Cost of Living Comparison Between San Martin de los Andes and Mendoza Cost of Living Comparison Between San Martin de los Andes and Mendoza

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A family of three spends $2,225 per month in San Martin de los Andes vs $2,378 in Mendoza, rent included.

San Martin de los Andes is about 11% cheaper than Mendoza, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both San Martin de los Andes and Mendoza are more affordable than the global median – San Martin de los Andes 29% lower, Mendoza 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.47 ARS 15.5K

$10.93 ARS 16.2K

-4.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.38 ARS 49.3K

$41.47 ARS 61.3K

-19.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ARS 13.6K

$9.60 ARS 14.2K

-3.96%

Cappuccino

$2.74 ARS 4,055

$3.79 ARS 5,601

-27.70%

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

$1.67 ARS 2,466

$2.32 ARS 3,424

-28.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 ARS 2,204

$1.98 ARS 2,925

-24.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 ARS 3,059

$1.94 ARS 2,875

6.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 ARS 4,374

$2.93 ARS 4,337

1.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 ARS 1,850

$1.29 ARS 1,906

-3.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ARS 2,408

$1.48 ARS 2,183

10.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 ARS 3,000

$2.03 ARS 2,996

Eggs

$2.25 ARS 3,330

$2.12 ARS 3,137

6.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.91 ARS 14.6K

$11.73 ARS 17.3K

-15.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.28 ARS 9,276

$7.69 ARS 11.4K

-18.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ARS 13.8K

$9.46 ARS 14.0K

-1.59%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ARS 2,912

$2.01 ARS 2,974

-1.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 ARS 3,187

$1.53 ARS 2,255

41.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 ARS 1,865

$1.51 ARS 2,236

-16.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.61 ARS 3,864

$2.18 ARS 3,229

19.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 ARS 1,760

$1.01 ARS 1,497

17.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 ARS 1,835

$1.03 ARS 1,517

20.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ARS 1,964

$1.02 ARS 1,515

30.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 ARS 2,194

$2.62 ARS 3,878

-43.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.06 ARS 4,518

$2.44 ARS 3,613

25.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.48 ARS 6,620

$5.10 ARS 7,544

-12.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 ARS 2,978

$1.95 ARS 2,883

3.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 ARS 4,511

$3.56 ARS 5,266

-14.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 ARS 1,148

$0.69 ARS 1,018

13.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.28 ARS 27.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 ARS 2,166

$0.41 ARS 605

258.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 ARS 1,371

$1.02 ARS 1,506

-8.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.86 ARS 8,662

$4.85 ARS 7,170

20.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 ARS 1,577

$1.19 ARS 1,761

-10.08%

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

$27.5K ARS 40.6M

$31.6K ARS 46.7M

-13.06%

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

$30.6K ARS 45.2M

$33.0K ARS 48.8M

-7.33%

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

$68.2 ARS 100.8K

$76.0 ARS 112.3K

-10.21%

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

$17.24 ARS 25.5K

$17.52 ARS 25.9K

-1.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.13 ARS 32.7K

$21.72 ARS 32.1K

1.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.60 ARS 39.3K

$27.75 ARS 41.0K

-4.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.04 ARS 20.8K

$16.19 ARS 23.9K

-13.28%

Cinema Ticket

$6.01 ARS 8,890

$6.10 ARS 9,021

-1.48%

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

$220 ARS 325.4K

$102 ARS 150.4K

116.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,653 ARS 3.9M

$2,172 ARS 3.2M

22.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.9 ARS 110.7K

$80.9 ARS 119.6K

-7.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.5 ARS 102.7K

$77.5 ARS 114.6K

-10.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ARS 172.3K

$147 ARS 217.8K

-20.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 ARS 165.7K

$120 ARS 177.4K

-6.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$332 ARS 490.7K

$363 ARS 536.4K

-8.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ARS 347.6K

$270 ARS 398.9K

-12.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$672 ARS 992.9K

$609 ARS 899.8K

10.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$536 ARS 792.3K

$502 ARS 741.9K

6.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,575 ARS 3.8M

$1,705 ARS 2.5M

50.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,511 ARS 2.2M

$1,121 ARS 1.7M

34.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$722 ARS 1.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

58.5

-25.95%

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

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

Last update for Mendoza: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $332 in San Martin de los Andes versus $363 in Mendoza. 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 $33.00 in San Martin de los Andes versus $41.00 in Mendoza. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $230 vs $250 – 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

San Martin de los Andes vs Mendoza: 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 $1,423 per month in San Martin de los Andes and $1,603 in Mendoza. 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 $949 in San Martin de los Andes and $1,069 in Mendoza. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $220 per month in San Martin de los Andes and $102 in Mendoza. 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.