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 $1,472 per month in Mexico City vs $878 in Barranquilla, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,359 per month in Mexico City vs $1,369 in Barranquilla, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,245 per month in Mexico City vs $1,860 in Barranquilla, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 68% more than Barranquilla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 11% above the global median, while Barranquilla is 34% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$4.71 COP 14.8K

178.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$31.31 COP 98.6K

70.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$7.10 COP 22.4K

31.41%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$1.74 COP 5,486

112.64%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$0.92 COP 2,885

73.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.65 COP 2,047

72.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$1.30 COP 4,095

141.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$1.97 COP 6,190

146.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$0.97 COP 3,067

70.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$1.28 COP 4,036

111.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$1.06 COP 3,327

80.19%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$1.99 COP 6,269

30.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$4.71 COP 14.8K

108.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$5.03 COP 15.8K

67.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$7.19 COP 22.6K

65.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.89 COP 9,091

2.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$1.35 COP 4,237

28.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$1.56 COP 4,906

30.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$0.77 COP 2,428

167.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$0.89 COP 2,802

141.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$1.43 COP 4,503

58.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$0.82 COP 2,585

69.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$0.61 COP 1,924

83.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$2.75 COP 8,668

53.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$11.43 COP 36.0K

53.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$0.84 COP 2,658

103.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$1.29 COP 4,048

181.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$0.71 COP 2,246

-50.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

$32.48 COP 102.3K

-40.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$1.98 COP 6,227

-30.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$2.86 COP 9,000

-90.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$4.85 COP 15.3K

8.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$0.97 COP 3,062

40.21%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$15.2K COP 47.7M

26.07%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$22.0K COP 69.4M

7.07%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$140 COP 440.8K

-71.05%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$8.24 COP 25.9K

232.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$21.81 COP 68.7K

39.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$21.14 COP 66.6K

147.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

$14.66 COP 46.1K

80.63%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$4.35 COP 13.7K

42.30%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$61.6 COP 194.0K

589.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$1,791 COP 5.6M

499.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$61.7 COP 194.2K

-5.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$54.2 COP 170.6K

-17.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$80.6 COP 253.7K

28.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$72.8 COP 229.3K

49.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$242 COP 762.6K

318.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$224 COP 705.4K

177.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$539 COP 1.7M

293.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$468 COP 1.5M

161.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

$1,860 COP 5.9M

103.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

$712 COP 2.2M

196.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$573 COP 1.8M

83.67%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Barranquilla: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,014 in Mexico City versus $242 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 84% 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 $54.0 in Mexico City versus $31.00 in Barranquilla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $174 – 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 68% more than Barranquilla, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,208 per month in Mexico City and $1,318 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 $54.0 in Mexico City and $31.00 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 $1,472 in Mexico City and $878 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 $878, than in Mexico City at $1,472. 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 $878 versus $1,472 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.