Cost of Living Comparison Between Mendoza and Río Tercero Cost of Living Comparison Between Mendoza and Río Tercero

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,075 per month in Mendoza vs $978 in Río Tercero, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,730 per month in Mendoza vs $1,591 in Río Tercero, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,385 per month in Mendoza vs $2,204 in Río Tercero, rent included.

Mendoza costs about 10% more than Río Tercero, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Mendoza and Río Tercero are more affordable than the global median – Mendoza 20% lower, Río Tercero 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.84 ARS 15.5K

$10.62 ARS 15.1K

2.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.73 ARS 59.5K

$33.61 ARS 47.9K

24.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 ARS 13.8K

$9.30 ARS 13.3K

4.30%

Cappuccino

$3.69 ARS 5,262

$2.79 ARS 3,978

32.26%

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

$2.24 ARS 3,193

$1.71 ARS 2,437

30.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ARS 2,938

$1.55 ARS 2,216

32.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 ARS 2,884

$2.08 ARS 2,970

-2.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 ARS 4,187

$3.02 ARS 4,306

-2.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 ARS 1,808

$1.25 ARS 1,778

1.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 ARS 2,128

$1.64 ARS 2,342

-9.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 ARS 2,816

$2.03 ARS 2,890

-2.96%

Eggs

$2.21 ARS 3,146

$2.19 ARS 3,122

0.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.57 ARS 16.5K

$10.17 ARS 14.5K

13.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.37 ARS 10.5K

$6.35 ARS 9,053

16.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.56 ARS 13.6K

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 ARS 2,872

$2.03 ARS 2,893

-0.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 ARS 2,191

$2.14 ARS 3,051

-28.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 ARS 2,092

$1.33 ARS 1,890

10.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 ARS 2,985

$2.54 ARS 3,619

-17.72%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 ARS 1,391

$1.13 ARS 1,611

-14.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 ARS 1,442

$1.26 ARS 1,792

-19.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ARS 1,459

$1.27 ARS 1,811

-19.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 ARS 3,911

$1.44 ARS 2,052

90.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.45 ARS 3,493

$3.06 ARS 4,371

-19.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.09 ARS 7,255

$5.33 ARS 7,598

-4.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 ARS 2,814

$1.98 ARS 2,830

-0.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 ARS 4,951

$3.10 ARS 4,421

11.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 ARS 1,035

$0.81 ARS 1,161

-9.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ARS 26.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 ARS 587

$1.54 ARS 2,196

-73.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ARS 1,455

$0.85 ARS 1,215

20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.93 ARS 7,036

$5.96 ARS 8,503

-17.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ARS 1,712

$1.06 ARS 1,507

13.21%

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

$31.7K ARS 45.2M

$27.7K ARS 39.5M

14.52%

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

$33.2K ARS 47.4M

$31.0K ARS 44.2M

7.32%

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

$77.6 ARS 110.7K

$66.1 ARS 94.4K

17.33%

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

$17.56 ARS 25.1K

$16.93 ARS 24.1K

3.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.55 ARS 30.7K

$22.21 ARS 31.7K

-2.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.98 ARS 39.9K

$26.11 ARS 37.3K

7.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.31 ARS 23.3K

$13.67 ARS 19.5K

19.31%

Cinema Ticket

$6.10 ARS 8,697

$6.08 ARS 8,666

0.33%

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

$103 ARS 147.6K

$219 ARS 312.2K

-52.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,124 ARS 3.0M

$2,723 ARS 3.9M

-22.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.1 ARS 115.8K

$74.8 ARS 106.7K

8.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.6 ARS 107.8K

$69.2 ARS 98.7K

9.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$150 ARS 214.5K

$116 ARS 165.2K

29.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 ARS 169.8K

$112 ARS 159.7K

6.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$353 ARS 504.0K

$338 ARS 482.4K

4.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$274 ARS 391.0K

$239 ARS 340.7K

14.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$611 ARS 871.9K

$694 ARS 990.4K

-11.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$502 ARS 716.5K

$548 ARS 781.2K

-8.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,691 ARS 2.4M

$2,068 ARS 2.9M

-18.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,127 ARS 1.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$725 ARS 1.0M

$660 ARS 941.4K

9.93%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Río Tercero: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $353 in Mendoza versus $338 in Río Tercero. 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 10% 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 $42.00 in Mendoza versus $34.00 in Río Tercero. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $233 – making Río Tercero 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 Río Tercero: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mendoza is pricier by about 10%, 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 $1,612 per month in Mendoza and $1,468 in Río Tercero. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Río Tercero, 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 $1,075 in Mendoza and $978 in Río Tercero. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $103 per month in Mendoza and $219 in Río Tercero. 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 Río Tercero, where all-in costs run around $978, than in Mendoza at $1,075. In Río Tercero it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mendoza it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Río Tercero – 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 Río Tercero. 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.