Cost of Living Comparison Between Mendoza and Paso de los Libres Cost of Living Comparison Between Mendoza and Paso de los Libres

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,084 per month in Mendoza vs $1,009 in Paso de los Libres, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,724 per month in Mendoza vs $1,639 in Paso de los Libres, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,363 per month in Mendoza vs $2,270 in Paso de los Libres, rent included.

Mendoza costs about 7% more than Paso de los Libres, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Mendoza and Paso de los Libres are more affordable than the global median – Mendoza 19% lower, Paso de los Libres 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.90 ARS 15.2K

$10.53 ARS 14.7K

3.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.34 ARS 56.3K

$34.14 ARS 47.6K

18.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.60 ARS 13.4K

$8.86 ARS 12.4K

8.35%

Cappuccino

$3.62 ARS 5,047

$2.66 ARS 3,713

36.09%

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

$2.26 ARS 3,155

$1.64 ARS 2,291

37.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ARS 2,881

$1.50 ARS 2,086

37.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 ARS 2,722

$2.10 ARS 2,924

-7.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ARS 4,140

$2.93 ARS 4,091

1.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 ARS 1,774

$1.25 ARS 1,747

1.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 ARS 2,139

$1.58 ARS 2,207

-3.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 ARS 2,733

$2.03 ARS 2,833

-3.45%

Eggs

$2.21 ARS 3,089

$2.27 ARS 3,164

-2.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.44 ARS 16.0K

$10.06 ARS 14.0K

13.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.34 ARS 10.2K

$6.06 ARS 8,458

21.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.69 ARS 13.5K

$9.35 ARS 13.0K

3.64%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 ARS 2,758

$2.03 ARS 2,828

-2.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 ARS 2,057

$2.14 ARS 2,987

-31.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 ARS 2,115

$1.32 ARS 1,847

15.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 ARS 2,994

$2.53 ARS 3,529

-15.02%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 ARS 1,368

$1.14 ARS 1,586

-14.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 ARS 1,432

$1.21 ARS 1,684

-14.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ARS 1,361

$1.31 ARS 1,827

-25.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 ARS 3,654

$1.49 ARS 2,073

75.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.44 ARS 3,399

$3.15 ARS 4,400

-22.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.97 ARS 6,940

$4.85 ARS 6,770

2.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 ARS 2,740

$2.00 ARS 2,797

-2.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 ARS 4,747

$3.04 ARS 4,242

11.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 ARS 993

$0.82 ARS 1,145

-13.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 ARS 26.0K

$28.38 ARS 39.6K

-34.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 ARS 618

$1.49 ARS 2,073

-70.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ARS 1,433

$0.86 ARS 1,195

19.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.76 ARS 6,648

$6.12 ARS 8,535

-22.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ARS 1,664

$1.11 ARS 1,547

7.21%

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

$32.1K ARS 44.8M

$27.9K ARS 38.9M

15.02%

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

$33.1K ARS 46.2M

$29.9K ARS 41.7M

10.63%

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

$75.8 ARS 105.7K

$67.2 ARS 93.8K

12.74%

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

$17.27 ARS 24.1K

$17.15 ARS 23.9K

0.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.09 ARS 30.8K

$22.58 ARS 31.5K

-2.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.87 ARS 38.9K

$26.55 ARS 37.1K

4.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.09 ARS 22.5K

$13.50 ARS 18.8K

19.19%

Cinema Ticket

$5.90 ARS 8,228

$6.30 ARS 8,796

-6.35%

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

$104 ARS 145.1K

$216 ARS 301.6K

-51.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,157 ARS 3.0M

$2,670 ARS 3.7M

-19.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.9 ARS 115.7K

$73.5 ARS 102.6K

12.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.4 ARS 105.2K

$70.5 ARS 98.4K

6.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$151 ARS 211.3K

$114 ARS 158.4K

33.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 ARS 164.6K

$111 ARS 154.4K

6.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$356 ARS 496.9K

$332 ARS 463.0K

7.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 ARS 379.0K

$239 ARS 333.9K

13.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$603 ARS 841.1K

$692 ARS 964.9K

-12.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ARS 711.7K

$538 ARS 750.5K

-5.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,680 ARS 2.3M

$2,053 ARS 2.9M

-18.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,107 ARS 1.5M

$2,729 ARS 3.8M

-59.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$739 ARS 1.0M

$464 ARS 646.8K

59.34%

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 Paso de los Libres: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $356 in Mendoza versus $332 in Paso de los Libres. 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 59% 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 $40.00 in Mendoza versus $34.00 in Paso de los Libres. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $247 vs $230 – making Paso de los Libres 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 Paso de los Libres: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mendoza is pricier by about 7%, 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 $1,513 in Paso de los Libres. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 52% less in Paso de los Libres. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $104 per month in Mendoza and $216 in Paso de los Libres. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Paso de los Libres, where all-in costs run around $1,009, than in Mendoza at $1,084. In Paso de los Libres it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mendoza it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Paso de los Libres – 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 Paso de los Libres. 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.