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City comparison

Buenos Aires vs Mendoza

In short

Calculated from the figures below, with no overall “who wins” score.

  • Rent

    in Mendoza cheaper — −44%

  • Family budget

    in Mendoza cheaper — −11%

  • Private school

    in Mendoza cheaper — −34%

In numbers

Exchange rate as of the date each figure was checked.

  • House or apartment rent

    per month
    Buenos Aires≈ $752–899ARS 1,176,184–1,406,326
    Mendoza≈ $425–492ARS 665–770k
    cheaper by 44%
  • Piped gas

    Buenos Aires≈ $0.2 per m³ARS 316.16 per m³
    Mendoza≈ $0.19 per m³ARS 291.32 per m³
    cheaper by 8%
  • Utilities

    per month
    Buenos Aires≈ $215ARS 336,960
    Mendoza≈ $136ARS 213,013
    cheaper by 37%
  • Family groceries

    per month
    Buenos Aires≈ $630ARS 985,617
    Mendoza≈ $392ARS 614,072
    cheaper by 38%
  • Family budget

    per month
    Buenos Aires≈ $1,060ARS 1,651,798
    Mendoza≈ $942ARS 1,473,774
    cheaper by 11%
  • Private school

    per month
    Buenos Aires≈ $28–190ARS 44,300–296,700
    Mendoza≈ $26–118ARS 40,417–183,910
    cheaper by 34%
  • Winter

    average
    Buenos Aires12 °C12 °C
    Mendoza9 °C9 °C
  • Precipitation

    per year
    Buenos Aires1,260 mm1,260 mm
    Mendoza240 mm240 mm
  • Ready-made house

    purchase
    Buenos Aires$151–200k$151–200k
    cheaper by 10%
    Mendoza$94,500 – 295k$94,500 – 295k

By topic

A quick look at each city. Details and sources are on the city page.

Housing

Buenos Aires

Expensas

A building maintenance fee: on average 337k pesos a month, on top of rent. For a three-room flat in Palermo, about 300k.

SpecialistLa Nacion: expensas in Buenos Aires, ConsorcioAbierto data on ~13,000 buildings · checked 28 Sep 2026

Rent for a three-room flat by barrio

A flat with two bedrooms: Caballito 1.18 million pesos a month, Palermo 1.31 million, Núñez 1.41 million. Expensas on top.

OfficialIDECBA - Dynamics of the apartment rental market, Buenos Aires, Q2 2026 (Informe de resultados 2049) · checked 28 Sep 2026

Studio and one-bedroom

A studio (monoambiente, about 30 m²) averages 565,658 pesos a month; a one-bedroom of 43 m² averages 764,485 pesos. Small flats vary little between barrios.

OfficialIDECBA - Dynamics of the apartment rental market, Buenos Aires, Q2 2026 (Informe de resultados 2049) · checked 28 Sep 2026

What is actually available for rent

Three quarters of listings are homes with one bedroom at most. A family with two children can use about a quarter of the market.

OfficialIDECBA - Dynamics of the apartment rental market, Buenos Aires, Q2 2026 (Informe de resultados 2049) · checked 28 Sep 2026

Everything about housing in Buenos Aires →

Mendoza

Rent for a two-bedroom flat by district

A flat with two bedrooms: Guaymallén about 665k pesos a month, Ciudad 700k, Godoy Cruz 770k. Expensas and utilities on top.

SpecialistMercado Libre - two-bedroom apartments for rent, Ciudad (city of Mendoza) · checked 29 Sep 2026

House with three bedrooms

A three-bedroom house in Greater Mendoza – about 1.2 million pesos a month. In the gated communities of Chacras de Coria, Luján and Dalvian they ask 1,500–2,000 dollars.

SpecialistMercado Libre - three-bedroom houses for rent, Mendoza province · checked 29 Sep 2026

Buying a house

A three-bedroom house: in Godoy Cruz the median is about 95k dollars, in Chacras de Coria about 295k. The difference between the districts is about threefold.

SpecialistMercado Libre - three-bedroom houses for sale, Godoy Cruz · checked 29 Sep 2026

Plot in Chacras de Coria

A plot of 500–1,300 m² in Chacras de Coria usually costs 61–83k dollars, median 69k. That is about 100 dollars per square metre.

SpecialistMercado Libre - plots for sale in Chacras de Coria (Luján de Cuyo) · checked 29 Sep 2026

Everything about housing in Mendoza →

Money and prices

Buenos Aires

Budget for a family of four

The city's basket for a family with two children is 2.08 million pesos a month, but without rent. With the rent of a three-room flat it comes to 3.3–3.5 million.

