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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $725 in Carthage versus $1,646 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,146 in Carthage versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,567 in Carthage versus $3,580 in Mexico City.

Living in Carthage costs roughly 56% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Carthage is 47% below, Mexico City is 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 TND 13.19

$12.11 MX$205

-62.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.03 TND 63.7

$52.2 MX$883

-57.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.96 TND 17.23

$10.90 MX$184

-45.32%

Cappuccino

$1.06 TND 3.06

$4.05 MX$68.5

-73.83%

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

$0.80 TND 2.32

$1.72 MX$29.00

-53.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 TND 0.87

$1.38 MX$23.29

-78.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 TND 4.88

$3.47 MX$58.6

-51.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 TND 6.14

$5.81 MX$98.2

-63.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.51 TND 1.48

$1.85 MX$31.33

-72.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.25 TND 0.72

$3.22 MX$54.5

-92.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 TND 5.23

$2.09 MX$35.25

-13.40%

Eggs

$1.70 TND 4.92

$2.91 MX$49.18

-41.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 TND 30.15

$12.49 MX$211

-16.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.87 TND 16.97

$10.11 MX$171

-41.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.80 TND 42.81

$15.89 MX$269

-6.86%

Apples (1kg)

$1.42 TND 4.10

$3.31 MX$56.0

-57.10%

Banana (1kg)

$3.86 TND 11.16

$2.13 MX$35.95

81.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 TND 3.31

$2.19 MX$37.03

-47.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 TND 2.15

$2.45 MX$41.37

-69.80%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 TND 2.44

$2.19 MX$37.00

-61.64%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 TND 1.91

$1.90 MX$32.20

-65.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 TND 1.49

$1.62 MX$27.31

-68.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 TND 0.91

$1.35 MX$22.82

-77.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.75 TND 10.85

$5.43 MX$91.7

-30.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.72 TND 19.43

$17.59 MX$297

-61.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 TND 3.82

$2.07 MX$34.96

-36.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 TND 3.80

$4.75 MX$80.2

-72.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 TND 1.29

$0.34 MX$5.75

32.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.31 TND 41.39

$21.58 MX$365

-33.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.30 TND 0.85

$2.04 MX$34.49

-85.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 TND 0.95

$0.58 MX$9.77

-43.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.89 TND 5.47

$5.97 MX$101

-68.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 TND 2.61

$1.62 MX$27.31

-44.44%

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

$41.1K TND 119.0K

$22.8K MX$385.6K

80.36%

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

$36.7K TND 106.0K

$26.7K MX$450.7K

37.48%

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

$47.11 TND 136

$65.2 MX$1,103

-27.79%

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

$8.59 TND 24.84

$29.87 MX$505

-71.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.79 TND 60.1

$36.55 MX$618

-43.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.90 TND 95.2

$61.0 MX$1,031

-46.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.55 TND 39.19

$26.70 MX$451

-49.25%

Cinema Ticket

$5.09 TND 14.71

$6.85 MX$116

-25.69%

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

$114 TND 330

$453 MX$7,664

-74.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,928 TND 11.4K

$13.4K MX$226.0K

-70.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 TND 148

$75.0 MX$1,267

-31.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.9 TND 193

$55.3 MX$935

20.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 TND 324

$114 MX$1,920

-1.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.8 TND 176

$123 MX$2,073

-50.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$219 TND 632

$1,134 MX$19.2K

-80.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$164 TND 474

$712 MX$12.0K

-77.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$218 TND 631

$2,571 MX$43.5K

-91.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$290 TND 837

$1,311 MX$22.2K

-77.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$989 TND 2,861

$3,993 MX$67.5K

-75.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$648 TND 1,875

$2,095 MX$35.4K

-69.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$278 TND 803

$1,047 MX$17.7K

-73.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.28

11.3

-9.03%

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

Last update for Carthage: August 30, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $219 in Carthage and $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 277% 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: $22.00 in Carthage vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $198 vs $345 per month, with Carthage 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

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

Carthage and Mexico City differ by about 127% in total monthly costs ($725 vs $1,646 including rent). Carthage is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 277% 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: $219 in Carthage versus $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 75% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Carthage – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $725 in Carthage versus $1,646 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Carthage but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Carthage the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Carthage gentler on the wallet – expenses run 127% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.