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 $850 per month in Barranquilla vs $1,456 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Barranquilla vs $2,361 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,852 per month in Barranquilla vs $3,266 in Mexico City, rent included.

Barranquilla is about 42% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Barranquilla sits 36% below the global median, while Mexico City is 9% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.79 COP 15.6K

$13.07 MX$229

-63.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.41 COP 102.1K

$53.8 MX$940

-41.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.31 COP 23.8K

$9.68 MX$169

-24.48%

Cappuccino

$1.76 COP 5,718

$3.74 MX$65.4

-52.94%

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

$0.85 COP 2,761

$1.62 MX$28.25

-47.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 COP 2,096

$1.16 MX$20.31

-44.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 COP 4,378

$3.23 MX$56.4

-58.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 COP 6,132

$4.74 MX$82.9

-60.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,216

$1.65 MX$28.80

-40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,107

$2.75 MX$48.15

-54.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,477

$1.87 MX$32.77

-42.78%

Eggs

$2.06 COP 6,709

$2.50 MX$43.72

-17.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.70 COP 15.3K

$10.20 MX$178

-53.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.19 COP 16.9K

$8.25 MX$144

-37.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.15 COP 23.3K

$11.82 MX$207

-39.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 COP 9,330

$3.01 MX$52.6

-4.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,394

$1.81 MX$31.67

-25.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,919

$2.00 MX$34.96

-24.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.82 COP 2,676

$2.00 MX$34.89

-59.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 COP 3,084

$2.08 MX$36.45

-54.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 COP 4,653

$2.27 MX$39.72

-37.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 COP 2,795

$1.46 MX$25.47

-41.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 COP 1,868

$1.08 MX$18.82

-47.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.73 COP 8,890

$4.35 MX$76.0

-37.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.25 COP 36.6K

$16.99 MX$297

-33.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,963

$1.73 MX$30.31

-47.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 COP 4,346

$3.58 MX$62.5

-62.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 COP 2,319

$0.39 MX$6.77

82.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.39 COP 105.3K

$18.69 MX$327

73.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.92 COP 6,236

$1.33 MX$23.18

44.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.96 COP 9,614

$0.28 MX$4.89

957.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.95 COP 16.1K

$5.25 MX$91.8

-5.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 COP 3,262

$1.34 MX$23.37

-25.37%

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

$14.9K COP 48.3M

$19.4K MX$339.4K

-23.43%

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

$22.4K COP 72.8M

$23.8K MX$416.7K

-6.03%

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

$139 COP 451.9K

$40.69 MX$712

241.58%

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

$8.09 COP 26.3K

$26.87 MX$470

-69.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.84 COP 71.0K

$30.51 MX$534

-28.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.43 COP 69.7K

$52.8 MX$923

-59.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.66 COP 47.7K

$26.65 MX$466

-44.99%

Cinema Ticket

$4.20 COP 13.6K

$6.51 MX$114

-35.48%

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

$61.7 COP 200.7K

$428 MX$7,485

-85.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,834 COP 6.0M

$10.5K MX$183.6K

-82.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.0 COP 201.5K

$57.3 MX$1,001

8.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.8 COP 174.8K

$45.50 MX$796

18.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 COP 260.1K

$104 MX$1,819

-23.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 COP 233.3K

$108 MX$1,885

-33.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$236 COP 765.8K

$1,003 MX$17.5K

-76.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$220 COP 713.8K

$623 MX$10.9K

-64.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$531 COP 1.7M

$2,109 MX$36.9K

-74.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 COP 1.5M

$1,218 MX$21.3K

-62.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,791 COP 5.8M

$3,885 MX$67.9K

-53.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$686 COP 2.2M

$2,033 MX$35.5K

-66.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$544 COP 1.8M

$1,038 MX$18.1K

-47.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

-11.82%

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

Last update for Barranquilla: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $236 in Barranquilla versus $1,003 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 91% 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 $31.00 in Barranquilla versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $175 vs $292 – making Barranquilla the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 71% more than Barranquilla, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,276 per month in Barranquilla and $2,185 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Barranquilla and $54.0 in Mexico City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $850 in Barranquilla and $1,456 in Mexico City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Barranquilla, where all-in costs run around $850, than in Mexico City at $1,456. 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 $850 versus $1,456 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.