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 $1,329 per month in Mendoza vs $1,178 in San Martin de los Andes, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,119 per month in Mendoza vs $2,000 in San Martin de los Andes, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,909 per month in Mendoza vs $2,822 in San Martin de los Andes, rent included.

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

Both Mendoza and San Martin de los Andes are more affordable than the global median – Mendoza 4% lower, San Martin de los Andes 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.02 ARS 16.6K

$15.45 ARS 23.3K

-28.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.37 ARS 74.5K

$55.0 ARS 83.0K

-10.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.41 ARS 21.7K

$13.21 ARS 19.9K

9.08%

Cappuccino

$4.51 ARS 6,800

$3.83 ARS 5,772

17.75%

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

$2.32 ARS 3,502

$2.06 ARS 3,101

12.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 ARS 2,973

$1.71 ARS 2,573

15.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.07 ARS 6,133

$3.66 ARS 5,527

11.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 ARS 6,964

$3.78 ARS 5,699

22.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 ARS 2,086

$1.38 ARS 2,078

White Bread (500g)

$2.21 ARS 3,333

$2.16 ARS 3,262

2.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.77 ARS 4,175

$1.57 ARS 2,373

76.43%

Eggs

$3.34 ARS 5,032

$2.37 ARS 3,575

40.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.46 ARS 21.8K

$10.35 ARS 15.6K

39.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.14 ARS 9,269

$6.63 ARS 10.0K

-7.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.16 ARS 16.8K

$11.63 ARS 17.5K

-4.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 ARS 3,473

$2.37 ARS 3,578

-2.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 ARS 3,274

$2.14 ARS 3,227

1.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 ARS 1,991

$1.42 ARS 2,136

-7.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.24 ARS 4,890

$2.13 ARS 3,207

52.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 ARS 2,930

$1.06 ARS 1,592

83.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ARS 2,205

$0.97 ARS 1,465

50.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 ARS 3,044

$1.63 ARS 2,466

23.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 ARS 3,732

$1.66 ARS 2,504

48.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.81 ARS 4,240

$3.28 ARS 4,945

-14.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.06 ARS 7,626

$4.89 ARS 7,370

3.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ARS 2,655

$2.05 ARS 3,088

-14.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 ARS 4,659

$2.84 ARS 4,291

8.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 ARS 1,486

$1.02 ARS 1,537

-2.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.93 ARS 30.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 ARS 3,101

$1.57 ARS 2,369

31.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 ARS 1,485

$0.99 ARS 1,491

-1.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.92 ARS 7,422

$7.40 ARS 11.2K

-33.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ARS 1,900

$1.20 ARS 1,817

5.00%

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

$27.5K ARS 41.5M

$27.9K ARS 42.0M

-1.41%

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

$32.6K ARS 49.2M

$33.5K ARS 50.5M

-2.58%

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

$136 ARS 205.9K

$86.0 ARS 129.7K

58.77%

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

$16.88 ARS 25.5K

$17.47 ARS 26.4K

-3.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.63 ARS 35.7K

$27.68 ARS 41.7K

-14.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.97 ARS 45.2K

$30.57 ARS 46.1K

-1.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.42 ARS 27.8K

Cinema Ticket

$7.27 ARS 11.0K

$8.34 ARS 12.6K

-12.83%

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

$175 ARS 263.6K

$301 ARS 453.6K

-41.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,200 ARS 6.3M

$4,261 ARS 6.4M

-1.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$115 ARS 173.4K

$107 ARS 160.7K

7.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$124 ARS 187.7K

$75.6 ARS 114.1K

64.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 ARS 208.2K

$118 ARS 178.5K

16.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 ARS 193.5K

$129 ARS 193.9K

-0.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$471 ARS 710.7K

$487 ARS 735.2K

-3.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$330 ARS 497.2K

$307 ARS 462.4K

7.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$882 ARS 1.3M

$992 ARS 1.5M

-11.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$634 ARS 956.7K

$766 ARS 1.2M

-17.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,696 ARS 2.6M

$2,393 ARS 3.6M

-29.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,107 ARS 1.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$769 ARS 1.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

56.56

4.31%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Mendoza: September 7, 2026

Last update for San Martin de los Andes: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $471 in Mendoza versus $487 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 $49.00 in Mendoza versus $55.0 in San Martin de los Andes. Groceries tell a different story – $286 in Mendoza vs $249 in San Martin de los Andes – so San Martin de los Andes wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,993 per month in Mendoza and $1,767 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 $1,329 in Mendoza and $1,178 in San Martin de los Andes. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $175 per month in Mendoza and $301 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 $1,178, than in Mendoza at $1,329. 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.