Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
Ushuaia is easier to travel (2.4 vs 2.6). Biggest gap: safety โ Mendoza 3 vs Ushuaia 2. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
| Item | Mendoza | Ushuaia | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | AR$ 16,000$11.4 | AR$ 20,000$14.3 | Mendoza โ20% |
| Street food1 item | AR$ 5,000$3.57 | AR$ 5,000$3.57 | similar |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | AR$ 28,000$20 | AR$ 35,000$25 | Mendoza โ20% |
| Coffeeone cup | AR$ 6,000$4.29 | AR$ 7,000$5 | Mendoza โ14% |
| Beerone bottle | AR$ 4,000$2.86 | AR$ 5,000$3.57 | Mendoza โ20% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | AR$ 7,500$5.36 | AR$ 12,000$8.57 | Mendoza โ38% |
| Bottled water | AR$ 1,300$0.93 | AR$ 1,200$0.86 | Ushuaia โ8% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | AR$ 2,000$1.43 | AR$ 3,000$2.14 | Mendoza โ33% |
| Taxi5 km in town | AR$ 6,500$4.64 | AR$ 7,600$5.43 | Mendoza โ14% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | AR$ 3,500$2.5 | AR$ 4,300$3.07 | Mendoza โ19% |
| Transitone ride | AR$ 1,400$1 | AR$ 1,600$1.14 | Mendoza โ12% |
| Scooter rentalper day | AR$ 15,000$10.7 | AR$ 30,000$21.4 | Mendoza โ50% |
| Hotel night3-star | AR$ 110,000$78.6 | AR$ 140,000$100 | Mendoza โ21% |
| Studio rent (month) | AR$ 450,000$321 | AR$ 550,000$393 | Mendoza โ18% |
| Laundry | AR$ 9,000$6.43 | AR$ 10,000$7.14 | Mendoza โ10% |
| SIM card1 week data | AR$ 8,000$5.71 | AR$ 10,000$7.14 | Mendoza โ20% |
| Haircutcut | AR$ 12,000$8.57 | AR$ 20,000$14.3 | Mendoza โ40% |
| Massage1 hour | AR$ 40,000$28.6 | AR$ 45,000$32.1 | Mendoza โ11% |
| Half-day tourper person | AR$ 85,000$60.7 | AR$ 65,000$46.4 | Ushuaia โ24% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | AR$ 4,000$2.86 | AR$ 40,000$28.6 | Mendoza โ90% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
Mendoza is 19% cheaper than Ushuaia. Daily budget $154 vs $192; a month $2,080 vs $2,553.
Ushuaia is easier: Ushuaia 2.4/5 vs Mendoza 2.6/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
With a short-term studio and living costs, Mendoza is about $2,080 and Ushuaia about $2,553 per month.
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.