Cost of Living Comparison Between Mendoza and Ushuaia Cost of Living Comparison Between Mendoza and Ushuaia

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,069 per month in Mendoza vs $972 in Ushuaia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,723 per month in Mendoza vs $1,567 in Ushuaia, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,378 per month in Mendoza vs $2,163 in Ushuaia, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.93 ARS 16.2K

$10.35 ARS 15.3K

5.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.47 ARS 61.3K

$33.32 ARS 49.3K

24.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.60 ARS 14.2K

$8.83 ARS 13.1K

8.72%

Cappuccino

$3.79 ARS 5,601

$2.80 ARS 4,133

35.36%

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

$2.32 ARS 3,424

$1.65 ARS 2,438

40.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ARS 2,925

$1.54 ARS 2,280

28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.94 ARS 2,875

$2.12 ARS 3,139

-8.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 ARS 4,337

$2.95 ARS 4,364

-0.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 ARS 1,906

$1.25 ARS 1,849

3.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 ARS 2,183

$1.64 ARS 2,419

-9.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 ARS 2,996

$1.93 ARS 2,854

5.18%

Eggs

$2.12 ARS 3,137

$2.24 ARS 3,305

-5.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.73 ARS 17.3K

$10.18 ARS 15.0K

15.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.69 ARS 11.4K

$6.29 ARS 9,291

22.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.46 ARS 14.0K

$9.19 ARS 13.6K

2.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 ARS 2,974

$1.94 ARS 2,869

3.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 ARS 2,255

$2.13 ARS 3,149

-28.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 ARS 2,236

$1.26 ARS 1,867

19.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 ARS 3,229

$2.51 ARS 3,712

-13.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 ARS 1,497

$1.14 ARS 1,680

-11.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 ARS 1,517

$1.25 ARS 1,844

-17.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ARS 1,515

$1.31 ARS 1,930

-22.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 ARS 3,878

$1.43 ARS 2,113

83.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.44 ARS 3,613

$3.22 ARS 4,752

-24.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.10 ARS 7,544

$4.98 ARS 7,368

2.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 ARS 2,883

$2.00 ARS 2,954

-2.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 ARS 5,266

$3.14 ARS 4,648

13.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 ARS 1,018

$0.82 ARS 1,219

-15.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.28 ARS 27.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 ARS 605

$1.51 ARS 2,237

-72.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ARS 1,506

$0.90 ARS 1,330

13.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.85 ARS 7,170

$6.05 ARS 8,947

-19.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ARS 1,761

$1.10 ARS 1,631

8.18%

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

$31.6K ARS 46.7M

$27.2K ARS 40.2M

16.42%

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

$33.0K ARS 48.8M

$30.1K ARS 44.5M

9.70%

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

$76.0 ARS 112.3K

$66.2 ARS 97.8K

14.81%

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

$17.52 ARS 25.9K

$16.82 ARS 24.9K

4.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.72 ARS 32.1K

$22.35 ARS 33.0K

-2.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.75 ARS 41.0K

$26.07 ARS 38.5K

6.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.19 ARS 23.9K

$13.59 ARS 20.1K

19.13%

Cinema Ticket

$6.10 ARS 9,021

$6.05 ARS 8,935

0.83%

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

$102 ARS 150.4K

$222 ARS 328.6K

-54.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,172 ARS 3.2M

$2,671 ARS 3.9M

-18.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.9 ARS 119.6K

$73.1 ARS 108.1K

10.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$77.5 ARS 114.6K

$68.9 ARS 101.8K

12.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$147 ARS 217.8K

$114 ARS 168.0K

29.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 ARS 177.4K

$111 ARS 163.4K

8.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$363 ARS 536.4K

$333 ARS 492.8K

8.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$270 ARS 398.9K

$233 ARS 344.3K

15.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$609 ARS 899.8K

$695 ARS 1.0M

-12.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$502 ARS 741.9K

$542 ARS 800.4K

-7.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,705 ARS 2.5M

$1,898 ARS 2.8M

-10.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,121 ARS 1.7M

$1,561 ARS 2.3M

-28.20%

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 Ushuaia: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $363 in Mendoza versus $333 in Ushuaia. 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 Ushuaia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $230 – making Ushuaia 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 Ushuaia: 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 $1,603 per month in Mendoza and $1,457 in Ushuaia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ushuaia, 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 $972 in Ushuaia. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $102 per month in Mendoza and $222 in Ushuaia. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ushuaia, where all-in costs run around $972, than in Mendoza at $1,069. In Ushuaia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mendoza it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ushuaia – 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 Ushuaia. 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.