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 $1,270 per month in Cartagena vs $1,691 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,128 per month in Cartagena vs $2,599 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,987 per month in Cartagena vs $3,507 in Mexico City, rent included.

Cartagena is about 25% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Cartagena sits 6% below the global median, while Mexico City is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.12 COP 16.1K

$11.91 MX$203

-57.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$136 COP 428.1K

$51.6 MX$880

164.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.20 COP 32.0K

$10.41 MX$178

-2.02%

Cappuccino

$3.63 COP 11.4K

$3.94 MX$67.1

-7.87%

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

$1.86 COP 5,837

$1.65 MX$28.18

12.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 COP 5,790

$1.29 MX$22.01

43.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.94 COP 6,080

$3.48 MX$59.4

-44.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 COP 15.2K

$5.98 MX$102

-18.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 COP 6,070

$1.82 MX$31.01

6.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.84 COP 8,897

$3.28 MX$56.0

-13.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 COP 4,547

$2.07 MX$35.32

-29.95%

Eggs

$5.01 COP 15.7K

$3.05 MX$52.0

64.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.70 COP 43.0K

$12.76 MX$218

7.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.87 COP 56.1K

$9.90 MX$169

80.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.11 MX$275

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 MX$58.6

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.66

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.73

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 MX$42.79

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.54

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.49

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 MX$25.70

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 COP 6,411

$1.33 MX$22.69

53.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.53 MX$94.4

Wine (Bottle)

$14.72 COP 46.2K

$17.82 MX$304

-17.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 COP 4,645

$2.01 MX$34.23

-26.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.77 MX$81.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 COP 3,893

$0.36 MX$6.19

244.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.2 COP 185.6K

$20.77 MX$354

184.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.70 COP 14.7K

$2.06 MX$35.12

128.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 COP 11.7K

$0.61 MX$10.38

511.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.46 COP 29.7K

$5.79 MX$98.8

63.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 COP 4,097

$1.62 MX$27.56

-19.14%

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

$24.0K COP 75.3M

$22.9K MX$390.1K

4.96%

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

$34.3K COP 107.7M

$26.3K MX$447.9K

30.72%

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

$80.6 COP 253.0K

$65.7 MX$1,121

22.69%

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

$29.93 MX$511

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.04 MX$615

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$93.9 COP 294.7K

$58.6 MX$1,000

60.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.07 MX$445

Cinema Ticket

$8.35 COP 26.2K

$6.88 MX$117

21.37%

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

$630 COP 2.0M

$448 MX$7,640

40.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,794 COP 18.2M

$13.1K MX$223.9K

-55.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.3 MX$1,251

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.2 MX$925

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,914

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,091

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,050 COP 3.3M

$1,102 MX$18.8K

-4.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$587 COP 1.8M

$710 MX$12.1K

-17.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,274 COP 7.1M

$2,524 MX$43.1K

-9.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$941 COP 3.0M

$1,343 MX$22.9K

-29.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,913 MX$66.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$968 COP 3.0M

$2,095 MX$35.7K

-53.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$475 COP 1.5M

$1,066 MX$18.2K

-55.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.35

32.16%

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

Last update for Cartagena: August 11, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 10, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,050 in Cartagena versus $1,102 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 124% 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 $136 in Cartagena versus $52.0 in Mexico City. Groceries tell a different story – $265 in Cartagena vs $345 in Mexico City – so Cartagena 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

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

Mexico City costs about 33% more than Cartagena, 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 $1,905 per month in Cartagena and $2,537 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 $630 per month in Cartagena and $448 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 $1,270, than in Mexico City at $1,691. 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 $1,270 versus $1,691 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.