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: $954 in Catamarca versus $1,084 in Mendoza.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,551 in Catamarca versus $1,724 in Mendoza.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,147 in Catamarca versus $2,363 in Mendoza.

Living in Catamarca costs roughly 12% less than in Mendoza, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Catamarca 29% lower, Mendoza 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.71 ARS 15.1K

$10.90 ARS 15.4K

-1.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.83 ARS 47.6K

$40.34 ARS 56.8K

-16.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.14 ARS 12.9K

$9.60 ARS 13.5K

-4.79%

Cappuccino

$2.65 ARS 3,736

$3.62 ARS 5,094

-26.80%

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

$1.72 ARS 2,425

$2.26 ARS 3,185

-23.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 ARS 2,093

$2.06 ARS 2,907

-27.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 ARS 3,058

$1.95 ARS 2,747

11.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 ARS 4,318

$2.97 ARS 4,178

3.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 ARS 1,825

$1.27 ARS 1,790

2.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 ARS 2,219

$1.53 ARS 2,159

3.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 ARS 2,854

$1.96 ARS 2,759

3.57%

Eggs

$2.18 ARS 3,077

$2.21 ARS 3,117

-1.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.27 ARS 14.5K

$11.44 ARS 16.1K

-10.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.22 ARS 8,758

$7.34 ARS 10.3K

-15.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.64 ARS 13.6K

$9.69 ARS 13.6K

-0.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 ARS 2,832

$1.98 ARS 2,784

1.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 ARS 3,016

$1.47 ARS 2,076

45.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 ARS 1,865

$1.52 ARS 2,134

-13.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 ARS 3,552

$2.15 ARS 3,021

17.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 ARS 1,664

$0.98 ARS 1,381

20.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 ARS 1,739

$1.03 ARS 1,445

20.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 ARS 1,861

$0.98 ARS 1,374

34.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 ARS 2,026

$2.62 ARS 3,688

-45.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 ARS 4,369

$2.44 ARS 3,430

27.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.54 ARS 7,795

$4.97 ARS 7,003

11.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 ARS 2,899

$1.96 ARS 2,766

5.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 ARS 4,306

$3.40 ARS 4,791

-10.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 ARS 1,178

$0.71 ARS 1,003

18.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 ARS 26.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 ARS 2,057

$0.44 ARS 623

231.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ARS 1,289

$1.03 ARS 1,446

-10.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.03 ARS 8,486

$4.76 ARS 6,710

26.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 ARS 1,500

$1.19 ARS 1,680

-10.92%

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

$27.6K ARS 38.8M

$32.1K ARS 45.2M

-14.07%

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

$30.1K ARS 42.4M

$33.1K ARS 46.6M

-9.05%

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

$68.3 ARS 96.2K

$75.8 ARS 106.7K

-9.86%

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

$17.26 ARS 24.3K

$17.27 ARS 24.3K

-0.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.87 ARS 32.2K

$22.09 ARS 31.1K

3.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.16 ARS 36.8K

$27.87 ARS 39.2K

-6.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.88 ARS 19.5K

$16.09 ARS 22.7K

-13.74%

Cinema Ticket

$6.17 ARS 8,694

$5.90 ARS 8,303

4.58%

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

$224 ARS 314.9K

$104 ARS 146.5K

114.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,692 ARS 3.8M

$2,157 ARS 3.0M

24.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.1 ARS 104.4K

$82.9 ARS 116.7K

-10.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.2 ARS 96.1K

$75.4 ARS 106.2K

-9.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 ARS 159.9K

$151 ARS 213.2K

-24.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ARS 156.6K

$118 ARS 166.1K

-5.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$344 ARS 484.4K

$356 ARS 501.5K

-3.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ARS 337.1K

$272 ARS 382.5K

-11.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$681 ARS 958.8K

$603 ARS 848.9K

12.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$547 ARS 769.6K

$510 ARS 718.3K

7.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,926 ARS 2.7M

$1,680 ARS 2.4M

14.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,107 ARS 1.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$739 ARS 1.0M

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Mendoza: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $344 in Catamarca and $356 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 $233 vs $247 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 14% 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 $1,431 in Catamarca and $1,626 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: $344 in Catamarca versus $356 in Mendoza. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Mendoza. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $954 per month in Catamarca versus $1,084 in Mendoza – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $954 in Catamarca versus $1,084 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 $954 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 14% less than in Mendoza. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.