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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $612 in Ibague versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $914 in Ibague versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,215 in Ibague versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Ibague costs roughly 58% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ibague is 54% below, Mexico City is 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.80 COP 17.1K

$13.18 MX$228

-63.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.81 COP 77.6K

$53.9 MX$931

-59.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 COP 18.0K

$9.42 MX$163

-46.18%

Cappuccino

$0.99 COP 3,512

$3.55 MX$61.3

-72.11%

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

$0.96 COP 3,415

$1.62 MX$27.95

-40.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 COP 2,327

$1.11 MX$19.25

-41.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.77 COP 2,722

$3.12 MX$53.9

-75.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 COP 7,578

$4.63 MX$80.0

-54.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 COP 4,041

$1.70 MX$29.40

-32.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 COP 2,658

$2.72 MX$46.97

-72.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.75 COP 2,677

$1.91 MX$33.04

-60.73%

Eggs

$1.93 COP 6,874

$2.54 MX$43.82

-24.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.88 COP 17.4K

$10.03 MX$173

-51.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 COP 13.0K

$8.09 MX$140

-54.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.93 COP 17.5K

$11.62 MX$201

-57.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 COP 10.6K

$2.97 MX$51.3

0.67%

Banana (1kg)

$0.46 COP 1,624

$1.81 MX$31.21

-74.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.74 COP 2,639

$2.01 MX$34.79

-63.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.46 COP 1,631

$2.03 MX$35.16

-77.34%

Potato (1kg)

$0.47 COP 1,659

$2.12 MX$36.71

-77.83%

Onion (1kg)

$0.35 COP 1,244

$2.27 MX$39.21

-84.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.50 COP 1,782

$1.40 MX$24.20

-64.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 COP 1,547

$1.13 MX$19.53

-61.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.90 COP 10.3K

$4.27 MX$73.8

-32.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.36 COP 33.3K

$15.56 MX$269

-39.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 COP 1,666

$1.76 MX$30.36

-73.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 COP 2,252

$3.60 MX$62.1

-82.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 COP 2,557

$0.38 MX$6.62

89.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$331

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 5,050

$1.38 MX$23.77

2.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 COP 5,324

$0.28 MX$4.78

435.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 COP 8,508

$5.45 MX$94.1

-56.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,332

$1.30 MX$22.53

-27.69%

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

$15.7K COP 55.7M

$18.7K MX$322.9K

-16.19%

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

$25.2K COP 89.8M

$23.1K MX$399.7K

9.16%

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

$47.84 COP 170.2K

$40.86 MX$706

17.08%

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

$6.14 COP 21.8K

$26.81 MX$463

-77.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.90 COP 77.9K

$29.96 MX$518

-26.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.85 COP 152.5K

$52.0 MX$899

-17.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$3.85 COP 13.7K

$6.30 MX$109

-38.89%

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

$59.6 COP 212.1K

$436 MX$7,536

-86.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,440 COP 8.7M

$10.4K MX$180.0K

-76.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.1 COP 210.3K

$56.7 MX$979

4.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.35 COP 147.1K

$44.38 MX$767

-6.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.0 COP 299.0K

$103 MX$1,779

-18.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.0 COP 217.2K

$106 MX$1,823

-42.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$232 COP 823.9K

$1,022 MX$17.7K

-77.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$146 COP 518.9K

$631 MX$10.9K

-76.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 COP 1.4M

$2,136 MX$36.9K

-81.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$214 COP 761.4K

$1,243 MX$21.5K

-82.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,250 COP 4.4M

$3,903 MX$67.4K

-67.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$880 COP 3.1M

$2,064 MX$35.7K

-57.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$473 COP 1.7M

$1,115 MX$19.3K

-57.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.93

11.34

14.02%

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

Last update for Ibague: June 1, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $232 in Ibague and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 136% 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 Ibague vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $132 vs $288 per month, with Ibague 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

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

Ibague is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 140% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Mexico City earns 136% less. 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: $232 in Ibague versus $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 119% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $612 per month in Ibague versus $1,467 in Mexico City – a 140% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $612 in Ibague versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ibague but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Ibague the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Expats usually find Ibague gentler on the wallet – expenses run 140% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.