Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ushuaia and Mendoza

For one person, living is cheaper in Ushuaia: $957 a month against $1,387 in Mendoza, rent and utilities included – about $5,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Ushuaia
🇦🇷 Argentina
$957
/mo nomad
Mendoza
🇦🇷 Argentina
$1,387
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ushuaia 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 Ushuaia and in Mendoza actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $957 per month in Ushuaia vs $1,387 in Mendoza, rent included.

  • Ushuaia $957
  • Mendoza $1,387

A couple spends around $1,570 per month in Ushuaia vs $2,185 in Mendoza, rent included.

  • Ushuaia $1,570
  • Mendoza $2,185

A family of three spends $2,183 per month in Ushuaia vs $2,984 in Mendoza, rent included.

  • Ushuaia $2,183
  • Mendoza $2,984

Ushuaia is about 31% cheaper than Mendoza, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Ushuaia sits 29% below the global median, while Mendoza is 3% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ushuaia
Mendoza
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.38 ARS 15.8K
$10.98 ARS 16.7K
-5.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$33.08 ARS 50.2K
$49.80 ARS 75.6K
-33.57%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.06 ARS 13.7K
$14.36 ARS 21.8K
-36.91%
Cappuccino
$2.78 ARS 4,224
$4.54 ARS 6,896
-38.77%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.67 ARS 2,528
$2.32 ARS 3,517
-28.02%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54 ARS 2,330
$1.94 ARS 2,949
-20.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.16 ARS 3,274
$4.08 ARS 6,191
-47.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.04 ARS 4,610
$4.46 ARS 6,775
-31.84%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ushuaia
Mendoza
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.31 ARS 1,984
$1.38 ARS 2,102
-5.07%
White Bread (500g)
$1.57 ARS 2,388
$2.21 ARS 3,358
-28.96%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.02 ARS 3,069
$2.66 ARS 4,034
-24.06%
Eggs
$2.27 ARS 3,449
$3.19 ARS 4,836
-28.84%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.15 ARS 15.4K
$14.72 ARS 22.3K
-31.05%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.35 ARS 9,633
$6.23 ARS 9,447
1.93%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.23 ARS 14.0K
$11.05 ARS 16.8K
-16.47%
Apples (1kg)
$2.01 ARS 3,052
$2.29 ARS 3,478
-12.23%
Banana (1kg)
$2.06 ARS 3,132
$2.23 ARS 3,386
-7.62%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.27 ARS 1,933
$1.34 ARS 2,036
-5.22%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.62 ARS 3,980
$3.28 ARS 4,974
-20.12%
Potato (1kg)
$1.17 ARS 1,779
$2.02 ARS 3,067
-42.08%
Onion (1kg)
$1.19 ARS 1,809
$1.49 ARS 2,268
-20.13%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.32 ARS 2,005
$2.03 ARS 3,074
-34.98%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.45 ARS 2,197
$2.47 ARS 3,743
-41.30%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.11 ARS 4,716
$2.82 ARS 4,275
10.28%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.02 ARS 7,625
$5.08 ARS 7,712
-1.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.97 ARS 2,994
$1.72 ARS 2,608
14.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.02 ARS 4,583
$3.02 ARS 4,583
-
🚌 Getting Around
Ushuaia
Mendoza
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.77 ARS 1,173
$0.98 ARS 1,486
-21.43%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$19.73 ARS 29.9K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.47 ARS 2,224
$2.02 ARS 3,059
-27.23%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.86 ARS 1,308
$0.99 ARS 1,495
-13.13%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.86 ARS 8,894
$4.82 ARS 7,318
21.58%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.10 ARS 1,671
$1.25 ARS 1,897
-12.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K ARS 42.3M
$27.6K ARS 41.9M
1.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.4K ARS 46.1M
$33.0K ARS 50.1M
-8.11%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ushuaia
Mendoza
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$65.8 ARS 99.8K
$144 ARS 218.4K
-54.29%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.24 ARS 26.2K
$17.72 ARS 26.9K
-2.71%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$22.31 ARS 33.9K
$23.92 ARS 36.3K
-6.73%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ushuaia
Mendoza
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$26.50 ARS 40.2K
$32.32 ARS 49.0K
-18.01%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.68 ARS 20.8K
$18.07 ARS 27.4K
-24.29%
Cinema Ticket
$6.16 ARS 9,341
$7.10 ARS 10.8K
-13.24%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ushuaia
Mendoza
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$220 ARS 333.3K
$176 ARS 266.3K
25.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,731 ARS 4.1M
$4,178 ARS 6.3M
-34.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ushuaia
Mendoza
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$75.1 ARS 113.9K
$127 ARS 192.2K
-40.71%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$70.4 ARS 106.8K
$141 ARS 214.2K
-50.14%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$114 ARS 173.1K
$144 ARS 217.9K
-20.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$111 ARS 168.4K
$157 ARS 238.0K
-29.25%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ushuaia
Mendoza
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$342 ARS 519.2K
$553 ARS 838.5K
-38.08%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$233 ARS 354.2K
$350 ARS 531.6K
-33.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$694 ARS 1.1M
$993 ARS 1.5M
-30.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$537 ARS 814.2K
$680 ARS 1.0M
-21.05%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,848 ARS 2.8M
$1,751 ARS 2.7M
5.56%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,594 ARS 2.4M
$1,141 ARS 1.7M
39.76%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ushuaia
Mendoza
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$766 ARS 1.2M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
58.5
59
-0.85%

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

Last update for Ushuaia: October 11, 2026

Last update for Mendoza: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ushuaia
$233
Mendoza
$350 50.1% $117
Groceries & Markets
Ushuaia
$231
Mendoza
$286 23.8% $55
Eating Out
Ushuaia
$173
Mendoza
$232 33.8% $59
Clothing & Footwear
Ushuaia
$167
Mendoza
$256 53.4% $89
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ushuaia
$105
Mendoza
$186 76.2% $80
Sport & Entertainment
Ushuaia
$39
Mendoza
$47 19.8% $7.7
Getting Around
Ushuaia
$8.9 *
Mendoza
$31 245% $22

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $342 in Ushuaia versus $553 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 Ushuaia versus $50.0 in Mendoza. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $231 vs $286 – making Ushuaia the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇦🇷 Ushuaia
🇦🇷 Mendoza
🕒 Local time
09:34 9:34 AM
09:34 9:34 AM
Same time as Ushuaia
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,538
937,154
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to ARS – Argentine Peso Converter

Argentine Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1,517 ARS (10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD). 1 EUR = 1,706 ARS (10,000 ARS = 5.86 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ushuaia Mendoza 2,440 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Ushuaia
  • Mendoza

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
Ushuaia vs Mendoza: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mendoza cheaper than Ushuaia?
Yes – Mendoza is pricier by about 45%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,436 per month in Ushuaia and $2,080 in Mendoza. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
What are total monthly expenses in Ushuaia and in Mendoza?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $957 in Ushuaia and $1,387 in Mendoza. That's a gap of about 45%.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $220 per month in Ushuaia and $176 in Mendoza. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Ushuaia or in Mendoza?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ushuaia, where all-in costs run around $957, than in Mendoza at $1,387. In Ushuaia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mendoza it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Ushuaia or Mendoza more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Ushuaia or Mendoza?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.

Ushuaia vs other spots: cost of living compared

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