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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,286 in Columbia, TN versus $1,660 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,435 in Columbia, TN versus $2,565 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,585 in Columbia, TN versus $3,470 in Mexico City.

Living in Columbia, TN is roughly 38% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Columbia, TN 67% above, Mexico City 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.20 $12.20

$11.92 MX$205

2.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.3 $59.3

$51.6 MX$886

14.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.18 $10.18

$11.41 MX$196

-10.78%

Cappuccino

$3.83 $3.83

$3.99 MX$68.6

-4.01%

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

$2.22 $2.22

$1.66 MX$28.48

33.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.33 MX$22.77

23.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.68 $6.68

$3.47 MX$59.6

92.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.31 $7.31

$5.90 MX$101

23.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.88 MX$32.21

-51.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 $2.89

$3.25 MX$55.9

-11.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.10 $4.10

$2.16 MX$37.10

89.81%

Eggs

$2.60 $2.60

$2.90 MX$49.72

-10.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.10 $13.10

$12.86 MX$221

1.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.42 $6.42

$10.05 MX$173

-36.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.34 $13.34

$15.86 MX$272

-15.89%

Apples (1kg)

$5.70 $5.70

$3.29 MX$56.6

73.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 $1.24

$2.01 MX$34.44

-38.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.90 $5.90

$2.20 MX$37.76

168.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$2.36 MX$40.44

69.49%

Potato (1kg)

$3.10 $3.10

$2.05 MX$35.27

51.22%

Onion (1kg)

$3.85 $3.85

$1.90 MX$32.64

102.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 $2.57

$1.61 MX$27.55

59.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$1.40 MX$23.98

87.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.90 $10.90

$5.46 MX$93.8

99.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.93 $12.93

$17.65 MX$303

-26.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.06 MX$35.28

-13.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 $1.66

$4.68 MX$80.4

-64.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$357

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.10 MX$35.99

-3.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 $1.34

$0.56 MX$9.60

139.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.75 $19.75

$5.81 MX$99.8

239.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.70 $0.70

$1.61 MX$27.56

-56.52%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$22.8K MX$392.1K

60.47%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$26.8K MX$459.2K

-1.13%

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

$153 $153

$65.2 MX$1,119

134.41%

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

$61.1 $61.1

$30.09 MX$517

103.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.8 $73.8

$37.18 MX$638

98.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.66 $35.66

$59.8 MX$1,026

-40.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$456

Cinema Ticket

$11.87 $11.87

$7.04 MX$121

68.61%

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

$592 $592

$465 MX$7,976

27.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.2K $25.2K

$13.3K MX$227.8K

89.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.25 $39.25

$75.9 MX$1,303

-48.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.19 $33.19

$56.0 MX$960

-40.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.2 $81.2

$112 MX$1,920

-27.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.5 $91.5

$121 MX$2,068

-24.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,358 $1,358

$1,103 MX$18.9K

23.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,241 $1,241

$721 MX$12.4K

72.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,555 $2,555

$2,530 MX$43.4K

1.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,343 $2,343

$1,293 MX$22.2K

81.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$35.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,484 $2,484

$1,037 MX$17.8K

139.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.11

11.3

-45.93%

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

Last update for Columbia, TN: September 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,358 in Columbia, TN and $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Columbia, TN pays 139% 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: $59.0 in Columbia, TN vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $353 vs $345 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, TN vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 139% higher in Columbia, TN, 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: $1,358 in Columbia, TN versus $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $592 in Columbia, TN versus $465 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $52.0 versus $59.0 in Columbia, TN. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,660 in Mexico City versus $2,286 in Columbia, TN, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Columbia, TN. 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, TN, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Columbia, TN and Mexico City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Columbia, TN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.