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 $1,448 per month in Mexico City vs $876 in Barranquilla, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,354 per month in Mexico City vs $1,341 in Barranquilla, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,260 per month in Mexico City vs $1,805 in Barranquilla, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 65% more than Barranquilla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 9% above the global median, while Barranquilla is 34% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.96 MX$223

$4.79 COP 16.4K

170.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.3 MX$900

$31.12 COP 106.7K

68.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.69 MX$167

$7.10 COP 24.3K

36.48%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$64.6

$1.71 COP 5,873

119.30%

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

$1.56 MX$26.91

$0.92 COP 3,157

69.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$19.93

$0.60 COP 2,040

93.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 MX$55.8

$1.35 COP 4,628

140.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 MX$84.3

$1.93 COP 6,614

153.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.29

$0.95 COP 3,242

78.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 MX$45.90

$1.33 COP 4,547

100.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.49

$1.02 COP 3,513

85.29%

Eggs

$2.52 MX$43.37

$2.11 COP 7,230

19.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 MX$172

$4.46 COP 15.3K

124.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.53 MX$147

$5.27 COP 18.0K

61.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$205

$7.36 COP 25.2K

62.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.1

$2.84 COP 9,721

4.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 MX$30.88

$1.33 COP 4,565

34.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.40

$1.56 COP 5,359

28.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.74

$0.80 COP 2,735

145.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.21

$0.95 COP 3,244

127.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.04

$1.49 COP 5,096

52.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.14

$0.87 COP 2,982

60.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.18

$0.58 COP 1,988

91.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$72.2

$2.72 COP 9,316

54.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.54 MX$285

$10.48 COP 35.9K

57.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.94

$0.85 COP 2,915

97.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 MX$61.8

$1.27 COP 4,361

182.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.65

$0.77 COP 2,641

-49.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.19 MX$330

$32.82 COP 112.5K

-41.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.77

$1.98 COP 6,802

-30.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.19

$2.99 COP 10.2K

-89.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.7

$4.93 COP 16.9K

9.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 MX$22.13

$0.94 COP 3,230

37.23%

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

$18.9K MX$325.1K

$15.2K COP 52.2M

24.16%

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

$23.8K MX$409.5K

$22.4K COP 76.8M

6.22%

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

$39.86 MX$686

$139 COP 475.8K

-71.28%

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

$27.83 MX$479

$7.82 COP 26.8K

255.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.77 MX$512

$21.52 COP 73.8K

38.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$894

$21.02 COP 72.0K

147.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.22 MX$451

$14.41 COP 49.4K

81.96%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$108

$4.21 COP 14.4K

48.93%

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

$433 MX$7,443

$60.2 COP 206.2K

619.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$181.3K

$1,832 COP 6.3M

475.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 MX$981

$62.7 COP 215.0K

-9.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.33 MX$780

$52.3 COP 179.1K

-13.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 MX$1,753

$81.0 COP 277.6K

25.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,867

$71.7 COP 245.8K

51.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 MX$17.1K

$242 COP 829.4K

310.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 MX$10.6K

$219 COP 752.2K

181.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,086 MX$35.9K

$531 COP 1.8M

292.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 MX$21.6K

$466 COP 1.6M

169.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,936 MX$67.7K

$1,728 COP 5.9M

127.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,089 MX$35.9K

$655 COP 2.2M

218.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,131 MX$19.5K

$523 COP 1.8M

116.44%

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Barranquilla: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $994 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 116% 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 $52.0 in Mexico City versus $31.00 in Barranquilla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $173 – 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 65% 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 $2,173 per month in Mexico City and $1,314 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 $52.0 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 $1,448 in Mexico City and $876 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 $876, than in Mexico City at $1,448. 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 $876 versus $1,448 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.