Cost of Living Comparison Between Columbia, SC and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Columbia, SC and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,190 in Columbia, SC versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,083 in Columbia, SC versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,975 in Columbia, SC versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Columbia, SC is roughly 50% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Columbia, SC 64% above, Mexico City 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.24 $18.24

$13.07 MX$228

39.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.8 $60.8

$53.8 MX$936

13.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.78 $11.78

$9.68 MX$169

21.69%

Cappuccino

$3.67 $3.67

$3.74 MX$65.1

-1.87%

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

$2.31 $2.31

$1.62 MX$28.13

42.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.16 MX$20.23

68.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.52 $4.52

$3.23 MX$56.2

39.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.54 $5.54

$4.74 MX$82.5

16.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.65 MX$28.68

-43.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.75 MX$47.95

-2.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$1.87 MX$32.63

86.63%

Eggs

$4.11 $4.11

$2.50 MX$43.54

64.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.27 $9.27

$10.20 MX$178

-9.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.76 $12.76

$8.25 MX$144

54.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.19 $22.19

$11.82 MX$206

87.73%

Apples (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$3.01 MX$52.4

75.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.81 MX$31.54

-3.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.15 $5.15

$2.00 MX$34.81

157.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.16 $3.16

$2.00 MX$34.74

58.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.08 MX$36.30

60.58%

Onion (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$2.27 MX$39.56

99.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.46 MX$25.36

38.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.08 MX$18.74

69.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.52 $8.52

$4.35 MX$75.7

95.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.59 $15.59

$16.99 MX$296

-8.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.73 MX$30.18

13.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 $2.75

$3.58 MX$62.3

-23.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.39 MX$6.74

402.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.71 $39.71

$18.69 MX$325

112.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.33 MX$23.08

46.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$0.28 MX$4.87

446.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.07 $18.07

$5.25 MX$91.5

244.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.34 MX$23.27

-38.06%

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

$30.2K $30.2K

$19.4K MX$338.0K

55.53%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$23.8K MX$415.0K

5.91%

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

$222 $222

$40.69 MX$709

444.70%

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

$54.3 $54.3

$26.87 MX$468

102.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.5 $59.5

$30.51 MX$531

95.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.66 $39.66

$52.8 MX$919

-24.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.14 $7.14

$26.65 MX$464

-73.21%

Cinema Ticket

$14.83 $14.83

$6.51 MX$113

127.80%

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

$1,436 $1,436

$428 MX$7,454

235.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.6K $22.6K

$10.5K MX$182.8K

114.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 $56.9

$57.3 MX$997

-0.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.36 $34.36

$45.50 MX$792

-24.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 $78.8

$104 MX$1,812

-24.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$108 MX$1,878

4.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,287 $1,287

$1,003 MX$17.5K

28.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$897 $897

$623 MX$10.8K

44.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,176 $2,176

$2,109 MX$36.7K

3.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,269 $1,269

$1,218 MX$21.2K

4.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,135 $2,135

$3,885 MX$67.6K

-45.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,693 $1,693

$2,033 MX$35.4K

-16.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,191 $3,191

$1,038 MX$18.1K

207.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

11.34

-42.33%

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

Last update for Columbia, SC: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,287 in Columbia, SC and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Columbia, SC pays 207% 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: $61.0 in Columbia, SC vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $394 vs $292 per month, with Mexico City 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

Columbia, SC vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 50% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 207% higher in Columbia, SC, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,287 in Columbia, SC versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 35% higher in Columbia, SC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $61.0 in Columbia, SC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,456 in Mexico City versus $2,190 in Columbia, SC, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Columbia, SC. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mexico City is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Columbia, SC, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in Columbia, SC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.