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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $1,090 in Cali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $1,649 in Cali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $2,208 in Cali.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 51% more expensive than in Cali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 20% above, Cali is 21% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$206

$7.70 COP 24.3K

57.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$887

$38.08 COP 120.1K

37.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$185

$8.61 COP 27.2K

26.60%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.9

$1.62 COP 5,111

150.00%

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

$1.72 MX$29.15

$1.26 COP 3,973

36.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.41

$0.87 COP 2,755

58.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.9

$3.25 COP 10.2K

6.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.8

$3.85 COP 12.1K

50.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.50

$1.57 COP 4,969

17.83%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.8

$1.99 COP 6,282

61.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.44

$1.51 COP 4,765

38.41%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.44

$2.83 COP 8,921

2.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$212

$6.43 COP 20.3K

94.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$7.06 COP 22.3K

43.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$270

$10.39 COP 32.8K

52.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.3

$3.49 COP 11.0K

-5.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.14

$1.41 COP 4,456

51.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.22

$1.76 COP 5,542

24.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.59

$1.75 COP 5,522

40.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.20

$1.45 COP 4,584

51.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.37

$1.57 COP 4,949

21.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.45

$1.15 COP 3,640

40.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.94

$1.04 COP 3,272

29.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$92.2

$3.70 COP 11.7K

46.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$299

$13.26 COP 41.8K

32.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.14

$1.45 COP 4,569

42.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.7

$2.53 COP 7,990

87.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.78

$1.08 COP 3,422

-68.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$367

$29.95 COP 94.5K

-27.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.67

$0.84 COP 2,662

142.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.82

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.46

$1.30 COP 4,114

24.62%

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

$22.8K MX$387.6K

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

$26.7K MX$453.1K

$35.7K COP 112.6M

-25.28%

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

$65.2 MX$1,109

$114 COP 358.3K

-42.54%

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

$29.87 MX$508

$13.49 COP 42.6K

121.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$621

$31.05 COP 98.0K

17.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,037

$28.87 COP 91.1K

111.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$454

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$8.43 COP 26.6K

-18.74%

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

$453 MX$7,705

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$227.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,274

$80.3 COP 253.3K

-6.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$940

$54.4 COP 171.6K

1.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,931

$124 COP 391.8K

-8.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,084

$109 COP 343.7K

12.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.3K

$641 COP 2.0M

76.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.1K

$299 COP 944.9K

137.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.7K

$1,577 COP 5.0M

63.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.3K

$493 COP 1.6M

166.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.8K

$591 COP 1.9M

77.09%

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: August 29, 2026

Last update for Cali: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,134 in Mexico City and $641 in Cali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 77% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $38.00 in Cali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $244 per month, with Cali cheaper across the board.

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 Cali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 51% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 77% higher in Mexico City, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,134 in Mexico City versus $641 in Cali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Cali – a meal for two runs $38.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Cali runs roughly 39% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,090 in Cali versus $1,646 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cali but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Cali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cali is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Cali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.