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

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

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

Living in Mendoza is roughly 14% more expensive than Catamarca, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.90 ARS 15.2K

$10.71 ARS 14.9K

1.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.34 ARS 56.3K

$33.83 ARS 47.2K

19.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.60 ARS 13.4K

$9.14 ARS 12.8K

5.03%

Cappuccino

$3.62 ARS 5,047

$2.65 ARS 3,702

36.60%

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

$2.26 ARS 3,155

$1.72 ARS 2,403

31.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ARS 2,881

$1.49 ARS 2,074

38.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 ARS 2,722

$2.17 ARS 3,030

-10.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ARS 4,140

$3.07 ARS 4,279

-3.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 ARS 1,774

$1.30 ARS 1,808

-2.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 ARS 2,139

$1.58 ARS 2,199

-3.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 ARS 2,733

$2.03 ARS 2,828

-3.45%

Eggs

$2.21 ARS 3,089

$2.18 ARS 3,049

1.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.44 ARS 16.0K

$10.27 ARS 14.3K

11.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.34 ARS 10.2K

$6.22 ARS 8,678

18.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.69 ARS 13.5K

$9.64 ARS 13.5K

0.52%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 ARS 2,758

$2.01 ARS 2,807

-1.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 ARS 2,057

$2.14 ARS 2,989

-31.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 ARS 2,115

$1.32 ARS 1,848

15.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 ARS 2,994

$2.52 ARS 3,519

-14.68%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 ARS 1,368

$1.18 ARS 1,649

-16.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 ARS 1,432

$1.24 ARS 1,723

-16.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ARS 1,361

$1.32 ARS 1,844

-25.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 ARS 3,654

$1.44 ARS 2,007

81.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.44 ARS 3,399

$3.10 ARS 4,329

-21.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.97 ARS 6,940

$5.54 ARS 7,724

-10.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 ARS 2,740

$2.06 ARS 2,873

-4.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 ARS 4,747

$3.06 ARS 4,266

11.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 ARS 993

$0.84 ARS 1,167

-15.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 ARS 26.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 ARS 618

$1.46 ARS 2,038

-69.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ARS 1,433

$0.92 ARS 1,278

11.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.76 ARS 6,648

$6.03 ARS 8,408

-21.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ARS 1,664

$1.06 ARS 1,486

12.26%

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

$32.1K ARS 44.8M

$27.6K ARS 38.5M

16.37%

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

$33.1K ARS 46.2M

$30.1K ARS 42.0M

9.95%

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

$75.8 ARS 105.7K

$68.3 ARS 95.3K

10.94%

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

$17.27 ARS 24.1K

$17.26 ARS 24.1K

0.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.09 ARS 30.8K

$22.87 ARS 31.9K

-3.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.87 ARS 38.9K

$26.16 ARS 36.5K

6.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.09 ARS 22.5K

$13.88 ARS 19.4K

15.92%

Cinema Ticket

$5.90 ARS 8,228

$6.17 ARS 8,615

-4.38%

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

$104 ARS 145.1K

$224 ARS 312.0K

-53.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,157 ARS 3.0M

$2,692 ARS 3.8M

-19.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.9 ARS 115.7K

$74.1 ARS 103.4K

11.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.4 ARS 105.2K

$68.2 ARS 95.2K

10.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$151 ARS 211.3K

$114 ARS 158.5K

33.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 ARS 164.6K

$111 ARS 155.2K

6.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$356 ARS 496.9K

$344 ARS 480.0K

3.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 ARS 379.0K

$239 ARS 334.0K

13.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$603 ARS 841.1K

$681 ARS 950.0K

-11.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ARS 711.7K

$547 ARS 762.5K

-6.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,680 ARS 2.3M

$1,926 ARS 2.7M

-12.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,107 ARS 1.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$739 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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Catamarca: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $356 in Mendoza and $344 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 $247 vs $233 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 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 $1,626 in Mendoza and $1,431 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: $356 in Mendoza versus $344 in Catamarca. 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 $1,084 per month in Mendoza versus $954 in Catamarca – 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, 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 14% less than in Mendoza. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.