OfficialIDECBA - Poverty lines and consumer baskets of the City of Buenos Aires, August 2026 (Informe de resultados 2054) · checked 28 Sep 2026

Food for a family

The food basket for a family of four is 985,617 pesos a month at city prices (August 2026). Up 34.7% over the year.

OfficialIDECBA - Poverty lines and consumer baskets of the City of Buenos Aires, August 2026 (Informe de resultados 2054) · checked 28 Sep 2026

How much you need to earn

Middle class by the city's yardstick starts at 2.6 million pesos for a family of four, and that is with owned housing.

OfficialIDECBA - Poverty lines and consumer baskets of the City of Buenos Aires, August 2026 (Informe de resultados 2054) · checked 28 Sep 2026

Everything about money and prices in Buenos Aires →

Mendoza

Food for a family

The minimum food basket for a family of four in Greater Mendoza is 614k pesos a month (August 2026). Up 43% over the year.

OfficialDEIE Mendoza - basic food basket and total basket for Greater Mendoza, August 2026 (press release) · checked 29 Sep 2026

Budget for a family of four

The poverty line for a family of four is 1.47 million pesos a month (August 2026), rent not included. With a rented two-bedroom flat the total starts at 2.1–2.2 million.

OfficialDEIE Mendoza - basic food basket and total basket for Greater Mendoza, August 2026 (press release) · checked 29 Sep 2026

Everything about money and prices in Mendoza →

Family and kids

Buenos Aires

Private schools

Fee ceilings in schools with state support: primary (half-day) 44–224k pesos a month, secondary 55–297k.

SpecialistiProfesional - new fee caps in CABA private schools from September 2026 · checked 28 Sep 2026

Everything about family and kids in Buenos Aires →

Mendoza

Private schools

Schools with state support from August 2026: primary 40–162k pesos a month, median 81k; secondary 50–184k, median about 100k.

OfficialDGE Mendoza - fee for each private school with state subsidy from August 2026 (Resolución 140/2026, annex) · checked 29 Sep 2026

Everything about family and kids in Mendoza →

Healthcare

Buenos Aires

Private health insurance

A mid-level plan costs 110–280k pesos a month per person; OSDE 210 cost 285k in September 2026. For a family, multiply.

SpecialistComparison of private health insurance (prepagas) prices, September 2026 · checked 28 Sep 2026

Hospitals and foreigners

With residency, city hospitals are free on equal terms with Argentines. Without a DNI, elective care is paid; emergency care is for everyone.

OfficialResolución 1054/MSGC/2025 - procedure for treating patients without an Argentine DNI in city hospitals · checked 28 Sep 2026

Everything about healthcare in Buenos Aires →

Mendoza

Hospitals and foreigners

With residency, provincial hospitals are free, as for Argentines. Without it, since August 2024 elective care has been paid, emergency care is free.

SpecialistADN País - Mendoza and fees for medical care for non-resident foreigners · checked 29 Sep 2026

Everything about healthcare in Mendoza →

Transport

Buenos Aires

Metro and buses

The metro is 1,753 pesos per trip, a bus from 888. Fares drop from the 21st trip in a month. A family spends about 127k a month.

OfficialRed SUBE - AMBA public transport fares, in effect from 1 September 2026 · checked 28 Sep 2026

Everything about transport in Buenos Aires →

Mendoza

The pass to Chile in winter

The main road to Chile over the Cristo Redentor pass was closed for 34 days in a row from 14 July in winter 2026. For trips between July and September, plan with a margin.

SpecialistInfobae - Cristo Redentor pass closed again after 34 days of full closure · checked 29 Sep 2026

Everything about transport in Mendoza →

Climate

Buenos Aires

Winter

The average July temperature is 11.5 degrees: about 8 at night, about 16 by day. Snow comes once in several generations, but you need heating in winter.

SpecialistClimates to Travel - climate of Buenos Aires, 1991-2020 normals · checked 28 Sep 2026

Annual precipitation

About 1,260 mm a year and 77 rainy days – there is no dry season. It rains most in summer, winter is the driest. Downpours sometimes cause flooding.

SpecialistClimates to Travel - climate of Buenos Aires, 1991-2020 normals · checked 28 Sep 2026

Everything about climate in Buenos Aires →

Mendoza

Winter

The average July temperature is 8.6 degrees: about 15 by day, about 2 at night. Night frosts are frequent, down to -3.5 on the coldest nights. Winter is dry, snow is a rarity.

SpecialistClimates to Travel - climate of Mendoza, 1991-2020 normals · checked 29 Sep 2026

Summer and heat

The average January temperature is 26 degrees, about 33 by day. On hot days it reaches 39, the record is 44.4. Nights are noticeably cooler – about 19.

SpecialistClimates to Travel - climate of Mendoza, 1991-2020 normals · checked 29 Sep 2026

Annual precipitation

About 240 mm a year – an arid climate. Most in January (47 mm, thunderstorms), least in July (5 mm). About 2,970 hours of sun a year.

