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 $1,484 per month in Mexico City vs $808 in Buenaventura, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,381 per month in Mexico City vs $1,232 in Buenaventura, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,278 per month in Mexico City vs $1,655 in Buenaventura, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 83% 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

$12.98 MX$227

$3.97 COP 14.3K

226.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$23.95 COP 86.4K

121.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$7.06 COP 25.5K

37.68%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$1.50 COP 5,414

150.00%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$0.88 COP 3,171

78.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.61 COP 2,195

85.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$1.15 COP 4,163

176.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$2.20 COP 7,928

111.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$1.06 COP 3,818

52.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$1.24 COP 4,485

118.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$1.17 COP 4,235

60.68%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$2.13 COP 7,688

17.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$4.42 COP 16.0K

128.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$5.16 COP 18.6K

60.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$7.32 COP 26.4K

63.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$2.56 COP 9,256

11.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$1.06 COP 3,840

65.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$1.30 COP 4,706

60.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$0.88 COP 3,175

123.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$1.11 COP 3,993

94.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$1.16 COP 4,204

87.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$0.80 COP 2,884

73.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$0.66 COP 2,380

69.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$2.31 COP 8,325

81.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$12.07 COP 43.6K

18.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$1.12 COP 4,055

57.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$1.71 COP 6,191

115.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.71 COP 2,565

-45.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$30.52 COP 110.2K

-38.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$1.42 COP 5,133

-2.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$1.73 COP 6,259

-82.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$5.92 COP 21.4K

-8.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$0.94 COP 3,402

43.62%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$18.1K COP 65.2M

4.52%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$25.2K COP 90.9M

-8.00%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$81.1 COP 292.8K

-49.67%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$9.06 COP 32.7K

203.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$22.56 COP 81.4K

34.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$23.16 COP 83.6K

130.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$4.02 COP 14.5K

55.97%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$236 COP 851.9K

84.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$5,845 COP 21.1M

79.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$59.3 COP 213.9K

-4.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$32.49 COP 117.3K

37.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$84.5 COP 305.1K

21.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$72.5 COP 261.8K

48.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$283 COP 1.0M

252.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$234 COP 844.2K

165.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$522 COP 1.9M

309.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$422 COP 1.5M

192.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

$1,648 COP 5.9M

134.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

$1,386 COP 5.0M

68.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$555 COP 2.0M

92.13%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Buenaventura: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,000 in Mexico City versus $283 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 92% 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 $24.00 in Buenaventura. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 vs $176 – 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: $1,484 in Mexico City, $808 in Buenaventura – roughly 83% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,225 per month in Mexico City and $1,213 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 $53.0 in Mexico City and $24.00 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 $808, than in Mexico City at $1,484. 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 $808 in Buenaventura to $1,484 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.