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 $1,069 per month in Mendoza vs $949 in San Martin de los Andes, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,723 per month in Mendoza vs $1,587 in San Martin de los Andes, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,378 per month in Mendoza vs $2,225 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

$10.93 ARS 16.2K

$10.47 ARS 15.5K

4.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.47 ARS 61.3K

$33.38 ARS 49.3K

24.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.60 ARS 14.2K

$9.22 ARS 13.6K

4.12%

Cappuccino

$3.79 ARS 5,601

$2.74 ARS 4,055

38.32%

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

$2.32 ARS 3,424

$1.67 ARS 2,466

38.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ARS 2,925

$1.49 ARS 2,204

32.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.94 ARS 2,875

$2.07 ARS 3,059

-6.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 ARS 4,337

$2.96 ARS 4,374

-1.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 ARS 1,906

$1.25 ARS 1,850

3.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 ARS 2,183

$1.63 ARS 2,408

-9.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 ARS 2,996

$2.03 ARS 3,000

Eggs

$2.12 ARS 3,137

$2.25 ARS 3,330

-5.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.73 ARS 17.3K

$9.91 ARS 14.6K

18.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.69 ARS 11.4K

$6.28 ARS 9,276

22.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.46 ARS 14.0K

$9.31 ARS 13.8K

1.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 ARS 2,974

$1.97 ARS 2,912

2.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 ARS 2,255

$2.16 ARS 3,187

-29.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 ARS 2,236

$1.26 ARS 1,865

19.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 ARS 3,229

$2.61 ARS 3,864

-16.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 ARS 1,497

$1.19 ARS 1,760

-15.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 ARS 1,517

$1.24 ARS 1,835

-16.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ARS 1,515

$1.33 ARS 1,964

-23.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 ARS 3,878

$1.48 ARS 2,194

77.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.44 ARS 3,613

$3.06 ARS 4,518

-20.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.10 ARS 7,544

$4.48 ARS 6,620

13.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 ARS 2,883

$2.01 ARS 2,978

-2.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 ARS 5,266

$3.05 ARS 4,511

16.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 ARS 1,018

$0.78 ARS 1,148

-11.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.28 ARS 27.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 ARS 605

$1.47 ARS 2,166

-72.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ARS 1,506

$0.93 ARS 1,371

9.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.85 ARS 7,170

$5.86 ARS 8,662

-17.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ARS 1,761

$1.07 ARS 1,577

11.21%

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

$31.6K ARS 46.7M

$27.5K ARS 40.6M

15.02%

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

$33.0K ARS 48.8M

$30.6K ARS 45.2M

7.91%

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

$76.0 ARS 112.3K

$68.2 ARS 100.8K

11.37%

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

$17.52 ARS 25.9K

$17.24 ARS 25.5K

1.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.72 ARS 32.1K

$22.13 ARS 32.7K

-1.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.75 ARS 41.0K

$26.60 ARS 39.3K

4.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.19 ARS 23.9K

$14.04 ARS 20.8K

15.31%

Cinema Ticket

$6.10 ARS 9,021

$6.01 ARS 8,890

1.50%

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

$102 ARS 150.4K

$220 ARS 325.4K

-53.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,172 ARS 3.2M

$2,653 ARS 3.9M

-18.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.9 ARS 119.6K

$74.9 ARS 110.7K

8.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$77.5 ARS 114.6K

$69.5 ARS 102.7K

11.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$147 ARS 217.8K

$117 ARS 172.3K

26.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 ARS 177.4K

$112 ARS 165.7K

7.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$363 ARS 536.4K

$332 ARS 490.7K

9.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$270 ARS 398.9K

$235 ARS 347.6K

14.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$609 ARS 899.8K

$672 ARS 992.9K

-9.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$502 ARS 741.9K

$536 ARS 792.3K

-6.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,705 ARS 2.5M

$2,575 ARS 3.8M

-33.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,121 ARS 1.7M

$1,511 ARS 2.2M

-25.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$722 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 13, 2026

Last update for San Martin de los Andes: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $363 in Mendoza versus $332 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 $41.00 in Mendoza versus $33.00 in San Martin de los Andes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 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 $1,603 per month in Mendoza and $1,423 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 $1,069 in Mendoza and $949 in San Martin de los Andes. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $102 per month in Mendoza and $220 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 $949, than in Mendoza at $1,069. 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.