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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,447 per month in Mexico City vs $1,070 in Cartagena, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,310 per month in Mexico City vs $1,619 in Cartagena, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,174 per month in Mexico City vs $2,168 in Cartagena, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 35% more than Cartagena, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 8% above the global median, while Cartagena is 20% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$5.89 COP 20.5K

120.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$46.71 COP 163.0K

12.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$9.43 COP 32.9K

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$1.62 COP 5,658

120.37%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.82 COP 2,855

96.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.66 COP 2,309

74.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$1.25 COP 4,347

152.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$2.88 COP 10.1K

68.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.15 COP 4,020

47.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$1.92 COP 6,695

37.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.38 COP 4,818

37.68%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$2.10 COP 7,317

20.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$6.73 COP 23.5K

49.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$6.13 COP 21.4K

35.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$7.82 COP 27.3K

47.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$3.22 COP 11.2K

-5.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.93 COP 6,729

-11.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$1.44 COP 5,011

42.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.65 COP 5,757

24.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$1.54 COP 5,378

33.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.06 COP 3,716

104.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$1.00 COP 3,489

40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.64 COP 2,224

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$2.28 COP 7,973

88.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$18.45 COP 64.4K

-16.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$0.94 COP 3,272

77.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$0.97 COP 3,392

280.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$1.03 COP 3,583

-63.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$28.09 COP 98.0K

-32.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$2.46 COP 8,570

-43.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$2.44 COP 8,521

-88.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$4.73 COP 16.5K

14.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.02 COP 3,552

25.49%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$21.4K COP 74.8M

-11.41%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$23.6K COP 82.3M

-0.53%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$139 COP 486.8K

-70.59%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$10.98 COP 38.3K

145.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$25.01 COP 87.3K

18.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$34.52 COP 120.5K

51.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$8.50 COP 29.7K

208.59%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$2.85 COP 9,936

116.84%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$139 COP 485.5K

207.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$5,857 COP 20.4M

82.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$47.52 COP 165.9K

19.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$38.12 COP 133.0K

17.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$126 COP 440.8K

-17.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$114 COP 396.4K

-6.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$725 COP 2.5M

37.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$334 COP 1.2M

85.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$1,271 COP 4.4M

67.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$466 COP 1.6M

169.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$3,075 COP 10.7M

26.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$842 COP 2.9M

148.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$410 COP 1.4M

169.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

-24.40%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Cartagena: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $995 in Mexico City versus $725 in Cartagena. 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 170% 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 $47.00 in Cartagena. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $223 – making Cartagena 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 Cartagena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City costs about 35% more than Cartagena, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,171 per month in Mexico City and $1,605 in Cartagena. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cartagena, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $427 per month in Mexico City and $139 in Cartagena. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 29% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Cartagena, where all-in costs run around $1,070, than in Mexico City at $1,447. In Cartagena 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. Cartagena costs $1,070 versus $1,447 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 Cartagena. 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.