Cost of Living Comparison Between Catamarca and Mendoza Cost of Living Comparison Between Catamarca and Mendoza

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $964 in Catamarca versus $1,067 in Mendoza.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,583 in Catamarca versus $1,709 in Mendoza.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,201 in Catamarca versus $2,351 in Mendoza.

Living in Catamarca costs roughly 10% less than in Mendoza, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Catamarca 28% lower, Mendoza 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.61 ARS 15.8K

$11.11 ARS 16.5K

-4.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.03 ARS 50.5K

$40.23 ARS 59.7K

-15.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.23 ARS 13.7K

$9.65 ARS 14.3K

-4.35%

Cappuccino

$2.70 ARS 4,016

$3.75 ARS 5,571

-28.00%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ARS 2,442

$2.22 ARS 3,302

-26.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 ARS 2,230

$2.00 ARS 2,967

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 ARS 3,067

$2.02 ARS 2,998

2.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 ARS 4,485

$3.03 ARS 4,498

-0.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 ARS 1,854

$1.31 ARS 1,947

-4.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 ARS 2,394

$1.50 ARS 2,231

7.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 ARS 2,939

$2.03 ARS 3,017

-2.46%

Eggs

$2.25 ARS 3,335

$2.17 ARS 3,229

3.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.95 ARS 14.8K

$11.72 ARS 17.4K

-15.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.30 ARS 9,350

$7.59 ARS 11.3K

-17.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.44 ARS 14.0K

$9.38 ARS 13.9K

0.64%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 ARS 2,916

$1.98 ARS 2,937

-1.01%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 ARS 3,172

$1.53 ARS 2,273

39.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 ARS 1,883

$1.48 ARS 2,201

-14.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.53 ARS 3,762

$2.16 ARS 3,209

17.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 ARS 1,754

$0.99 ARS 1,465

19.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 ARS 1,851

$1.01 ARS 1,505

23.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 ARS 1,934

$0.98 ARS 1,459

32.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 ARS 2,222

$2.64 ARS 3,920

-43.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.06 ARS 4,545

$2.46 ARS 3,659

24.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.18 ARS 7,696

$4.86 ARS 7,223

6.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 ARS 3,084

$1.98 ARS 2,942

5.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 ARS 4,570

$3.46 ARS 5,131

-10.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 ARS 1,205

$0.67 ARS 999

20.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.84 ARS 28.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 ARS 2,173

$0.42 ARS 621

247.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 ARS 1,384

$0.99 ARS 1,467

-6.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.09 ARS 9,051

$5.04 ARS 7,483

20.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ARS 1,643

$1.21 ARS 1,792

-8.26%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.7K ARS 41.1M

$32.0K ARS 47.5M

-13.35%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$30.1K ARS 44.7M

$32.9K ARS 48.9M

-8.68%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$66.5 ARS 98.8K

$77.4 ARS 114.9K

-14.03%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$17.27 ARS 25.6K

$17.57 ARS 26.1K

-1.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.34 ARS 33.2K

$22.17 ARS 32.9K

0.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.67 ARS 38.1K

$27.31 ARS 40.6K

-6.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.02 ARS 20.8K

$15.74 ARS 23.4K

-10.93%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 ARS 9,353

$6.05 ARS 8,986

4.13%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$216 ARS 321.0K

$101 ARS 150.7K

113.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,754 ARS 4.1M

$2,174 ARS 3.2M

26.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.7 ARS 110.9K

$82.2 ARS 122.1K

-9.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.7 ARS 103.5K

$76.5 ARS 113.7K

-8.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 ARS 172.5K

$148 ARS 219.5K

-21.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 ARS 166.7K

$117 ARS 174.0K

-4.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$337 ARS 500.5K

$367 ARS 544.2K

-8.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$233 ARS 345.5K

$265 ARS 394.3K

-12.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$676 ARS 1.0M

$609 ARS 905.1K

10.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$546 ARS 811.4K

$514 ARS 763.5K

6.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,023 ARS 3.0M

$1,667 ARS 2.5M

21.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,327 ARS 2.0M

$1,095 ARS 1.6M

21.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$743 ARS 1.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

58.5

-25.95%

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

Last update for Catamarca: July 26, 2026

Last update for Mendoza: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $337 in Catamarca and $367 in Mendoza. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $34.00 in Catamarca vs $40.00 in Mendoza for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $249 per month, with Catamarca cheaper across the board.

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

Catamarca vs Mendoza: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Catamarca wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Mendoza. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Catamarca the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,445 in Catamarca and $1,601 in Mendoza to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $337 in Catamarca versus $367 in Mendoza. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Mendoza. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $964 per month in Catamarca versus $1,067 in Mendoza – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $964 in Catamarca versus $1,067 in Mendoza, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Catamarca but tight or insufficient in Mendoza. The gap between the two cities makes Catamarca the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Catamarca delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $964 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Catamarca hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Catamarca and Mendoza are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Catamarca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Mendoza. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.