Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mendoza and Lima

For one person, living is cheaper in Lima: $996 a month against $1,361 in Mendoza, rent and utilities included – about $4,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

67

Cost of Living Index in Mendoza
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Mendoza Living Index
49

Cost of Living Index in Lima
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Lima Living Index

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Mendoza

🇦🇷 Argentina

$1,361

/mo nomad

Lima

🇵🇪 Peru

$996

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mendoza and in Lima

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mendoza and in Lima actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,361 in Mendoza versus $996 in Lima.

Mendoza $1,361
Lima $996

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,195 in Mendoza versus $1,594 in Lima.

Mendoza $2,195
Lima $1,594

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,029 in Mendoza versus $2,191 in Lima.

Mendoza $3,029
Lima $2,191

Living in Mendoza is roughly 37% more expensive than in Lima, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mendoza is 2% above, Lima is 26% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.87 ARS 16.5K

$4.42 PEN 15.21

145.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.0 ARS 75.9K

$35.04 PEN 121

42.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.90 ARS 22.6K

$6.84 PEN 23.52

117.84%

Cappuccino

$4.55 ARS 6,898

$3.27 PEN 11.26

39.14%

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

$2.42 ARS 3,668

$1.10 PEN 3.80

120.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 ARS 2,858

$0.65 PEN 2.23

190.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.05 ARS 6,135

$2.58 PEN 8.88

56.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.60 ARS 6,971

$4.47 PEN 15.39

2.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 ARS 2,033

$1.59 PEN 5.48

-15.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 ARS 3,437

$2.58 PEN 8.89

-12.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.67 ARS 4,051

$1.36 PEN 4.67

96.32%

Eggs

$3.19 ARS 4,843

$2.95 PEN 10.14

8.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.61 ARS 22.2K

$9.10 PEN 31.30

60.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.30 ARS 9,556

$5.81 PEN 19.98

8.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.95 ARS 16.6K

$9.83 PEN 33.80

11.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ARS 3,512

$2.01 PEN 6.92

15.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 ARS 3,244

$1.08 PEN 3.70

98.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 ARS 2,038

$1.37 PEN 4.71

-2.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.19 ARS 4,840

$1.48 PEN 5.08

115.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 ARS 3,077

$0.96 PEN 3.32

111.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ARS 2,277

$0.85 PEN 2.93

76.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 ARS 2,945

$0.88 PEN 3.03

120.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 ARS 3,806

$0.87 PEN 2.98

188.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.80 ARS 4,244

$5.90 PEN 20.31

-52.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.03 ARS 7,625

$8.81 PEN 30.31

-42.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ARS 2,711

$1.92 PEN 6.59

-6.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 ARS 4,445

$3.20 PEN 11.02

-8.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 ARS 1,472

$0.68 PEN 2.33

42.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.83 ARS 30.1K

$26.74 PEN 92.0

-25.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 ARS 3,112

$3.81 PEN 13.10

-46.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ARS 1,541

$2.04 PEN 7.02

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.04 ARS 7,642

$7.14 PEN 24.57

-29.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ARS 1,831

$1.65 PEN 5.67

-26.67%

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

$26.7K ARS 40.4M

$22.2K PEN 76.3K

20.22%

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

$33.2K ARS 50.4M

$25.7K PEN 88.3K

29.47%

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

$143 ARS 217.2K

$73.0 PEN 251

96.19%

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

$17.59 ARS 26.7K

$16.26 PEN 55.9

8.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.39 ARS 37.0K

$27.60 PEN 94.9

-11.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.80 ARS 48.2K

$33.07 PEN 114

-3.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.99 ARS 27.3K

$19.49 PEN 67.1

-7.70%

Cinema Ticket

$7.16 ARS 10.9K

$7.39 PEN 25.41

-3.11%

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

$173 ARS 262.6K

$182 PEN 626

-4.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,150 ARS 6.3M

$13.3K PEN 45.8K

-68.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$127 ARS 192.9K

$52.6 PEN 181

142.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$140 ARS 211.7K

$34.23 PEN 118

307.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 ARS 220.8K

$83.8 PEN 288

73.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$161 ARS 244.7K

$79.0 PEN 272

104.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$561 ARS 850.3K

$723 PEN 2,488

-22.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$340 ARS 515.7K

$340 PEN 1,170

0.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$975 ARS 1.5M

$1,184 PEN 4,074

-17.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$682 ARS 1.0M

$635 PEN 2,183

7.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,699 ARS 2.6M

$2,449 PEN 8,423

-30.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,115 ARS 1.7M

$1,372 PEN 4,718

-18.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$768 ARS 1.2M

$653 PEN 2,245

17.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.94

559.96%

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

Last update for Mendoza: October 4, 2026

Last update for Lima: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Mendoza

$340 24.7%

Lima

$340 33.6% 0% $0.1

Groceries & Markets

Mendoza

$285 20.7%

Lima

$226 22.4% 20.7% $59

Clothing & Footwear

Mendoza

$258 18.7%

Lima

$112 11.1% 56.5% $146

Eating Out

Mendoza

$233 16.9%

Lima

$124 12.3% 46.7% $109

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mendoza

$185 13.4%

Lima

$117 11.6% 36.9% $68

Sport & Entertainment

Mendoza

$46 3.3%

Lima

$48 4.7% 3.8% $1.7

Getting Around

Mendoza

$31 2.2%

Lima

$43 4.3% 40.9% $13

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $561 in Mendoza and $723 in Lima. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mendoza pays 18% 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: $50.0 in Mendoza vs $35.00 in Lima for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $285 vs $226 per month, with Lima cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇦🇷 Mendoza

🇵🇪 Lima

🕒 Local time

23:24 11:24 PM

21:24 9:24 PM

2 h behind Mendoza

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

937,154

9,989,369 Capital

💱 Currency

Argentine Peso ARS $

Peruvian Sol PEN S/

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 ARS = 6.6 USD

10,000 ARS = 5.88 EUR

1 PEN = 0.291 USD

1 PEN = 0.259 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PEN, USD, EUR to ARS – Argentine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇦🇷 Argentine Peso ($)

Argentine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1,516 ARS (10,000 ARS = 6.6 USD). 1 EUR = 1,700 ARS (10,000 ARS = 5.88 EUR).

Peruvian Sol exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3.44 PEN (1 PEN = 0.291 USD). 1 EUR = 3.86 PEN (1 PEN = 0.259 EUR).

USD to ARS in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Mendoza Lima 2,460 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Mendoza
Lima

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Lima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mendoza and Lima differ by about 37% in total monthly costs ($1,361 vs $996 including rent). Lima is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 18% higher in Mendoza, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $561 in Mendoza versus $723 in Lima. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $173 in Mendoza versus $182 in Lima. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Mendoza. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $996 in Lima versus $1,361 in Mendoza, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lima but tight or insufficient in Mendoza. The gap between the two cities makes Lima 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 Lima 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 Lima gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Mendoza. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.