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 $1,472 per month in Mexico City vs $802 in Buenaventura, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,359 per month in Mexico City vs $1,222 in Buenaventura, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,245 per month in Mexico City vs $1,642 in Buenaventura, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 84% more than Buenaventura, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 11% above the global median, while Buenaventura is 40% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$3.95 COP 12.4K

232.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$23.26 COP 73.2K

130.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$7.36 COP 23.2K

26.77%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$1.55 COP 4,865

138.71%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$0.94 COP 2,958

70.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.56 COP 1,779

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$1.21 COP 3,815

159.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$2.21 COP 6,962

119.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$1.05 COP 3,311

57.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$1.29 COP 4,068

110.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$1.19 COP 3,737

60.50%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$2.20 COP 6,940

17.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$4.57 COP 14.4K

114.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$5.22 COP 16.4K

61.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$7.40 COP 23.3K

61.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.55 COP 8,021

15.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$1.11 COP 3,499

56.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$1.29 COP 4,070

58.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$0.92 COP 2,889

123.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$1.16 COP 3,668

85.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$1.13 COP 3,553

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$0.80 COP 2,520

73.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$0.65 COP 2,061

72.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$2.39 COP 7,529

76.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$13.47 COP 42.4K

29.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$1.13 COP 3,572

51.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$1.74 COP 5,472

108.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$0.72 COP 2,276

-51.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

$29.78 COP 93.7K

-35.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$1.41 COP 4,450

-2.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$1.71 COP 5,393

-83.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$5.88 COP 18.5K

-10.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$0.94 COP 2,957

44.68%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$17.8K COP 56.0M

7.31%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$26.1K COP 82.1M

-9.44%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$83.5 COP 262.9K

-51.46%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$9.22 COP 29.0K

196.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$22.85 COP 71.9K

32.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$23.28 COP 73.3K

124.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$4.05 COP 12.7K

52.84%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$239 COP 753.6K

77.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$5,936 COP 18.7M

80.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$58.5 COP 184.0K

-0.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$32.81 COP 103.3K

35.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$84.5 COP 266.1K

22.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$71.6 COP 225.3K

51.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$279 COP 878.1K

263.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$239 COP 751.9K

160.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$526 COP 1.7M

302.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$433 COP 1.4M

182.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

$1,817 COP 5.7M

108.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

$1,410 COP 4.4M

49.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$626 COP 2.0M

67.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

13.18

-13.96%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for Buenaventura: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,014 in Mexico City versus $279 in Buenaventura. 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 68% 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 $23.00 in Buenaventura. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $181 – 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: $1,472 in Mexico City, $802 in Buenaventura – roughly 84% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,208 per month in Mexico City and $1,203 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.

Groceries cost about 62% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City and $23.00 in Buenaventura. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Buenaventura, where all-in costs run around $802, than in Mexico City at $1,472. 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 $802 in Buenaventura to $1,472 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.