SpecialistClimates to Travel - climate of Mendoza, 1991-2020 normals · checked 29 Sep 2026

Everything about climate in Mendoza →

Nature

Buenos Aires

Nothing yet

Mendoza

Water and drought

According to the irrigation department's forecast, the Mendoza river will deliver 61% of an average year's water in the 2025–2026 season. Before that there were 10–12 years of drought, which the authorities call the new normal.

OfficialDepartamento General de Irrigación - river runoff forecast for Mendoza for the 2025-2026 season · checked 29 Sep 2026

Everything about nature in Mendoza →

Safety

Buenos Aires

Intentional homicides

In 2025 there were 2.53 homicides per 100k residents – the lowest since 1995, below the national average (3.7).

OfficialBuenos Aires crime map, summary report for 2025 · checked 28 Sep 2026

Everything about safety in Buenos Aires →

Mendoza

Earthquakes

The north of Mendoza with Greater Mendoza is zone 4, the highest seismic hazard in the country (INPRES). The 1861 earthquake destroyed the whole city.

OfficialINPRES - update of Argentina's seismic hazard map and the current zoning · checked 29 Sep 2026

Intentional homicides

Mendoza province, 2025: 65 victims of intentional homicide, 3.2 per 100k residents; in 2024 it was 71 and 3.5. There is no separate figure for the city.

OfficialSNIC - victims of intentional homicide and their rate per 100k residents, Mendoza province · checked 29 Sep 2026

Everything about safety in Mendoza →

Internet and phone

Buenos Aires

Internet

Fibre at 300 Mbps costs about 14–22k pesos a month on promotion, 500 Mbps 22–36k. The main trap: after 6–12 months the list price kicks in, and it is three to four times higher.

SpecialistMovistar Argentina - 300 Mbps fiber plan · checked 28 Sep 2026

Everything about internet and phone service in Buenos Aires →

Mendoza

Internet

The local provider Wiber offers symmetric fibre up to 1,000 Mbps in Ciudad, Godoy Cruz, Guaymallén, Maipú, Luján and Chacras de Coria.

SpecialistWiber - home fiber plans and coverage zones in Greater Mendoza · checked 29 Sep 2026

Everything about internet and phone service in Mendoza →

Services

Buenos Aires

Electricity, gas and water

Without subsidies, electricity, gas and water cost about 142k pesos a month in spring and up to 166k in winter. Expensas (the building fee) are not included in this amount.

SpecialistTN citing the Observatorio de Tarifas y Subsidios IIEP (UBA-CONICET) - AMBA utilities basket, September 2026 · checked 28 Sep 2026

Electricity (Edesur)

Edesur electricity without a subsidy: 157 pesos per kWh plus 3,632 a month (category 151–400 kWh). For 300 kWh about 50.8k pesos without IVA (33 dollars).

OfficialEdesur: cuadro tarifario, ENReGE resolution 535/26, in effect from 1 September 2026 · checked 30 Sep 2026

Mains gas (Metrogas)

Metrogas gas without a subsidy: 316 pesos per m³ plus a fixed charge of 4.4–53.8k a month, without taxes. 100 m³ in winter (category R2 2°) – about 47.6k pesos (31 dollars).

OfficialMetrogas: cuadros tarifarios, September 2026 (tariffs for homes without SEF subsidies, excluding taxes) · checked 30 Sep 2026

Everything about services in Buenos Aires →

Mendoza

Electricity, gas and water

Without subsidies, electricity is about 113k pesos a month, gas 65k, water about 35k – roughly 213k in total. Electricity is 20% more expensive than the national average.

SpecialistEl Sol, citing the Observatorio de Tarifas y Subsidios IIEP (UBA-CONICET) - electricity and gas in Mendoza versus the national average, September 2026 · checked 29 Sep 2026

Electricity (Edemsa)

Edemsa electricity without a subsidy: 240–280 pesos per kWh plus a fixed charge, billed every two months. 300 kWh a month: 85–97k pesos (55–63 dollars), depending on the category.

OfficialEPRE Mendoza: annex I to resolution 189/2026, Edemsa cuadro tarifario, in effect from 1 September 2026 · checked 30 Sep 2026

Mains gas (Ecogas)

Ecogas gas in Mendoza without a subsidy: 291 pesos per m³ plus a fixed charge of 7.5k (R1), without taxes. 100 m³ in winter – about 36.7k pesos (24 dollars).

OfficialENReGE (formerly ENARGAS): natural gas tariffs of all distributors from 1 September 2026 (Excel), Distribuidora de Gas Cuyana, Mendoza · checked 30 Sep 2026

Everything about services in Mendoza →

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