Cost of Living Comparison Between Barranquilla and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Barranquilla and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,480 per month in Barranquilla vs $1,646 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,301 per month in Barranquilla vs $2,613 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,122 per month in Barranquilla vs $3,580 in Mexico City, rent included.

Barranquilla is about 10% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Barranquilla and Mexico City sit above the global median – Barranquilla by 8%, Mexico City by 20%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.43 COP 26.6K

$12.11 MX$206

-30.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.5 COP 197.2K

$52.2 MX$887

19.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.66 COP 40.0K

$10.90 MX$185

16.15%

Cappuccino

$2.78 COP 8,783

$4.05 MX$68.9

-31.36%

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

$1.34 COP 4,215

$1.72 MX$29.15

-22.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 COP 4,084

$1.38 MX$23.41

-6.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.05 COP 12.8K

$3.47 MX$58.9

16.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.94 COP 25.1K

$5.81 MX$98.8

36.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 COP 2,780

$1.85 MX$31.50

-52.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 COP 4,045

$3.22 MX$54.8

-60.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 COP 5,106

$2.09 MX$35.44

-22.49%

Eggs

$2.10 COP 6,612

$2.91 MX$49.44

-27.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.97 COP 15.7K

$12.49 MX$212

-60.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.95 COP 56.6K

$10.11 MX$172

77.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.12 COP 22.5K

$15.89 MX$270

-55.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 COP 7,160

$3.31 MX$56.3

-31.42%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 COP 2,933

$2.13 MX$36.14

-56.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.60 COP 1,904

$2.19 MX$37.22

-72.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.85 COP 5,841

$2.45 MX$41.59

-24.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 COP 3,943

$2.19 MX$37.20

-42.92%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 COP 3,089

$1.90 MX$32.37

-48.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 COP 3,950

$1.62 MX$27.45

-22.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 COP 2,947

$1.35 MX$22.94

-31.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.09 COP 16.1K

$5.43 MX$92.2

-6.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.85 COP 40.6K

$17.59 MX$299

-26.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 COP 4,855

$2.07 MX$35.14

-25.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.87 COP 15.4K

$4.75 MX$80.7

2.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 COP 3,800

$0.34 MX$5.78

252.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$367

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 COP 10.9K

$2.04 MX$34.67

69.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.22 COP 10.2K

$0.58 MX$9.82

455.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.59 COP 49.2K

$5.97 MX$101

161.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 COP 4,230

$1.62 MX$27.46

-17.28%

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

$22.1K COP 69.7M

$22.8K MX$387.6K

-3.21%

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

$29.2K COP 92.2M

$26.7K MX$453.1K

9.60%

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

$151 COP 475.8K

$65.2 MX$1,109

131.12%

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

$14.54 COP 45.9K

$29.87 MX$508

-51.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.67 COP 103.1K

$36.55 MX$621

-10.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.51 COP 108.9K

$61.0 MX$1,037

-43.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$454

Cinema Ticket

$4.82 COP 15.2K

$6.85 MX$116

-29.64%

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

$323 COP 1.0M

$453 MX$7,705

-28.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,682 COP 14.8M

$13.4K MX$227.2K

-64.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 COP 353.1K

$75.0 MX$1,274

49.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.13 COP 148.7K

$55.3 MX$940

-14.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$190 COP 599.2K

$114 MX$1,931

67.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$255 COP 804.8K

$123 MX$2,084

107.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$794 COP 2.5M

$1,134 MX$19.3K

-29.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$503 COP 1.6M

$712 MX$12.1K

-29.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$806 COP 2.5M

$2,571 MX$43.7K

-68.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$915 COP 2.9M

$1,311 MX$22.3K

-30.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,882 COP 5.9M

$3,993 MX$67.8K

-52.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$647 COP 2.0M

$2,095 MX$35.6K

-69.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$513 COP 1.6M

$1,047 MX$17.8K

-50.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

-11.50%

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

Last update for Barranquilla: August 29, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $794 in Barranquilla versus $1,134 in Mexico City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 104% higher in Mexico City, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Barranquilla versus $52.0 in Mexico City. Groceries tell a different story – $256 in Barranquilla vs $345 in Mexico City – so Barranquilla wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Barranquilla vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City costs about 11% more than Barranquilla, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,220 per month in Barranquilla and $2,469 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Barranquilla, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,480 in Barranquilla and $1,646 in Mexico City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $323 per month in Barranquilla and $453 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Barranquilla, where all-in costs run around $1,480, than in Mexico City at $1,646. In Barranquilla it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Barranquilla costs $1,480 versus $1,646 in Mexico City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Barranquilla. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.