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City comparison

Mendoza vs Cusco

In short

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

  • Family budget

    in Cusco cheaper — −50%

In numbers

Exchange rate as of the date each figure was checked.

  • Family groceries

    per month
    Mendoza≈ $392ARS 614,072
    Cusco≈ $273S/ 940
    cheaper by 30%
  • Family budget

    per month
    Mendoza≈ $942ARS 1,473,774
    Cusco≈ $470S/ 1,620
    cheaper by 50%
  • Winter

    average
    Mendoza9 °C9 °C
    Cusco0–19 °C0–19 °C
  • Precipitation

    per year
    Mendoza240 mm240 mm
    Cusco708 mm708 mm

By topic

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

Housing

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

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

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

Everything about housing in Mendoza →

Cusco

Nothing yet

Money and prices

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 →

Cusco

Family budget per month

A family of four in highland cities counts as poor with spending below 1,620 soles a month (INEI line, 2025). In the Cusco department 18.8% are poor.

OfficialINEI: Peru, evolution of monetary poverty 2016-2025 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Groceries for a family

The INEI minimum food basket for highland cities is 235 soles per person a month, 940 soles for a family of four. Figures for 2025.

OfficialINEI: Peru, evolution of monetary poverty 2016-2025 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about money and prices in Cusco →

Family and kids

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 →

Cusco

Private and public schools

In the Cusco department about 18% of children attend private schools: 27 thousand of 152 thousand in primary school and 22 of 122 thousand in secondary (2024).

OfficialINEI: Cusco, statistical compendium 2025 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about family and kids in Cusco →

Healthcare

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 →

Cusco

Hospitals in the region

The Cusco department has 24 hospitals, including private clinics, and 2,504 hospital beds (2024). The social insurer EsSalud has 5 hospitals in the region.

OfficialINEI: Cusco, statistical compendium 2025 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about healthcare in Cusco →

Transport

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 →

Cusco

Airport and flights

In 2025 Cusco airport handled 4.57 million domestic passengers and only 203 thousand international ones, 22 times fewer.

OfficialCORPAC: passenger movement at network airports, domestic flights, 2025 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about transport in Cusco →

Climate

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 →

Cusco

Precipitation and seasonality

About 710 mm a year, almost three quarters of it from December to March. From May to August it is dry: 1.5-9 mm a month.

OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals of Cusco · checked 6 Oct 2026

Cold winter nights

In June-July it averages about 0 degrees at night and 19-20 during the day. Daytime temperature is almost the same all year, but winter nights are 6 degrees colder than summer ones.

OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals of Cusco · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about climate in Cusco →

Nature

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 →

Cusco

Nothing yet

Safety

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 →

Cusco

Altitude and ultraviolet

The city stands at 3,414 m above sea level. Even in winter SENAMHI forecasts an ultraviolet index of 8-12 for Cusco, from "very high" to "extremely high".

OfficialINEI: Cusco, statistical compendium 2025 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about safety in Cusco →

Internet and phone

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 →

Cusco

Fibre-optic internet

Movistar sells home fibre at 400 Mbit/s for 89.90 soles a month, 79.90 for the first two months. The Cusco department is on the list of fibre coverage areas.

SpecialistMovistar Perú: "Solo internet" plans and fibre coverage areas · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about internet and phone service in Cusco →

Services

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 →

Cusco

Electricity from Electro Sur Este

For consumption above 140 kWh, electricity costs 0.82 soles per kWh plus 4 soles a month, without IGV. 300 kWh comes to about 250 soles before tax, about 295 with IGV.

OfficialElectro Sur Este: tariff schedule for end users from 4 August 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about services in Cusco →

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