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 $1,067 per month in Mendoza vs $1,005 in Paso de los Libres, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,709 per month in Mendoza vs $1,603 in Paso de los Libres, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,351 per month in Mendoza vs $2,201 in Paso de los Libres, rent included.

Mendoza costs about 6% 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 20% lower, Paso de los Libres 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.11 ARS 16.5K

$10.53 ARS 15.6K

5.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.23 ARS 59.7K

$33.36 ARS 49.5K

20.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.65 ARS 14.3K

$8.91 ARS 13.2K

8.31%

Cappuccino

$3.75 ARS 5,571

$2.70 ARS 4,002

38.89%

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

$2.22 ARS 3,302

$1.64 ARS 2,431

35.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 ARS 2,967

$1.56 ARS 2,315

28.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 ARS 2,998

$2.16 ARS 3,214

-6.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 ARS 4,498

$3.05 ARS 4,530

-0.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 ARS 1,947

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ARS 2,231

$1.63 ARS 2,423

-7.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 ARS 3,017

$2.05 ARS 3,040

-0.98%

Eggs

$2.17 ARS 3,229

$2.27 ARS 3,370

-4.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.72 ARS 17.4K

$9.95 ARS 14.8K

17.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.59 ARS 11.3K

$6.32 ARS 9,386

20.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.38 ARS 13.9K

$9.11 ARS 13.5K

2.96%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 ARS 2,937

$1.96 ARS 2,908

1.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 ARS 2,273

$2.14 ARS 3,185

-28.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 ARS 2,201

$1.32 ARS 1,958

12.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ARS 3,209

$2.60 ARS 3,865

-16.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 ARS 1,465

$1.14 ARS 1,689

-13.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 ARS 1,505

$1.23 ARS 1,827

-17.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ARS 1,459

$1.31 ARS 1,952

-25.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 ARS 3,920

$1.42 ARS 2,110

85.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 ARS 3,659

$3.20 ARS 4,756

-23.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.86 ARS 7,223

$4.61 ARS 6,851

5.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 ARS 2,942

$2.00 ARS 2,968

-1.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 ARS 5,131

$3.05 ARS 4,532

13.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 ARS 999

$0.83 ARS 1,226

-19.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.84 ARS 28.0K

$27.61 ARS 41.0K

-31.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 ARS 621

$1.51 ARS 2,246

-72.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ARS 1,467

$0.93 ARS 1,378

6.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.04 ARS 7,483

$5.84 ARS 8,671

-13.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ARS 1,792

$1.05 ARS 1,557

15.24%

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

$32.0K ARS 47.5M

$27.2K ARS 40.4M

17.51%

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

$32.9K ARS 48.9M

$30.0K ARS 44.6M

9.72%

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

$77.4 ARS 114.9K

$66.1 ARS 98.1K

17.13%

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

$17.57 ARS 26.1K

$17.12 ARS 25.4K

2.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.17 ARS 32.9K

$22.12 ARS 32.8K

0.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.31 ARS 40.6K

$26.26 ARS 39.0K

4.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.74 ARS 23.4K

$13.67 ARS 20.3K

15.14%

Cinema Ticket

$6.05 ARS 8,986

$6.29 ARS 9,346

-3.82%

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

$101 ARS 150.7K

$219 ARS 325.5K

-53.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,174 ARS 3.2M

$2,744 ARS 4.1M

-20.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.2 ARS 122.1K

$73.7 ARS 109.5K

11.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$76.5 ARS 113.7K

$70.0 ARS 103.9K

9.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$148 ARS 219.5K

$113 ARS 167.6K

31.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 ARS 174.0K

$113 ARS 168.2K

3.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$367 ARS 544.2K

$338 ARS 501.9K

8.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 ARS 394.3K

$240 ARS 357.1K

10.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$609 ARS 905.1K

$679 ARS 1.0M

-10.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$514 ARS 763.5K

$527 ARS 782.7K

-2.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,667 ARS 2.5M

$2,037 ARS 3.0M

-18.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,095 ARS 1.6M

$1,756 ARS 2.6M

-37.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$743 ARS 1.1M

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Paso de los Libres: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $367 in Mendoza versus $338 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Mendoza versus $33.00 in Paso de los Libres. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 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 6%, 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 $1,601 per month in Mendoza and $1,507 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 47% less in Paso de los Libres. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $101 per month in Mendoza and $219 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 $1,005, than in Mendoza at $1,067. 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.