Cost of Living Comparison Between Mendoza and Neuquen Cost of Living Comparison Between Mendoza and Neuquen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,084 per month in Mendoza vs $978 in Neuquen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,724 per month in Mendoza vs $1,694 in Neuquen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,363 per month in Mendoza vs $2,410 in Neuquen, rent included.

Mendoza costs about 11% more than Neuquen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Mendoza and Neuquen are more affordable than the global median – Mendoza 19% lower, Neuquen 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.90 ARS 15.4K

$10.55 ARS 14.9K

3.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.34 ARS 56.8K

$34.41 ARS 48.5K

17.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.60 ARS 13.5K

$9.01 ARS 12.7K

6.55%

Cappuccino

$3.62 ARS 5,094

$2.70 ARS 3,808

34.07%

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

$2.26 ARS 3,185

$1.72 ARS 2,418

31.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ARS 2,907

$1.50 ARS 2,117

37.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 ARS 2,747

$2.05 ARS 2,891

-4.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ARS 4,178

$2.96 ARS 4,169

0.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 ARS 1,790

$1.26 ARS 1,771

0.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 ARS 2,159

$1.64 ARS 2,309

-6.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 ARS 2,759

$1.94 ARS 2,737

1.03%

Eggs

$2.21 ARS 3,117

$2.16 ARS 3,048

2.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.44 ARS 16.1K

$10.16 ARS 14.3K

12.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.34 ARS 10.3K

$6.03 ARS 8,491

21.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.69 ARS 13.6K

$9.31 ARS 13.1K

4.08%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 ARS 2,784

$1.95 ARS 2,752

1.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 ARS 2,076

$2.15 ARS 3,027

-31.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 ARS 2,134

$1.25 ARS 1,765

21.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 ARS 3,021

$2.61 ARS 3,671

-17.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 ARS 1,381

$1.19 ARS 1,669

-17.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 ARS 1,445

$1.24 ARS 1,747

-16.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ARS 1,374

$1.32 ARS 1,863

-25.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 ARS 3,688

$1.49 ARS 2,094

75.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.44 ARS 3,430

$3.04 ARS 4,286

-19.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.97 ARS 7,003

$4.28 ARS 6,025

16.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 ARS 2,766

$2.08 ARS 2,930

-5.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 ARS 4,791

$3.16 ARS 4,457

7.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 ARS 1,003

$0.76 ARS 1,074

-6.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 ARS 26.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 ARS 623

$1.47 ARS 2,074

-70.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ARS 1,446

$0.92 ARS 1,290

11.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.76 ARS 6,710

$6.08 ARS 8,556

-21.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ARS 1,680

$1.11 ARS 1,561

7.21%

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

$32.1K ARS 45.2M

$27.0K ARS 38.0M

18.86%

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

$33.1K ARS 46.6M

$30.0K ARS 42.2M

10.45%

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

$75.8 ARS 106.7K

$66.7 ARS 93.9K

13.60%

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

$17.27 ARS 24.3K

$17.35 ARS 24.4K

-0.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.09 ARS 31.1K

$22.37 ARS 31.5K

-1.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.87 ARS 39.2K

$30.16 ARS 42.5K

-7.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.09 ARS 22.7K

$13.64 ARS 19.2K

17.96%

Cinema Ticket

$5.90 ARS 8,303

$6.19 ARS 8,711

-4.68%

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

$104 ARS 146.5K

$217 ARS 306.2K

-52.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,157 ARS 3.0M

$2,704 ARS 3.8M

-20.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.9 ARS 116.7K

$74.2 ARS 104.5K

11.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.4 ARS 106.2K

$69.6 ARS 98.0K

8.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$151 ARS 213.2K

$115 ARS 162.5K

31.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 ARS 166.1K

$113 ARS 159.7K

4.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$356 ARS 501.5K

$694 ARS 977.3K

-48.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 ARS 382.5K

$233 ARS 328.5K

16.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$603 ARS 848.9K

$1,504 ARS 2.1M

-59.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ARS 718.3K

$799 ARS 1.1M

-36.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,680 ARS 2.4M

$1,762 ARS 2.5M

-4.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,107 ARS 1.6M

$1,251 ARS 1.8M

-11.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$739 ARS 1.0M

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Neuquen: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $356 in Mendoza versus $694 in Neuquen. 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 $40.00 in Mendoza versus $34.00 in Neuquen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $247 vs $229 – making Neuquen 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 Neuquen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mendoza is pricier by about 11%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,626 per month in Mendoza and $1,468 in Neuquen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,084 in Mendoza and $978 in Neuquen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $104 per month in Mendoza and $217 in Neuquen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Neuquen, where all-in costs run around $978, than in Mendoza at $1,084. In Neuquen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mendoza it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Neuquen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Neuquen. 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.