Cost of Living Comparison Between Mendoza and San Martin de los Andes Cost of Living Comparison Between Mendoza and San Martin de los Andes

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,075 per month in Mendoza vs $953 in San Martin de los Andes, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,730 per month in Mendoza vs $1,564 in San Martin de los Andes, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,385 per month in Mendoza vs $2,176 in San Martin de los Andes, rent included.

Mendoza costs about 13% more than San Martin de los Andes, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Mendoza and San Martin de los Andes are more affordable than the global median – Mendoza 20% lower, San Martin de los Andes 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.84 ARS 15.5K

$10.57 ARS 15.1K

2.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.73 ARS 59.5K

$33.95 ARS 48.4K

22.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 ARS 13.8K

$9.10 ARS 13.0K

6.59%

Cappuccino

$3.69 ARS 5,262

$2.76 ARS 3,935

33.70%

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

$2.24 ARS 3,193

$1.72 ARS 2,449

30.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ARS 2,938

$1.55 ARS 2,209

32.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 ARS 2,884

$2.15 ARS 3,072

-6.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 ARS 4,187

$2.96 ARS 4,216

-1.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 ARS 1,808

$1.31 ARS 1,865

-3.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 ARS 2,128

$1.57 ARS 2,246

-5.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 ARS 2,816

$2.02 ARS 2,879

-2.48%

Eggs

$2.21 ARS 3,146

$2.25 ARS 3,208

-1.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.57 ARS 16.5K

$10.03 ARS 14.3K

15.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.37 ARS 10.5K

$6.17 ARS 8,808

19.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.56 ARS 13.6K

$9.57 ARS 13.6K

-0.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 ARS 2,872

$1.95 ARS 2,775

3.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 ARS 2,191

$2.04 ARS 2,909

-24.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 ARS 2,092

$1.30 ARS 1,855

13.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 ARS 2,985

$2.59 ARS 3,700

-19.31%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 ARS 1,391

$1.18 ARS 1,681

-17.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 ARS 1,442

$1.25 ARS 1,777

-19.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ARS 1,459

$1.28 ARS 1,819

-20.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 ARS 3,911

$1.50 ARS 2,135

82.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.45 ARS 3,493

$3.14 ARS 4,484

-21.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.09 ARS 7,255

$4.25 ARS 6,064

19.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 ARS 2,814

$1.98 ARS 2,823

-0.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 ARS 4,951

$3.19 ARS 4,555

8.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 ARS 1,035

$0.78 ARS 1,114

-6.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ARS 26.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 ARS 587

$1.46 ARS 2,078

-71.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ARS 1,455

$0.86 ARS 1,220

18.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.93 ARS 7,036

$6.05 ARS 8,634

-18.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ARS 1,712

$1.11 ARS 1,584

8.11%

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

$31.7K ARS 45.2M

$27.1K ARS 38.7M

16.73%

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

$33.2K ARS 47.4M

$30.5K ARS 43.5M

9.11%

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

$77.6 ARS 110.7K

$66.0 ARS 94.2K

17.56%

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

$17.56 ARS 25.1K

$17.29 ARS 24.7K

1.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.55 ARS 30.7K

$22.31 ARS 31.8K

-3.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.98 ARS 39.9K

$26.61 ARS 38.0K

5.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.31 ARS 23.3K

$13.93 ARS 19.9K

17.09%

Cinema Ticket

$6.10 ARS 8,697

$6.27 ARS 8,948

-2.71%

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

$103 ARS 147.6K

$223 ARS 318.2K

-53.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,124 ARS 3.0M

$2,650 ARS 3.8M

-19.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.1 ARS 115.8K

$73.3 ARS 104.6K

10.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.6 ARS 107.8K

$69.0 ARS 98.5K

9.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$150 ARS 214.5K

$114 ARS 162.1K

32.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 ARS 169.8K

$111 ARS 158.0K

7.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$353 ARS 504.0K

$333 ARS 474.4K

6.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$274 ARS 391.0K

$242 ARS 344.7K

13.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$611 ARS 871.9K

$669 ARS 954.9K

-8.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$502 ARS 716.5K

$527 ARS 751.8K

-4.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,691 ARS 2.4M

$2,229 ARS 3.2M

-24.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,127 ARS 1.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$725 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: May 31, 2026

Last update for San Martin de los Andes: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $353 in Mendoza versus $333 in San Martin de los Andes. 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 $42.00 in Mendoza versus $34.00 in San Martin de los Andes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $230 – making San Martin de los Andes 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 San Martin de los Andes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mendoza is pricier by about 13%, 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 $1,429 in San Martin de los Andes. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Martin de los Andes, 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 $953 in San Martin de los Andes. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $103 per month in Mendoza and $223 in San Martin de los Andes. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in San Martin de los Andes, where all-in costs run around $953, than in Mendoza at $1,075. In San Martin de los Andes it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mendoza it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward San Martin de los Andes – 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 San Martin de los Andes. 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.