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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,063 per month in Cartagena vs $1,448 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,611 per month in Cartagena vs $2,354 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,160 per month in Cartagena vs $3,260 in Mexico City, rent included.

Cartagena is about 27% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Cartagena sits 20% below the global median, while Mexico City is 9% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.09 COP 20.9K

$12.96 MX$223

-53.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.00 COP 161.1K

$52.3 MX$900

-10.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.47 COP 32.4K

$9.69 MX$167

-2.27%

Cappuccino

$1.64 COP 5,616

$3.75 MX$64.6

-56.27%

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

$0.87 COP 2,971

$1.56 MX$26.91

-44.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 COP 2,249

$1.16 MX$19.93

-43.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.25 COP 4,269

$3.24 MX$55.8

-61.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 COP 10.1K

$4.90 MX$84.3

-40.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 COP 3,968

$1.70 MX$29.29

-31.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 COP 6,511

$2.67 MX$45.90

-28.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,563

$1.89 MX$32.49

-29.63%

Eggs

$2.10 COP 7,206

$2.52 MX$43.37

-16.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.80 COP 23.3K

$10.02 MX$172

-32.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.16 COP 21.1K

$8.53 MX$147

-27.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.16 COP 28.0K

$11.94 MX$205

-31.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 COP 11.2K

$2.97 MX$51.1

10.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 COP 6,819

$1.79 MX$30.88

11.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 COP 4,997

$2.00 MX$34.40

-27.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 COP 5,665

$1.96 MX$33.74

-15.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 COP 5,480

$2.16 MX$37.21

-25.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,647

$2.27 MX$39.04

-53.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 COP 3,595

$1.40 MX$24.14

-25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 COP 1,988

$1.11 MX$19.18

-47.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,045

$4.20 MX$72.2

-44.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.92 COP 64.8K

$16.54 MX$285

14.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 COP 3,422

$1.68 MX$28.94

-40.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 COP 3,385

$3.59 MX$61.8

-72.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 COP 3,508

$0.39 MX$6.65

161.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.14 COP 99.9K

$19.19 MX$330

51.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 COP 8,451

$1.38 MX$23.77

78.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.35 COP 8,049

$0.30 MX$5.19

683.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.96 COP 17.0K

$5.39 MX$92.7

-7.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 COP 3,298

$1.29 MX$22.13

-25.58%

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

$20.8K COP 71.3M

$18.9K MX$325.1K

10.16%

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

$23.6K COP 80.8M

$23.8K MX$409.5K

-0.94%

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

$140 COP 478.8K

$39.86 MX$686

250.48%

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

$10.70 COP 36.7K

$27.83 MX$479

-61.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.03 COP 85.8K

$29.77 MX$512

-15.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.17 COP 120.5K

$52.0 MX$894

-32.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.48 COP 29.1K

$26.22 MX$451

-67.66%

Cinema Ticket

$2.93 COP 10.1K

$6.27 MX$108

-53.27%

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

$144 COP 492.3K

$433 MX$7,443

-66.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,840 COP 20.0M

$10.5K MX$181.3K

-44.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.52 COP 166.3K

$57.0 MX$981

-14.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.07 COP 133.9K

$45.33 MX$780

-13.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 COP 425.6K

$102 MX$1,753

21.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 COP 385.1K

$109 MX$1,867

3.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.5M

$994 MX$17.1K

-27.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 COP 1.1M

$617 MX$10.6K

-45.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,270 COP 4.4M

$2,086 MX$35.9K

-39.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.6M

$1,256 MX$21.6K

-62.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,197 COP 11.0M

$3,936 MX$67.7K

-18.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$871 COP 3.0M

$2,089 MX$35.9K

-58.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$422 COP 1.4M

$1,131 MX$19.5K

-62.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

32.28%

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

Last update for Cartagena: June 16, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $716 in Cartagena versus $994 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 168% 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 $47.00 in Cartagena versus $52.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $225 vs $292 – making Cartagena 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

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

Mexico City costs about 36% more than Cartagena, 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 $1,594 per month in Cartagena and $2,173 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $144 per month in Cartagena and $433 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 30% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Cartagena, where all-in costs run around $1,063, than in Mexico City at $1,448. In Cartagena 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. Cartagena costs $1,063 versus $1,448 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 Cartagena. 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.