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: $1,093 in Mendoza versus $968 in Catamarca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,725 in Mendoza versus $1,585 in Catamarca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,358 in Mendoza versus $2,202 in Catamarca.

Living in Mendoza is roughly 13% more expensive than Catamarca, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mendoza 18% lower, Catamarca 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.10 ARS 15.9K

$10.34 ARS 14.9K

7.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.37 ARS 59.4K

$33.41 ARS 48.0K

23.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.48 ARS 13.6K

$9.23 ARS 13.3K

2.71%

Cappuccino

$3.64 ARS 5,231

$2.68 ARS 3,851

35.82%

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

$2.34 ARS 3,361

$1.71 ARS 2,461

36.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 ARS 2,869

$1.55 ARS 2,232

29.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 ARS 2,852

$2.17 ARS 3,116

-8.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ARS 4,270

$3.08 ARS 4,421

-3.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 ARS 1,822

$1.29 ARS 1,856

-1.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 ARS 2,216

$1.56 ARS 2,241

-1.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 ARS 2,932

$1.96 ARS 2,812

4.08%

Eggs

$2.20 ARS 3,159

$2.16 ARS 3,096

1.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.81 ARS 17.0K

$9.95 ARS 14.3K

18.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.64 ARS 11.0K

$6.29 ARS 9,035

21.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.51 ARS 13.7K

$9.31 ARS 13.4K

2.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 ARS 2,910

$1.93 ARS 2,774

5.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 ARS 2,173

$2.08 ARS 2,988

-27.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 ARS 2,140

$1.32 ARS 1,895

12.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 ARS 3,037

$2.66 ARS 3,815

-20.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 ARS 1,479

$1.17 ARS 1,681

-11.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 ARS 1,466

$1.24 ARS 1,776

-17.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ARS 1,459

$1.26 ARS 1,810

-19.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 ARS 3,779

$1.43 ARS 2,061

83.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.43 ARS 3,486

$3.15 ARS 4,524

-22.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.11 ARS 7,334

$5.17 ARS 7,433

-1.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 ARS 2,834

$2.01 ARS 2,888

-1.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ARS 4,992

$3.03 ARS 4,355

14.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 ARS 1,023

$0.84 ARS 1,204

-15.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.70 ARS 26.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 ARS 598

$1.48 ARS 2,121

-71.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.97 ARS 1,394

$0.92 ARS 1,315

5.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.82 ARS 6,929

$5.94 ARS 8,531

-18.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ARS 1,728

$1.10 ARS 1,581

9.09%

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

$31.4K ARS 45.1M

$27.6K ARS 39.7M

13.46%

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

$33.7K ARS 48.3M

$30.7K ARS 44.1M

9.75%

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

$78.7 ARS 113.0K

$66.6 ARS 95.7K

18.12%

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

$17.31 ARS 24.9K

$16.85 ARS 24.2K

2.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.99 ARS 31.6K

$22.86 ARS 32.8K

-3.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.39 ARS 39.4K

$26.19 ARS 37.6K

4.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.87 ARS 22.8K

$13.71 ARS 19.7K

15.75%

Cinema Ticket

$6.02 ARS 8,646

$6.02 ARS 8,642

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

$104 ARS 148.9K

$218 ARS 312.6K

-52.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,184 ARS 3.1M

$2,658 ARS 3.8M

-17.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.1 ARS 119.3K

$74.1 ARS 106.4K

12.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$76.8 ARS 110.3K

$70.7 ARS 101.6K

8.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 ARS 213.4K

$115 ARS 164.6K

29.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 ARS 168.3K

$111 ARS 160.0K

5.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$357 ARS 513.2K

$343 ARS 492.2K

4.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$267 ARS 383.0K

$236 ARS 339.0K

12.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$617 ARS 886.9K

$671 ARS 963.9K

-7.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ARS 733.3K

$538 ARS 773.0K

-5.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,695 ARS 2.4M

$1,851 ARS 2.7M

-8.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,084 ARS 1.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$728 ARS 1.0M

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Catamarca: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $357 in Mendoza and $343 in Catamarca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $41.00 in Mendoza vs $33.00 in Catamarca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $230 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 13% 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 $1,639 in Mendoza and $1,451 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: $357 in Mendoza versus $343 in Catamarca. 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 $1,093 per month in Mendoza versus $968 in Catamarca – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $968 in Catamarca versus $1,093 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 $968 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 13% less than in Mendoza. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.