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: $962 in Catamarca versus $1,104 in Mendoza.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,562 in Catamarca versus $1,750 in Mendoza.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,162 in Catamarca versus $2,396 in Mendoza.

Living in Catamarca costs roughly 13% less than in Mendoza, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Catamarca 28% lower, Mendoza 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.33 ARS 14.8K

$11.12 ARS 15.9K

-7.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.61 ARS 48.0K

$41.16 ARS 58.8K

-18.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.09 ARS 13.0K

$9.29 ARS 13.3K

-2.15%

Cappuccino

$2.65 ARS 3,782

$3.61 ARS 5,160

-26.59%

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

$1.72 ARS 2,455

$2.32 ARS 3,319

-25.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 ARS 2,188

$2.05 ARS 2,931

-25.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 ARS 2,956

$2.02 ARS 2,893

2.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 ARS 4,326

$3.05 ARS 4,352

-0.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 ARS 1,866

$1.29 ARS 1,836

1.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ARS 2,326

$1.54 ARS 2,201

5.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 ARS 2,800

$2.02 ARS 2,890

-2.97%

Eggs

$2.19 ARS 3,133

$2.13 ARS 3,044

2.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.98 ARS 14.3K

$11.51 ARS 16.4K

-13.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.09 ARS 8,697

$7.60 ARS 10.9K

-19.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.60 ARS 13.7K

$9.76 ARS 13.9K

-1.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 ARS 2,915

$2.03 ARS 2,896

0.49%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 ARS 2,963

$1.53 ARS 2,179

35.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ARS 1,858

$1.49 ARS 2,126

-12.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 ARS 3,588

$2.08 ARS 2,972

20.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 ARS 1,673

$1.03 ARS 1,464

13.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ARS 1,693

$0.99 ARS 1,408

20.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 ARS 1,798

$0.97 ARS 1,388

29.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 ARS 2,031

$2.61 ARS 3,731

-45.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.09 ARS 4,408

$2.45 ARS 3,496

26.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.65 ARS 6,649

$5.15 ARS 7,354

-9.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 ARS 2,847

$1.97 ARS 2,821

1.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 ARS 4,523

$3.57 ARS 5,105

-11.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 ARS 1,171

$0.73 ARS 1,045

12.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.18 ARS 26.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 ARS 2,100

$0.44 ARS 631

234.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 ARS 1,328

$0.98 ARS 1,404

-5.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.18 ARS 8,823

$4.89 ARS 6,984

26.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ARS 1,579

$1.16 ARS 1,661

-4.31%

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

$27.6K ARS 39.4M

$32.1K ARS 45.9M

-14.16%

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

$30.1K ARS 43.0M

$33.4K ARS 47.7M

-9.80%

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

$67.3 ARS 96.1K

$78.8 ARS 112.5K

-14.55%

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

$17.36 ARS 24.8K

$16.93 ARS 24.2K

2.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.79 ARS 32.6K

$21.44 ARS 30.6K

6.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.51 ARS 37.9K

$27.12 ARS 38.7K

-2.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.86 ARS 19.8K

$16.05 ARS 22.9K

-13.64%

Cinema Ticket

$6.15 ARS 8,787

$6.14 ARS 8,767

0.16%

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

$219 ARS 313.0K

$102 ARS 145.1K

115.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,672 ARS 3.8M

$2,194 ARS 3.1M

21.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.7 ARS 103.8K

$82.0 ARS 117.1K

-11.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.9 ARS 101.3K

$76.8 ARS 109.7K

-7.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 ARS 165.1K

$152 ARS 216.4K

-23.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ARS 161.5K

$120 ARS 172.1K

-6.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$333 ARS 475.2K

$360 ARS 514.6K

-7.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$234 ARS 334.6K

$275 ARS 392.8K

-14.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$675 ARS 964.9K

$618 ARS 883.0K

9.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$527 ARS 752.3K

$500 ARS 714.8K

5.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,085 ARS 3.0M

$1,650 ARS 2.4M

26.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,127 ARS 1.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$745 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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Mendoza: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $333 in Catamarca and $360 in Mendoza. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $34.00 in Catamarca vs $41.00 in Mendoza for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $229 vs $250 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 15% 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 $1,443 in Catamarca and $1,656 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: $333 in Catamarca versus $360 in Mendoza. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Mendoza. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $962 per month in Catamarca versus $1,104 in Mendoza – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $962 in Catamarca versus $1,104 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 $962 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 15% less than in Mendoza. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.