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 $1,062 per month in Cartagena vs $1,484 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,608 per month in Cartagena vs $2,381 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,153 per month in Cartagena vs $3,278 in Mexico City, rent included.

Cartagena is about 28% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Cartagena sits 21% below the global median, while Mexico City is 11% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.17 COP 22.3K

$12.98 MX$227

-52.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.58 COP 171.8K

$53.1 MX$929

-10.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.85 COP 35.5K

$9.72 MX$170

1.34%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,948

$3.75 MX$65.6

-56.00%

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

$0.81 COP 2,914

$1.57 MX$27.46

-48.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 COP 2,407

$1.13 MX$19.76

-40.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.30 COP 4,682

$3.18 MX$55.7

-59.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 COP 10.6K

$4.66 MX$81.6

-36.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 COP 4,124

$1.62 MX$28.37

-29.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.86 COP 6,715

$2.71 MX$47.36

-31.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,784

$1.88 MX$32.89

-29.26%

Eggs

$2.11 COP 7,605

$2.51 MX$43.90

-15.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.07 COP 25.5K

$10.08 MX$176

-29.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.91 COP 21.3K

$8.29 MX$145

-28.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.13 COP 29.4K

$11.94 MX$209

-31.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.20 COP 11.6K

$2.86 MX$50.1

11.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 COP 7,059

$1.75 MX$30.62

12.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,424

$2.08 MX$36.48

-27.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 COP 5,689

$1.97 MX$34.46

-19.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 COP 5,588

$2.16 MX$37.79

-28.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,892

$2.18 MX$38.16

-50.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 COP 3,619

$1.39 MX$24.34

-28.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 COP 2,144

$1.12 MX$19.69

-47.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 COP 8,503

$4.20 MX$73.5

-43.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.52 COP 66.8K

$14.25 MX$249

29.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 COP 3,367

$1.76 MX$30.85

-47.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 COP 3,709

$3.68 MX$64.5

-72.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 COP 3,805

$0.39 MX$6.74

169.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.08 COP 101.4K

$18.66 MX$327

50.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.38 COP 8,602

$1.39 MX$24.26

71.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 COP 8,556

$0.30 MX$5.32

690.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.93 COP 17.8K

$5.42 MX$94.9

-9.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,709

$1.35 MX$23.63

-23.70%

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

$20.9K COP 75.4M

$18.9K MX$330.5K

10.54%

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

$23.6K COP 85.3M

$23.2K MX$405.2K

2.04%

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

$142 COP 514.1K

$40.82 MX$714

248.87%

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

$10.96 COP 39.6K

$27.50 MX$481

-60.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.17 COP 90.9K

$30.38 MX$532

-17.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.27 COP 127.3K

$53.4 MX$935

-33.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.84 COP 31.9K

$26.30 MX$460

-66.39%

Cinema Ticket

$2.94 COP 10.6K

$6.27 MX$110

-53.11%

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

$142 COP 512.4K

$436 MX$7,632

-67.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,910 COP 21.3M

$10.5K MX$183.2K

-43.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.13 COP 173.8K

$56.8 MX$993

-15.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.46 COP 142.5K

$44.79 MX$784

-11.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 COP 445.3K

$103 MX$1,799

19.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 COP 413.6K

$108 MX$1,888

6.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$741 COP 2.7M

$1,000 MX$17.5K

-25.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$330 COP 1.2M

$620 MX$10.9K

-46.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 COP 4.7M

$2,137 MX$37.4K

-38.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$479 COP 1.7M

$1,235 MX$21.6K

-61.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,077 COP 11.1M

$3,865 MX$67.6K

-20.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,977 COP 7.1M

$2,332 MX$40.8K

-15.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$420 COP 1.5M

$1,067 MX$18.7K

-60.62%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $741 in Cartagena versus $1,000 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 154% 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 $48.00 in Cartagena versus $53.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $222 vs $286 – 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 40% 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 $1,593 per month in Cartagena and $2,225 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 $142 per month in Cartagena and $436 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 29% 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 $1,062, than in Mexico City at $1,484. 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 $1,062 versus $1,484 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.