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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,484 per month in Mexico City vs $864 in Barranquilla, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,381 per month in Mexico City vs $1,339 in Barranquilla, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,278 per month in Mexico City vs $1,814 in Barranquilla, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 72% more than Barranquilla, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 11% above the global median, while Barranquilla is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$4.81 COP 17.4K

169.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$31.59 COP 114.0K

68.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$7.29 COP 26.3K

33.33%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$1.77 COP 6,391

111.86%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$0.87 COP 3,137

80.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.59 COP 2,137

91.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$1.29 COP 4,666

146.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$2.00 COP 7,208

133.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$0.93 COP 3,373

74.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$1.33 COP 4,789

103.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$1.07 COP 3,861

75.70%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$2.00 COP 7,204

25.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$4.57 COP 16.5K

120.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$5.23 COP 18.9K

58.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$7.17 COP 25.9K

66.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$2.80 COP 10.1K

2.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$1.31 COP 4,728

33.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$1.51 COP 5,436

37.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$0.84 COP 3,017

134.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$0.97 COP 3,490

122.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$1.44 COP 5,202

51.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$0.82 COP 2,963

69.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$0.63 COP 2,268

77.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$2.87 COP 10.4K

46.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$10.26 COP 37.1K

38.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$0.86 COP 3,089

104.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$1.33 COP 4,800

176.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.72 COP 2,594

-45.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$32.88 COP 118.7K

-43.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$1.97 COP 7,108

-29.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$2.83 COP 10.2K

-89.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$4.88 COP 17.6K

11.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$0.97 COP 3,519

39.18%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$15.1K COP 54.5M

25.06%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$22.6K COP 81.6M

2.47%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$138 COP 496.8K

-70.33%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$8.08 COP 29.2K

240.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$21.93 COP 79.2K

38.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$21.32 COP 77.0K

150.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$14.65 COP 52.9K

79.52%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$4.26 COP 15.4K

47.18%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$61.3 COP 221.2K

611.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$1,815 COP 6.6M

476.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$62.6 COP 226.1K

-9.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$53.3 COP 192.4K

-15.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$78.9 COP 284.7K

30.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$72.5 COP 261.7K

48.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$235 COP 848.1K

325.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$221 COP 797.4K

180.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$543 COP 2.0M

293.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$467 COP 1.7M

164.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

$1,640 COP 5.9M

135.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

$628 COP 2.3M

271.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$506 COP 1.8M

110.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

13.40%

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Last update for Barranquilla: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,000 in Mexico City versus $235 in Barranquilla. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 111% higher in Mexico City, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Mexico City versus $32.00 in Barranquilla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 vs $172 – making Barranquilla 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

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

Mexico City costs about 72% more than Barranquilla, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,225 per month in Mexico City and $1,296 in Barranquilla. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Mexico City and $32.00 in Barranquilla. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,484 in Mexico City and $864 in Barranquilla. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Barranquilla, where all-in costs run around $864, than in Mexico City at $1,484. In Barranquilla it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Barranquilla costs $864 versus $1,484 in Mexico City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Barranquilla. 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.