Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Juan, Argentina and Mendoza

For one person, living is cheaper in San Juan: $891 a month against $1,389 in Mendoza, rent and utilities included – about $6,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

43

Cost of Living Index in San Juan
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San Juan Living Index
66

Cost of Living Index in Mendoza
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Mendoza Living Index

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San Juan

🇦🇷 Argentina

$891

/mo nomad

Mendoza

🇦🇷 Argentina

$1,389

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in San Juan and in Mendoza

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in San Juan and in Mendoza actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $891 per month in San Juan vs $1,389 in Mendoza, rent included.

San Juan $891
Mendoza $1,389

A couple spends around $1,398 per month in San Juan vs $2,178 in Mendoza, rent included.

San Juan $1,398
Mendoza $2,178

A family of three spends $1,904 per month in San Juan vs $2,967 in Mendoza, rent included.

San Juan $1,904
Mendoza $2,967

San Juan is about 36% cheaper than Mendoza, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

San Juan sits 35% below the global median, while Mendoza is 2% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.16 ARS 11.0K

$10.87 ARS 16.7K

-34.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.73 ARS 61.1K

$49.24 ARS 75.7K

-19.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.51 ARS 19.2K

$14.44 ARS 22.2K

-13.37%

Cappuccino

$2.62 ARS 4,030

$4.43 ARS 6,817

-40.86%

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

$2.19 ARS 3,365

$2.36 ARS 3,627

-7.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 ARS 2,797

$1.95 ARS 2,996

-6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.96 ARS 6,094

$4.11 ARS 6,315

-3.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 ARS 7,011

$4.47 ARS 6,877

2.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 ARS 2,075

$1.38 ARS 2,118

-2.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 ARS 2,122

$2.20 ARS 3,390

-37.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ARS 2,138

$2.81 ARS 4,319

-50.53%

Eggs

$1.45 ARS 2,227

$3.21 ARS 4,936

-54.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.90 ARS 4,463

$14.63 ARS 22.5K

-80.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.37 ARS 9,800

$6.30 ARS 9,684

1.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.75 ARS 16.5K

$11.00 ARS 16.9K

-2.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.45 ARS 2,228

$2.29 ARS 3,523

-36.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 ARS 2,123

$2.17 ARS 3,340

-36.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 ARS 2,103

$1.35 ARS 2,075

1.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 ARS 2,224

$3.33 ARS 5,118

-56.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 ARS 2,244

$2.01 ARS 3,085

-27.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ARS 2,127

$1.52 ARS 2,344

-9.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ARS 2,138

$1.93 ARS 2,970

-27.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 ARS 2,241

$2.53 ARS 3,887

-42.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.69 ARS 4,138

$2.80 ARS 4,306

-3.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.95 ARS 7,616

$4.99 ARS 7,676

-0.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 ARS 2,241

$1.78 ARS 2,741

-17.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 ARS 2,205

$2.92 ARS 4,491

-51.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 ARS 1,596

$1.03 ARS 1,582

0.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.16 ARS 31.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.03 ARS 3,126

$2.04 ARS 3,140

-0.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.97 ARS 1,494

$1.02 ARS 1,567

-4.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.04 ARS 7,758

$4.95 ARS 7,614

1.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ARS 1,742

$1.21 ARS 1,869

-6.61%

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

$26.8K ARS 41.2M

$27.5K ARS 42.4M

-2.76%

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

$33.6K ARS 51.7M

$33.4K ARS 51.4M

0.73%

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

$141 ARS 216.9K

$146 ARS 224.0K

-3.19%

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

$9.91 ARS 15.2K

$17.24 ARS 26.5K

-42.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.96 ARS 27.6K

$24.11 ARS 37.1K

-25.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.64 ARS 45.6K

$31.33 ARS 48.2K

-5.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 ARS 28.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.96 ARS 10.7K

$6.91 ARS 10.6K

0.72%

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

$173 ARS 266.4K

$171 ARS 263.5K

1.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,149 ARS 6.4M

$4,084 ARS 6.3M

1.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$108 ARS 165.5K

$128 ARS 196.7K

-15.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.19 ARS 64.9K

$142 ARS 217.9K

-70.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.8 ARS 87.4K

$144 ARS 220.9K

-60.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.24 ARS 55.7K

$156 ARS 240.6K

-76.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$248 ARS 380.9K

$557 ARS 856.2K

-55.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 ARS 303.9K

$352 ARS 542.1K

-43.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 ARS 769.5K

$966 ARS 1.5M

-48.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$408 ARS 627.1K

$666 ARS 1.0M

-38.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,699 ARS 2.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,127 ARS 1.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$696 ARS 1.1M

$778 ARS 1.2M

-10.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-8.47%

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

Last update for San Juan: October 26, 2026

Last update for Mendoza: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

San Juan

$198 22.2%

Mendoza

$352 25.4% 78.4% $155

Groceries & Markets

San Juan

$190 21.3%

Mendoza

$287 20.6% 50.9% $97

Eating Out

San Juan

$171 19.2%

Mendoza

$230 16.6% 34.4% $59

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Juan

$169 19%

Mendoza

$187 13.5% 10.7% $18

Clothing & Footwear

San Juan

$109 12.3%

Mendoza

$256 18.5% 135% $147

Sport & Entertainment

San Juan

$44 4.9%

Mendoza

$45 3.3% 3.7% $1.6

Getting Around

San Juan

$11 * 1.2%

Mendoza

$31 2.3% 184% $20

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $248 in San Juan versus $557 in Mendoza. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 12% higher in Mendoza, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40 in San Juan versus $49 in Mendoza. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $287 – making San Juan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇦🇷 San Juan

🇦🇷 Mendoza

🕒 Local time

03:05 3:05 AM

Same time as San Juan

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

522,029

937,154

💱 Currency

Argentine Peso ARS $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 ARS = 6.5 USD

10,000 ARS = 5.84 EUR

10,000 ARS = 6.5 USD

10,000 ARS = 5.84 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

San Juan vs Mendoza: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mendoza is pricier by about 56%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,337 per month in San Juan and $2,084 in Mendoza. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Juan, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $248 there versus $557 in Mendoza.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $891 in San Juan and $1,389 in Mendoza. That’s a gap of about 56%.

Kindergarten costs $173 per month in San Juan and $171 in Mendoza. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $891 in San Juan and $1,389 in Mendoza. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Mendoza has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $891 in San Juan to $1,389 in Mendoza. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Juan. 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.