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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Cartago vs $1,668 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,997 per month in Cartago vs $2,613 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,722 per month in Cartago vs $3,557 in Mexico City, rent included.

Cartago is about 24% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Cartago sits 6% below the global median, while Mexico City is 24% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.97 COP 26.3K

$12.03 MX$213

-33.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.78 COP 127.7K

$52.8 MX$934

-26.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.73 COP 28.8K

$11.69 MX$207

-25.32%

Cappuccino

$1.57 COP 5,155

$3.87 MX$68.4

-59.43%

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

$1.32 COP 4,338

$1.75 MX$30.94

-24.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 COP 2,917

$1.39 MX$24.65

-35.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 COP 11.0K

$3.36 MX$59.4

-0.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 COP 13.1K

$5.77 MX$102

-31.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 COP 5,281

$1.81 MX$31.92

-11.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 COP 6,677

$3.08 MX$54.5

-34.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,031

$2.13 MX$37.65

-28.17%

Eggs

$2.99 COP 9,851

$2.98 MX$52.6

0.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.82 COP 22.4K

$12.53 MX$221

-45.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.16 COP 23.6K

$10.24 MX$181

-30.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.25 COP 33.8K

$15.92 MX$281

-35.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.56 COP 11.7K

$3.39 MX$59.8

5.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,474

$2.11 MX$37.24

-35.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 COP 5,849

$2.13 MX$37.59

-16.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 COP 5,538

$2.47 MX$43.61

-31.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 COP 4,875

$2.04 MX$36.03

-27.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,302

$2.01 MX$35.59

-19.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 COP 3,901

$1.59 MX$28.15

-25.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 COP 3,301

$1.33 MX$23.50

-24.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 COP 13.1K

$5.49 MX$97.0

-27.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.55 COP 44.6K

$17.52 MX$310

-22.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 5,094

$2.01 MX$35.61

-22.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 COP 8,435

$4.74 MX$83.8

-45.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.15 COP 3,788

$0.34 MX$5.94

238.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.07 MX$373

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.80 COP 2,629

$2.05 MX$36.28

-60.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.08 COP 6,861

$0.61 MX$10.75

240.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.87 COP 29.2K

$5.70 MX$101

55.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,475

$1.59 MX$28.09

-14.47%

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

$25.6K COP 84.2M

$22.9K MX$404.6K

11.69%

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

$35.7K COP 117.6M

$26.4K MX$466.2K

35.35%

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

$113 COP 372.2K

$64.2 MX$1,135

75.92%

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

$13.29 COP 43.8K

$29.42 MX$520

-54.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.73 COP 104.5K

$36.83 MX$651

-13.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.67 COP 124.1K

$58.7 MX$1,038

-35.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.54 MX$469

Cinema Ticket

$8.43 COP 27.8K

$6.95 MX$123

21.29%

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

$653 COP 2.2M

$463 MX$8,180

41.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,684 COP 22.0M

$13.4K MX$236.2K

-49.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.0 COP 270.0K

$75.4 MX$1,333

8.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.0 COP 181.3K

$54.2 MX$958

1.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 COP 428.4K

$111 MX$1,965

17.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 COP 365.9K

$122 MX$2,160

-9.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$709 COP 2.3M

$1,133 MX$20.0K

-37.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.6M

$698 MX$12.3K

-31.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,029 COP 3.4M

$2,442 MX$43.2K

-57.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$972 COP 3.2M

$1,303 MX$23.0K

-25.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,007 COP 6.6M

$3,910 MX$69.1K

-48.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,698 COP 5.6M

$2,069 MX$36.6K

-17.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.6K

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 Cartago: September 21, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $709 in Cartago versus $1,133 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Cartago versus $53.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $247 vs $343 – making Cartago 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

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

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 31%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Cartago and $2,502 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,271 in Cartago and $1,668 in Mexico City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $653 per month in Cartago and $463 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cartago, where all-in costs run around $1,271, than in Mexico City at $1,668. In Cartago it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cartago – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Cartago. 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.