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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,075 per month in Mendoza vs $976 in Ushuaia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,730 per month in Mendoza vs $1,590 in Ushuaia, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,385 per month in Mendoza vs $2,203 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

$10.84 ARS 15.5K

$10.47 ARS 14.9K

3.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.73 ARS 59.5K

$34.29 ARS 48.9K

21.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 ARS 13.8K

$8.86 ARS 12.6K

9.48%

Cappuccino

$3.69 ARS 5,262

$2.66 ARS 3,790

38.72%

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

$2.24 ARS 3,193

$1.65 ARS 2,354

35.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ARS 2,938

$1.55 ARS 2,214

32.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 ARS 2,884

$2.13 ARS 3,038

-5.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 ARS 4,187

$2.96 ARS 4,227

-1.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 ARS 1,808

$1.25 ARS 1,786

1.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 ARS 2,128

$1.62 ARS 2,306

-8.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 ARS 2,816

$2.02 ARS 2,879

-2.48%

Eggs

$2.21 ARS 3,146

$2.24 ARS 3,191

-1.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.57 ARS 16.5K

$10.09 ARS 14.4K

14.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.37 ARS 10.5K

$6.26 ARS 8,929

17.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.56 ARS 13.6K

$9.43 ARS 13.4K

1.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 ARS 2,872

$1.93 ARS 2,755

4.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 ARS 2,191

$2.07 ARS 2,949

-25.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 ARS 2,092

$1.26 ARS 1,799

16.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 ARS 2,985

$2.60 ARS 3,710

-19.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 ARS 1,391

$1.14 ARS 1,629

-14.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 ARS 1,442

$1.25 ARS 1,789

-19.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ARS 1,459

$1.26 ARS 1,796

-19.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 ARS 3,911

$1.49 ARS 2,119

83.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.45 ARS 3,493

$3.20 ARS 4,571

-23.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.09 ARS 7,255

$5.03 ARS 7,168

1.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 ARS 2,814

$2.06 ARS 2,940

-4.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 ARS 4,951

$3.15 ARS 4,494

10.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 ARS 1,035

$0.84 ARS 1,195

-13.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ARS 26.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 ARS 587

$1.53 ARS 2,177

-73.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ARS 1,455

$0.85 ARS 1,211

20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.93 ARS 7,036

$6.13 ARS 8,737

-19.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ARS 1,712

$1.09 ARS 1,561

10.09%

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

$31.7K ARS 45.2M

$27.1K ARS 38.6M

17.03%

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

$33.2K ARS 47.4M

$30.3K ARS 43.2M

9.80%

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

$77.6 ARS 110.7K

$67.0 ARS 95.6K

15.84%

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

$17.56 ARS 25.1K

$17.12 ARS 24.4K

2.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.55 ARS 30.7K

$22.49 ARS 32.1K

-4.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.98 ARS 39.9K

$26.64 ARS 38.0K

5.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.31 ARS 23.3K

$13.91 ARS 19.8K

17.25%

Cinema Ticket

$6.10 ARS 8,697

$6.15 ARS 8,776

-0.81%

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

$103 ARS 147.6K

$217 ARS 308.9K

-52.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,124 ARS 3.0M

$2,734 ARS 3.9M

-22.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.1 ARS 115.8K

$73.9 ARS 105.4K

9.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.6 ARS 107.8K

$69.5 ARS 99.1K

8.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$150 ARS 214.5K

$117 ARS 166.5K

28.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 ARS 169.8K

$112 ARS 159.9K

6.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$353 ARS 504.0K

$342 ARS 487.2K

3.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$274 ARS 391.0K

$241 ARS 343.4K

13.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$611 ARS 871.9K

$685 ARS 977.7K

-10.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$502 ARS 716.5K

$538 ARS 766.8K

-6.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,691 ARS 2.4M

$1,841 ARS 2.6M

-8.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,127 ARS 1.6M

$1,572 ARS 2.2M

-28.28%

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 Ushuaia: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $353 in Mendoza versus $342 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 $42.00 in Mendoza versus $34.00 in Ushuaia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $231 – 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 $1,612 per month in Mendoza and $1,465 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 $1,075 in Mendoza and $976 in Ushuaia. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $103 per month in Mendoza and $217 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 $976, than in Mendoza at $1,075. 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.