Cost of Living Comparison Between Mendoza and Lacey, WA Cost of Living Comparison Between Mendoza and Lacey, WA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,075 in Mendoza versus $2,695 in Lacey, WA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,730 in Mendoza versus $4,009 in Lacey, WA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,385 in Mendoza versus $5,323 in Lacey, WA.

Living in Mendoza costs roughly 60% less than in Lacey, WA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mendoza is 20% below, Lacey, WA is 101% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.84 ARS 15.6K

$27.79 $27.79

-60.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.73 ARS 60.0K

$112 $112

-62.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 ARS 14.0K

$12.54 $12.54

-22.65%

Cappuccino

$3.69 ARS 5,307

$6.19 $6.19

-40.39%

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

$2.24 ARS 3,219

$3.53 $3.53

-36.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ARS 2,963

$2.73 $2.73

-24.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 ARS 2,908

$6.81 $6.81

-70.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 ARS 4,222

$10.85 $10.85

-73.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 ARS 1,823

$1.08 $1.08

17.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 ARS 2,146

$4.33 $4.33

-65.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 ARS 2,840

$2.87 $2.87

-31.36%

Eggs

$2.21 ARS 3,173

$4.38 $4.38

-49.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.57 ARS 16.6K

$14.76 $14.76

-21.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.37 ARS 10.6K

$10.42 $10.42

-29.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.56 ARS 13.8K

$15.46 $15.46

-38.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 ARS 2,896

$5.29 $5.29

-62.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 ARS 2,209

$1.68 $1.68

-8.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 ARS 2,109

$4.14 $4.14

-64.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 ARS 3,010

$3.74 $3.74

-44.12%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 ARS 1,402

$2.45 $2.45

-60.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 ARS 1,454

$2.64 $2.64

-61.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ARS 1,472

$2.47 $2.47

-58.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 ARS 3,944

$3.09 $3.09

-11.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.45 ARS 3,523

$9.16 $9.16

-73.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.09 ARS 7,316

$14.96 $14.96

-65.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 ARS 2,838

$1.92 $1.92

2.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 ARS 4,993

$3.59 $3.59

-3.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 ARS 1,044

$2.01 $2.01

-63.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ARS 27.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 ARS 591

$4.93 $4.93

-91.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ARS 1,467

$2.02 $2.02

-49.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.93 ARS 7,095

$52.3 $52.3

-90.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ARS 1,726

$1.13 $1.13

6.19%

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

$31.7K ARS 45.6M

$29.9K $29.9K

5.78%

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

$33.2K ARS 47.8M

$25.7K $25.7K

29.55%

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

$77.6 ARS 111.6K

$155 $155

-50.08%

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

$17.56 ARS 25.3K

$51.4 $51.4

-65.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.55 ARS 31.0K

$94.4 $94.4

-77.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.98 ARS 40.2K

$43.03 $43.03

-34.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.31 ARS 23.5K

Cinema Ticket

$6.10 ARS 8,770

$12.66 $12.66

-51.82%

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

$103 ARS 148.8K

$1,479 $1,479

-93.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,124 ARS 3.1M

$29.6K $29.6K

-92.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.1 ARS 116.7K

$50.6 $50.6

60.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.6 ARS 108.7K

$36.90 $36.90

104.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$150 ARS 216.3K

$90.5 $90.5

66.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 ARS 171.3K

$98.2 $98.2

21.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$353 ARS 508.2K

$1,612 $1,612

-78.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$274 ARS 394.3K

$1,357 $1,357

-79.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$611 ARS 879.2K

$2,671 $2,671

-77.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$502 ARS 722.5K

$2,258 $2,258

-77.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,691 ARS 2.4M

$2,539 $2,539

-33.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,127 ARS 1.6M

$2,495 $2,495

-54.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$725 ARS 1.0M

$4,479 $4,479

-83.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.61

1095.16%

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

Last update for Mendoza: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lacey, WA: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $353 in Mendoza and $1,612 in Lacey, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lacey, WA pays 517% 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 $112 in Lacey, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $404 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 Lacey, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mendoza is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 151% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Lacey, WA earns 517% 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 $1,612 in Lacey, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $103 in Mendoza versus $1,479 in Lacey, WA. 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 $112 in Lacey, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,075 in Mendoza versus $2,695 in Lacey, WA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mendoza but tight or insufficient in Lacey, WA. 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 Lacey, WA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Mendoza and Lacey, WA 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 151% less than in Lacey, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.