San Rafael or Mendoza?

There are 5 replies in this Thread which has previously been viewed 144 times. The latest Post (November 4, 2025 at 12:58 PM) was by MaryT.

    Hi guys! I'm new here - on the forum and in Argentina in general.

    Long story short: landed in BA begging of October, spent a month in BA, got tired of overwhelming big city, came to a middle of nowhere near Mendoza until end of November. But now I'm thinking - what's next?

    Even though my Airbnb (it's a mountain cabin located literally in the middle of nowhere) is pretty isolated from the rest of the world, I can still make it to Mendoza to explore the city and see if I like it.

    On the other hand, I'm very much on a budget and I've heard that San Rafael is very lovely and cheaper than Mendoza. But this info is kinda contradictive on different websites /forums. I hope some of you, who have been living there (Mendoza or San Rafael), can tell me more about it.

    I don't need info on eating out, health insurance, schooling. I'm alone, healthy, sporty, vegetarian. So, getting together for asado is no interest to me 😂

    Having good & stable internet, however, is very important since I'll be working remote. Being close to nature, going for a long run (not on the streets), hiking, skiing - those things matter to me.

    I've been searching for an expat community meetings in person in Mendoza and San Rafael but no luck so far. If you know anything about it - I'd appreciate the info very much.

    I've been on few expats meetings in BA and liked it a lot! Would be great to find something similar here.

    I'm very easy-going and open-minded person, enjoy meeting new people and chatting about pretty much everything.

    I love outdoor activities, mostly hiking & skiing, but I'm always open for anything new.

    Thanks for sharing your thoughts /experience /advice!

    Thank you Splinter 😊

    I'm in a different place and my mountain cabin is not exactly in a very scenic place. There're few mountains to hike, which I'll do in the next few days or weeks.

    But I'm more concerned about where to go next. Oh, I've forgotten to mention that I'm in Argentina not for a vacation. I'm planning on living here, at least for the next 2,5-3 years.

    Hi, MaryT - and welcome. I hope that at least while you’re out in the wilds, we can take the conversational place of in-person expat meetups.

    You like skiing, so a natural thought is that you might want to check someplace like Villa La Angostura, near Bariloche. Skiers seem to gravitate there, and the weather cooperates with snow.

    Are you looking for any particular climate or proximity to mountains, ocean, desert, forests, etc?

    Mendoza City is nice. But bigger so worth considering San Rafael. Here is a map for hiking a popular trail which I know. at Wikiloc which is a great site to find running, hiking, biking etc... all over world, and my main source in Argentina. https://es.wikiloc.com/rutas-senderis…el-salto-701380

    The next town, 2+ hours south of San Rafael is Malargüe. There is not much in winter, but good access to trails and camping in warmer months.

    Thanks, Rice!

    I like going skiing for a week or so on vacation, but I hate cold weather in general. I've spent most of my adult life in African countries, so my cold tolerance is quite low. So, living in the southern part of Argentina is out of the question.

    Mendoza (and all around it) seems to be a winner - mountains, not too cold, so I might stick around. That's why it would be nice to hear from those who live in the area.