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: $1,161 in Catamarca versus $1,332 in Mendoza.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,881 in Catamarca versus $2,085 in Mendoza.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,601 in Catamarca versus $2,838 in Mendoza.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Catamarca 15% lower, Mendoza 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.32 ARS 24.7K

$11.20 ARS 17.0K

45.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.2 ARS 75.9K

$50.7 ARS 76.8K

-1.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.75 ARS 20.8K

$14.75 ARS 22.3K

-6.78%

Cappuccino

$3.39 ARS 5,132

$4.40 ARS 6,657

-22.95%

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

$2.37 ARS 3,588

$2.42 ARS 3,663

-2.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 ARS 2,559

$1.96 ARS 2,972

-13.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 ARS 5,506

$4.07 ARS 6,168

-10.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 ARS 5,957

$4.56 ARS 6,899

-13.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 ARS 2,153

$1.40 ARS 2,115

1.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 ARS 3,066

$2.21 ARS 3,352

-8.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 ARS 2,712

$2.78 ARS 4,203

-35.61%

Eggs

$2.63 ARS 3,983

$3.25 ARS 4,921

-19.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.14 ARS 16.9K

$14.70 ARS 22.3K

-24.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 ARS 12.1K

$6.21 ARS 9,409

28.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 ARS 20.7K

$11.04 ARS 16.7K

23.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 ARS 3,723

$2.31 ARS 3,504

6.49%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 ARS 3,061

$2.21 ARS 3,350

-8.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 ARS 2,008

$1.31 ARS 1,978

1.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 ARS 4,135

$3.34 ARS 5,056

-18.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 ARS 3,032

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 ARS 1,849

$1.50 ARS 2,278

-18.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 ARS 2,934

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 ARS 3,747

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.79 ARS 5,743

$2.70 ARS 4,091

40.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.06 ARS 7,656

$4.93 ARS 7,470

2.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ARS 2,572

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 ARS 4,454

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ARS 1,346

$0.97 ARS 1,472

-8.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.05 ARS 30.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.45 ARS 2,193

$2.05 ARS 3,110

-29.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ARS 1,553

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.80 ARS 7,274

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ARS 1,826

$1.22 ARS 1,849

-0.82%

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

$27.3K ARS 41.4M

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

$33.0K ARS 50.0M

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

$107 ARS 162.2K

$134 ARS 203.3K

-20.22%

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

$19.22 ARS 29.1K

$17.34 ARS 26.3K

10.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.59 ARS 43.3K

$23.56 ARS 35.7K

21.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.40 ARS 41.5K

$29.72 ARS 45.0K

-7.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.02 ARS 27.3K

Cinema Ticket

$10.48 ARS 15.9K

$7.21 ARS 10.9K

45.35%

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

$312 ARS 472.0K

$173 ARS 262.2K

80.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,161 ARS 6.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$96.8 ARS 146.5K

$113 ARS 171.1K

-14.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$124 ARS 187.3K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 ARS 200.5K

$136 ARS 205.7K

-2.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 ARS 207.3K

$128 ARS 194.2K

6.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$511 ARS 773.0K

$486 ARS 735.8K

5.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$345 ARS 522.5K

$330 ARS 499.0K

4.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$965 ARS 1.5M

$865 ARS 1.3M

11.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$702 ARS 1.1M

$651 ARS 986.1K

7.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,683 ARS 2.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,116 ARS 1.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$779 ARS 1.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Catamarca: September 15, 2026

Last update for Mendoza: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $511 in Catamarca and $486 in Mendoza. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $50.0 in Catamarca vs $51.0 in Mendoza for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $223 vs $286 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 $1,741 in Catamarca and $1,999 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: $511 in Catamarca versus $486 in Mendoza. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Mendoza. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,161 per month in Catamarca versus $1,332 in Mendoza – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,161 in Catamarca versus $1,332 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 $1,161 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.