Cost of Living Comparison Between Mendoza and La Plata Cost of Living Comparison Between Mendoza and La Plata

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,075 per month in Mendoza vs $872 in La Plata, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,730 per month in Mendoza vs $1,501 in La Plata, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,385 per month in Mendoza vs $2,129 in La Plata, rent included.

Mendoza costs about 23% more than La Plata, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mendoza and La Plata are more affordable than the global median – Mendoza 20% lower, La Plata 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.84 ARS 15.6K

$11.95 ARS 17.2K

-9.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.73 ARS 60.0K

$27.98 ARS 40.3K

49.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 ARS 14.0K

$5.29 ARS 7,607

83.36%

Cappuccino

$3.69 ARS 5,307

$2.94 ARS 4,225

25.51%

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

$2.24 ARS 3,219

$0.78 ARS 1,121

187.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ARS 2,963

$0.72 ARS 1,041

186.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 ARS 2,908

$1.03 ARS 1,477

96.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 ARS 4,222

$3.92 ARS 5,644

-25.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 ARS 1,823

$1.22 ARS 1,756

4.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 ARS 2,146

$1.60 ARS 2,296

-6.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 ARS 2,840

$1.60 ARS 2,304

23.12%

Eggs

$2.21 ARS 3,173

$2.18 ARS 3,134

1.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.57 ARS 16.6K

$7.51 ARS 10.8K

54.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.37 ARS 10.6K

$5.64 ARS 8,106

30.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.56 ARS 13.8K

$8.29 ARS 11.9K

15.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 ARS 2,896

$2.44 ARS 3,514

-17.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 ARS 2,209

$1.82 ARS 2,622

-15.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 ARS 2,109

$1.10 ARS 1,584

33.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 ARS 3,010

$2.54 ARS 3,650

-17.72%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 ARS 1,402

$0.77 ARS 1,106

25.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 ARS 1,454

$1.16 ARS 1,668

-12.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ARS 1,472

$1.81 ARS 2,603

-43.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 ARS 3,944

$1.23 ARS 1,774

122.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.45 ARS 3,523

$2.93 ARS 4,214

-16.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.09 ARS 7,316

$5.07 ARS 7,299

0.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 ARS 2,838

$2.21 ARS 3,175

-10.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 ARS 4,993

$3.17 ARS 4,564

9.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 ARS 1,044

$0.32 ARS 463

128.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ARS 27.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 ARS 591

$1.55 ARS 2,224

-73.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ARS 1,467

$0.89 ARS 1,282

14.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.93 ARS 7,095

$6.13 ARS 8,812

-19.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ARS 1,726

$0.92 ARS 1,330

30.43%

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

$31.7K ARS 45.6M

$25.1K ARS 36.2M

25.96%

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

$33.2K ARS 47.8M

$28.5K ARS 41.0M

16.50%

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

$77.6 ARS 111.6K

$35.88 ARS 51.6K

116.28%

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

$17.56 ARS 25.3K

$16.52 ARS 23.8K

6.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.55 ARS 31.0K

$23.40 ARS 33.7K

-7.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.98 ARS 40.2K

$22.03 ARS 31.7K

27.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.31 ARS 23.5K

$13.72 ARS 19.7K

18.88%

Cinema Ticket

$6.10 ARS 8,770

$6.91 ARS 9,936

-11.72%

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

$103 ARS 148.8K

$323 ARS 464.6K

-67.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,124 ARS 3.1M

$5,208 ARS 7.5M

-59.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.1 ARS 116.7K

$92.4 ARS 132.9K

-12.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.6 ARS 108.7K

$85.0 ARS 122.3K

-11.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$150 ARS 216.3K

$120 ARS 172.5K

25.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 ARS 171.3K

$133 ARS 190.6K

-10.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$353 ARS 508.2K

$301 ARS 433.4K

17.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$274 ARS 394.3K

$185 ARS 266.2K

48.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$611 ARS 879.2K

$649 ARS 932.9K

-5.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$502 ARS 722.5K

$500 ARS 719.6K

0.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,691 ARS 2.4M

$1,992 ARS 2.9M

-15.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,127 ARS 1.6M

$1,426 ARS 2.1M

-20.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$725 ARS 1.0M

$655 ARS 941.8K

10.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

52.71

49.88%

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

Last update for Mendoza: May 31, 2026

Last update for La Plata: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $353 in Mendoza versus $301 in La Plata. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 11% higher in Mendoza, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Mendoza versus $28.00 in La Plata. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $213 – making La Plata 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 La Plata: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,075 in Mendoza, $872 in La Plata – roughly 23% apart. Mendoza costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,612 per month in Mendoza and $1,309 in La Plata. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in La Plata, 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 $42.00 in Mendoza and $28.00 in La Plata. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% 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 La Plata, where all-in costs run around $872, than in Mendoza at $1,075. In La Plata 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 $872 in La Plata to $1,075 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 La Plata. 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.