

$1.95 ARS 2,948

20.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 ARS 3,271

$2.05 ARS 3,087

5.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ARS 1,968

$1.26 ARS 1,894

3.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.29 ARS 4,958

$2.57 ARS 3,876

28.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 ARS 3,042

$1.19 ARS 1,798

69.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 ARS 2,282

$1.20 ARS 1,816

25.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 ARS 2,901

$1.32 ARS 1,995

45.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 ARS 3,722

$1.44 ARS 2,167

71.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.72 ARS 4,098

$3.10 ARS 4,671

-12.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.97 ARS 7,502

$5.01 ARS 7,564

-0.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ARS 2,701

$2.01 ARS 3,028

-10.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ARS 4,454

$3.06 ARS 4,611

-3.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 ARS 1,464

$0.78 ARS 1,176

24.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.74 ARS 29.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 ARS 3,089

$1.47 ARS 2,223

39.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ARS 1,535

$0.92 ARS 1,390

10.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.84 ARS 7,296

$5.90 ARS 8,904

-17.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ARS 1,815

$1.07 ARS 1,609

12.15%

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

$26.6K ARS 40.1M

$27.3K ARS 41.2M

-2.66%

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

$32.8K ARS 49.4M

$30.3K ARS 45.7M

8.04%

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

$135 ARS 203.8K

$65.8 ARS 99.2K

105.41%

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

$17.47 ARS 26.3K

$17.07 ARS 25.7K

2.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.78 ARS 35.9K

$22.38 ARS 33.8K

6.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.83 ARS 45.0K

$26.00 ARS 39.2K

14.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 ARS 27.6K

$13.99 ARS 21.1K

30.95%

Cinema Ticket

$7.27 ARS 11.0K

$6.21 ARS 9,373

17.07%

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

$176 ARS 265.1K

$216 ARS 325.3K

-18.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,124 ARS 6.2M

$2,691 ARS 4.1M

53.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$116 ARS 174.6K

$73.0 ARS 110.1K

58.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$127 ARS 191.2K

$69.3 ARS 104.5K

83.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$140 ARS 211.1K

$113 ARS 171.1K

23.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 ARS 192.3K

$112 ARS 169.6K

13.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$483 ARS 727.8K

$331 ARS 499.4K

45.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 ARS 505.8K

$233 ARS 351.0K

44.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$876 ARS 1.3M

$672 ARS 1.0M

30.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$651 ARS 981.3K

$540 ARS 814.1K

20.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,691 ARS 2.6M

$1,870 ARS 2.8M

-9.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,112 ARS 1.7M

$1,596 ARS 2.4M

-30.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$780 ARS 1.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

58.5

0.85%

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

Last update for Mendoza: August 30, 2026

Last update for El Calafate: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $483 in Mendoza and $331 in El Calafate. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $51.0 in Mendoza vs $33.00 in El Calafate for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $230 per month, with El Calafate 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 El Calafate: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mendoza and El Calafate differ by about 38% in total monthly costs ($1,341 vs $969 including rent). El Calafate is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,011 in Mendoza and $1,453 in El Calafate to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $483 in Mendoza versus $331 in El Calafate. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $176 in Mendoza versus $216 in El Calafate. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in El Calafate – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $51.0 in Mendoza. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $969 in El Calafate versus $1,341 in Mendoza, a $2,000 budget is realistic in El Calafate but tight or insufficient in Mendoza. The gap between the two cities makes El Calafate the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Mendoza and El Calafate 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 El Calafate gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Mendoza. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.