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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Living in Mendoza is roughly 11% more expensive than in Catamarca, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.11 ARS 16.5K

$10.61 ARS 15.8K

4.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.23 ARS 59.7K

$34.03 ARS 50.5K

18.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.65 ARS 14.3K

$9.23 ARS 13.7K

4.55%

Cappuccino

$3.75 ARS 5,571

$2.70 ARS 4,016

38.89%

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

$2.22 ARS 3,302

$1.64 ARS 2,442

35.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 ARS 2,967

$1.50 ARS 2,230

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 ARS 2,998

$2.07 ARS 3,067

-2.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 ARS 4,498

$3.02 ARS 4,485

0.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 ARS 1,947

$1.25 ARS 1,854

4.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ARS 2,231

$1.61 ARS 2,394

-6.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 ARS 3,017

$1.98 ARS 2,939

2.53%

Eggs

$2.17 ARS 3,229

$2.25 ARS 3,335

-3.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.72 ARS 17.4K

$9.95 ARS 14.8K

17.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.59 ARS 11.3K

$6.30 ARS 9,350

20.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.38 ARS 13.9K

$9.44 ARS 14.0K

-0.64%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 ARS 2,937

$1.96 ARS 2,916

1.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 ARS 2,273

$2.14 ARS 3,172

-28.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 ARS 2,201

$1.27 ARS 1,883

16.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ARS 3,209

$2.53 ARS 3,762

-14.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 ARS 1,465

$1.18 ARS 1,754

-16.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 ARS 1,505

$1.25 ARS 1,851

-19.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ARS 1,459

$1.30 ARS 1,934

-24.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 ARS 3,920

$1.50 ARS 2,222

76.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 ARS 3,659

$3.06 ARS 4,545

-19.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.86 ARS 7,223

$5.18 ARS 7,696

-6.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 ARS 2,942

$2.08 ARS 3,084

-4.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 ARS 5,131

$3.08 ARS 4,570

12.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 ARS 999

$0.81 ARS 1,205

-17.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.84 ARS 28.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 ARS 621

$1.46 ARS 2,173

-71.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ARS 1,467

$0.93 ARS 1,384

6.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.04 ARS 7,483

$6.09 ARS 9,051

-17.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ARS 1,792

$1.11 ARS 1,643

9.01%

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

$32.0K ARS 47.5M

$27.7K ARS 41.1M

15.40%

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

$32.9K ARS 48.9M

$30.1K ARS 44.7M

9.50%

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

$77.4 ARS 114.9K

$66.5 ARS 98.8K

16.32%

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

$17.57 ARS 26.1K

$17.27 ARS 25.6K

1.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.17 ARS 32.9K

$22.34 ARS 33.2K

-0.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.31 ARS 40.6K

$25.67 ARS 38.1K

6.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.74 ARS 23.4K

$14.02 ARS 20.8K

12.27%

Cinema Ticket

$6.05 ARS 8,986

$6.30 ARS 9,353

-3.97%

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

$101 ARS 150.7K

$216 ARS 321.0K

-53.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,174 ARS 3.2M

$2,754 ARS 4.1M

-21.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.2 ARS 122.1K

$74.7 ARS 110.9K

10.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$76.5 ARS 113.7K

$69.7 ARS 103.5K

9.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$148 ARS 219.5K

$116 ARS 172.5K

27.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 ARS 174.0K

$112 ARS 166.7K

4.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$367 ARS 544.2K

$337 ARS 500.5K

8.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 ARS 394.3K

$233 ARS 345.5K

14.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$609 ARS 905.1K

$676 ARS 1.0M

-9.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$514 ARS 763.5K

$546 ARS 811.4K

-5.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,667 ARS 2.5M

$2,023 ARS 3.0M

-17.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,095 ARS 1.6M

$1,327 ARS 2.0M

-17.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$743 ARS 1.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

58.5

35.04%

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

Last update for Mendoza: July 27, 2026

Last update for Catamarca: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

Dining out: $40.00 in Mendoza vs $34.00 in Catamarca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $232 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

Mendoza vs Catamarca: 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 $1,601 in Mendoza and $1,445 in Catamarca 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: $367 in Mendoza versus $337 in Catamarca. 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 $1,067 per month in Mendoza versus $964 in Catamarca – 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, Mendoza and Catamarca 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.