Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bogota and Zacatecas

For one person, living is cheaper in Zacatecas: $730 a month against $1,380 in Bogota, rent and utilities included – about $7,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Bogota, Colombia
Zacatecas, Mexico
Bogota
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,380
/mo nomad
Zacatecas
🇲🇽 Mexico
$730
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bogota and in Zacatecas

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bogota and in Zacatecas actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,380 per month in Bogota vs $730 in Zacatecas, rent included.

  • Bogota $1,380
  • Zacatecas $730

A couple spends around $2,167 per month in Bogota vs $1,155 in Zacatecas, rent included.

  • Bogota $2,167
  • Zacatecas $1,155

A family of three spends $2,953 per month in Bogota vs $1,580 in Zacatecas, rent included.

  • Bogota $2,953
  • Zacatecas $1,580

Bogota costs about 89% more than Zacatecas, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bogota
Zacatecas
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.82 COP 24.6K
$6.06 MX$113
29.04%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.50 COP 133.7K
$31.91 MX$595
33.19%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.29 COP 32.4K
$7.17 MX$134
43.51%
Cappuccino
$2.60 COP 8,181
$3.01 MX$56.2
-13.62%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.30 COP 4,085
$1.25 MX$23.33
4.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91 COP 2,864
$0.72 MX$13.37
26.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.02 COP 6,347
$1.84 MX$34.23
9.78%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.01 COP 12.6K
$4.13 MX$77.0
-2.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bogota
Zacatecas
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.68 COP 5,273
$1.35 MX$25.17
24.44%
White Bread (500g)
$2.53 COP 7,947
$2.15 MX$39.99
17.67%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.69 COP 5,317
$1.53 MX$28.43
10.46%
Eggs
$3.51 COP 11.0K
$2.21 MX$41.15
58.82%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.25 COP 25.9K
$7.28 MX$136
13.32%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.46 COP 23.5K
$5.96 MX$111
25.17%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.69 COP 30.5K
$9.62 MX$179
0.73%
Apples (1kg)
$3.55 COP 11.2K
$1.78 MX$33.14
99.44%
Banana (1kg)
$1.84 COP 5,782
$1.59 MX$29.65
15.72%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.00 COP 6,280
$1.93 MX$35.90
3.63%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.84 COP 5,795
$1.46 MX$27.17
26.03%
Potato (1kg)
$1.42 COP 4,467
$1.99 MX$37.01
-28.64%
Onion (1kg)
$1.39 COP 4,359
$1.77 MX$33.00
-21.47%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.29 COP 4,067
$1.58 MX$29.48
-18.35%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.14 COP 3,590
$0.80 MX$14.89
42.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41 COP 13.9K
$4.25 MX$79.2
3.76%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.52 COP 39.4K
$10.27 MX$191
21.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.47 COP 4,617
$1.60 MX$29.78
-8.13%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.24 COP 10.2K
$3.35 MX$62.5
-3.28%
🚌 Getting Around
Bogota
Zacatecas
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.09 COP 3,439
$0.53 MX$9.83
105.66%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$50.4 COP 158.5K
$16.07 MX$299
213.57%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.39 COP 7,513
$2.13 MX$39.75
12.21%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.44 COP 7,685
$1.11 MX$20.67
119.82%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$9.55 COP 30.0K
$9.49 MX$177
0.63%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.36 COP 4,277
$1.46 MX$27.20
-6.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.8K COP 109.6M
$20.9K MX$389.9K
66.57%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.8K COP 109.4M
$23.8K MX$443.3K
46.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bogota
Zacatecas
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$125 COP 392.5K
$22.72 MX$424
449.12%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.34 COP 51.4K
$7.97 MX$149
105.02%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.01 COP 94.4K
$24.73 MX$461
21.35%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bogota
Zacatecas
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$33.66 COP 105.9K
$24.23 MX$452
38.92%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.33 COP 48.2K
$7.96 MX$148
92.59%
Cinema Ticket
$7.72 COP 24.3K
$4.24 MX$79.1
82.08%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bogota
Zacatecas
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$555 COP 1.7M
$235 MX$4,379
136.36%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,491 COP 23.6M
$3,243 MX$60.5K
130.99%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bogota
Zacatecas
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$82.8 COP 260.5K
$44.83 MX$836
84.68%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.40 COP 152.3K
$40.16 MX$749
20.52%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$144 COP 453.5K
$90.7 MX$1,690
59.00%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 COP 338.3K
$42.77 MX$797
151.46%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bogota
Zacatecas
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$749 COP 2.4M
$241 MX$4,498
210.40%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$502 COP 1.6M
$162 MX$3,024
209.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,430 COP 4.5M
$381 MX$7,095
275.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,009 COP 3.2M
$241 MX$4,489
319.05%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,890 COP 9.1M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,231 COP 7.0M
$563 MX$10.5K
295.99%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bogota
Zacatecas
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$806 COP 2.5M
$408 MX$7,603
97.55%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.81
10.8
18.61%

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

Last update for Bogota: October 24, 2026

Last update for Zacatecas: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Bogota
$502
Zacatecas
$162 67.7% $340
Groceries & Markets
Bogota
$265
Zacatecas
$224 15.2% $40
Clothing & Footwear
Bogota
$172
Zacatecas
$98 43% $74
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bogota
$171
Zacatecas
$55 67.6% $116
Eating Out
Bogota
$152
Zacatecas
$131 13.3% $20
Getting Around
Bogota
$69
Zacatecas
$26 62.7% $44
Sport & Entertainment
Bogota
$49
Zacatecas
$33 33.4% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $749 in Bogota versus $241 in Zacatecas. 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 98% higher in Bogota. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Bogota versus $32 in Zacatecas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $265 vs $224 – making Zacatecas the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Bogota
🇲🇽 Zacatecas
🕒 Local time
13:04 1:04 PM
12:04 12:04 PM
1 h behind Bogota
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
8,181,047 Capital
138,444
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 3,146 COP (10,000 COP = 3.18 USD). 1 EUR = 3,502 COP (10,000 COP = 2.86 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18.64 MXN (100 MXN = 5.36 USD). 1 EUR = 20.75 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Bogota Zacatecas 3,660 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Bogota
  • Zacatecas

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Bogota vs Zacatecas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Zacatecas cheaper than Bogota?
Yes – Bogota is pricier by about 89%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,070 per month in Bogota and $1,096 in Zacatecas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Zacatecas, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $241 there versus $749 in Bogota.
What are total monthly expenses in Bogota and in Zacatecas?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,380 in Bogota and $730 in Zacatecas. That’s a gap of about 89%.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 68% less in Zacatecas. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,200 a realistic budget for living in Bogota or in Zacatecas?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Zacatecas, where all-in costs run around $730, than in Bogota at $1,380. In Zacatecas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bogota it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Bogota or Zacatecas more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Zacatecas – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Zacatecas. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bogota makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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