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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,090 in Cali versus $1,646 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,649 in Cali versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,208 in Cali versus $3,580 in Mexico City.

Living in Cali costs roughly 34% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cali is 21% below, Mexico City is 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.70 COP 24.3K

$12.11 MX$206

-36.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.08 COP 120.1K

$52.2 MX$887

-27.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.61 COP 27.2K

$10.90 MX$185

-21.01%

Cappuccino

$1.62 COP 5,111

$4.05 MX$68.9

-60.00%

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

$1.26 COP 3,973

$1.72 MX$29.15

-26.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 COP 2,755

$1.38 MX$23.41

-36.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 10.2K

$3.47 MX$58.9

-6.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 COP 12.1K

$5.81 MX$98.8

-33.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 COP 4,969

$1.85 MX$31.50

-15.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.99 COP 6,282

$3.22 MX$54.8

-38.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,765

$2.09 MX$35.44

-27.75%

Eggs

$2.83 COP 8,921

$2.91 MX$49.44

-2.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.43 COP 20.3K

$12.49 MX$212

-48.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.06 COP 22.3K

$10.11 MX$172

-30.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.39 COP 32.8K

$15.89 MX$270

-34.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 COP 11.0K

$3.31 MX$56.3

5.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 COP 4,456

$2.13 MX$36.14

-33.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 COP 5,542

$2.19 MX$37.22

-19.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 COP 5,522

$2.45 MX$41.59

-28.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 COP 4,584

$2.19 MX$37.20

-33.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,949

$1.90 MX$32.37

-17.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,640

$1.62 MX$27.45

-29.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 COP 3,272

$1.35 MX$22.94

-22.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.70 COP 11.7K

$5.43 MX$92.2

-31.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.26 COP 41.8K

$17.59 MX$299

-24.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 COP 4,569

$2.07 MX$35.14

-29.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 COP 7,990

$4.75 MX$80.7

-46.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 COP 3,422

$0.34 MX$5.78

217.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.95 COP 94.5K

$21.58 MX$367

38.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 COP 2,662

$2.04 MX$34.67

-58.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.82

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,114

$1.62 MX$27.46

-19.75%

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

$22.8K MX$387.6K

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

$35.7K COP 112.6M

$26.7K MX$453.1K

33.84%

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

$114 COP 358.3K

$65.2 MX$1,109

74.03%

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

$13.49 COP 42.6K

$29.87 MX$508

-54.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.05 COP 98.0K

$36.55 MX$621

-15.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.87 COP 91.1K

$61.0 MX$1,037

-52.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$454

Cinema Ticket

$8.43 COP 26.6K

$6.85 MX$116

23.07%

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

$453 MX$7,705

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$227.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.3 COP 253.3K

$75.0 MX$1,274

7.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.4 COP 171.6K

$55.3 MX$940

-1.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 COP 391.8K

$114 MX$1,931

9.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 343.7K

$123 MX$2,084

-11.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 COP 2.0M

$1,134 MX$19.3K

-43.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 COP 944.9K

$712 MX$12.1K

-57.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 COP 5.0M

$2,571 MX$43.7K

-38.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$493 COP 1.6M

$1,311 MX$22.3K

-62.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 COP 1.9M

$1,047 MX$17.8K

-43.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.58

11.3

2.48%

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

Last update for Cali: September 1, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $641 in Cali and $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 77% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $38.00 in Cali vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $244 vs $345 per month, with Cali 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

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

Cali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 51% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 77% lower in Mexico City. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $641 in Cali versus $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Cali – a meal for two runs $38.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Cali runs roughly 39% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,090 in Cali versus $1,646 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cali but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Cali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cali is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Cali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.