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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,660 per month in Mexico City vs $1,307 in Buenaventura, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,565 per month in Mexico City vs $2,084 in Buenaventura, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,470 per month in Mexico City vs $2,861 in Buenaventura, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 27% more than Buenaventura, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 21% above the global median, while Buenaventura is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$6.63 COP 20.9K

79.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$886

$44.33 COP 139.8K

16.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$196

$10.27 COP 32.4K

11.10%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.6

$2.71 COP 8,536

47.23%

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

$1.66 MX$28.48

$1.40 COP 4,415

18.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.77

$1.01 COP 3,194

31.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.6

$2.96 COP 9,351

17.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$101

$3.38 COP 10.7K

74.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.21

$1.52 COP 4,798

23.68%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$55.9

$2.71 COP 8,537

19.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.10

$1.52 COP 4,785

42.11%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.72

$3.21 COP 10.1K

-9.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$8.90 COP 28.1K

44.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$9.28 COP 29.3K

8.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$272

$11.72 COP 37.0K

35.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.6

$3.84 COP 12.1K

-14.32%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.44

$1.35 COP 4,265

48.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.76

$1.74 COP 5,492

26.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.44

$2.01 COP 6,342

17.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.27

$1.53 COP 4,840

33.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.64

$1.65 COP 5,198

15.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.55

$1.12 COP 3,519

43.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$23.98

$1.19 COP 3,755

17.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$93.8

$4.77 COP 15.0K

14.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$303

$14.38 COP 45.3K

22.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.28

$1.49 COP 4,699

38.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.4

$2.73 COP 8,609

71.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.81

$1.09 COP 3,430

-68.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$357

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$35.99

$1.37 COP 4,319

53.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.60

$1.88 COP 5,940

-70.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$99.8

$9.36 COP 29.5K

-37.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.56

$1.54 COP 4,859

4.55%

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

$22.8K MX$392.1K

$29.3K COP 92.6M

-22.15%

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

$26.8K MX$459.2K

$37.9K COP 119.6M

-29.46%

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

$65.2 MX$1,119

$125 COP 395.0K

-47.95%

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

$30.09 MX$517

$14.31 COP 45.1K

110.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$638

$30.98 COP 97.7K

20.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,026

$34.48 COP 108.7K

73.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$456

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$6.18 COP 19.5K

13.92%

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

$465 MX$7,976

$549 COP 1.7M

-15.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$227.8K

$6,589 COP 20.8M

101.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,303

$97.6 COP 307.9K

-22.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$960

$54.9 COP 173.3K

1.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,920

$132 COP 416.7K

-15.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,068

$113 COP 355.3K

6.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$18.9K

$781 COP 2.5M

41.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$530 COP 1.7M

36.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.4K

$1,164 COP 3.7M

117.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.2K

$880 COP 2.8M

47.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.5K

$2,227 COP 7.0M

79.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$35.9K

$1,478 COP 4.7M

41.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

11.58

-2.42%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Buenaventura: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,103 in Mexico City versus $781 in Buenaventura. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Mexico City versus $44.00 in Buenaventura. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $282 – making Buenaventura 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 Buenaventura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City, $1,307 in Buenaventura – roughly 27% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,489 per month in Mexico City and $1,961 in Buenaventura. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Buenaventura, 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 $44.00 in Buenaventura. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Buenaventura, where all-in costs run around $1,307, than in Mexico City at $1,660. In Buenaventura it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,307 in Buenaventura to $1,660 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Buenaventura. 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.