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 $1,484 per month in Mexico City vs $1,062 in Cartagena, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,381 per month in Mexico City vs $1,608 in Cartagena, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,278 per month in Mexico City vs $2,153 in Cartagena, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 40% more than Cartagena, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 11% above the global median, while Cartagena is 21% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$6.17 COP 22.3K

110.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$47.58 COP 171.8K

11.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$9.85 COP 35.5K

-1.32%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$1.65 COP 5,948

127.27%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$0.81 COP 2,914

93.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.67 COP 2,407

68.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$1.30 COP 4,682

144.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$2.95 COP 10.6K

57.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$1.14 COP 4,124

42.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$1.86 COP 6,715

45.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$1.33 COP 4,784

41.35%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$2.11 COP 7,605

18.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$7.07 COP 25.5K

42.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$5.91 COP 21.3K

40.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$8.13 COP 29.4K

46.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$3.20 COP 11.6K

-10.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$1.96 COP 7,059

-10.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$1.50 COP 5,424

38.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$1.58 COP 5,689

24.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$1.55 COP 5,588

39.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$1.08 COP 3,892

101.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$1.00 COP 3,619

39.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$0.59 COP 2,144

89.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$2.36 COP 8,503

77.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$18.52 COP 66.8K

-23.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$0.93 COP 3,367

89.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$1.03 COP 3,709

257.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$1.05 COP 3,805

-62.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$28.08 COP 101.4K

-33.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$2.38 COP 8,602

-41.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$2.37 COP 8,556

-87.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$4.93 COP 17.8K

9.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$1.03 COP 3,709

31.07%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$20.9K COP 75.4M

-9.54%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$23.6K COP 85.3M

-2.00%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$142 COP 514.1K

-71.34%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$10.96 COP 39.6K

150.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$25.17 COP 90.9K

20.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$35.27 COP 127.3K

51.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$8.84 COP 31.9K

197.51%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$2.94 COP 10.6K

113.27%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$142 COP 512.4K

207.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$5,910 COP 21.3M

77.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$48.13 COP 173.8K

17.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$39.46 COP 142.5K

13.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$123 COP 445.3K

-16.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$115 COP 413.6K

-5.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$741 COP 2.7M

34.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$330 COP 1.2M

87.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$1,308 COP 4.7M

63.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$479 COP 1.7M

157.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

$3,077 COP 11.1M

25.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

$1,977 COP 7.1M

17.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$420 COP 1.5M

153.92%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Cartagena: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,000 in Mexico City versus $741 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 154% 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 $48.00 in Cartagena. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 vs $222 – 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 40% 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 $2,225 per month in Mexico City and $1,593 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 $436 per month in Mexico City and $142 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 $1,062, than in Mexico City at $1,484. 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 $1,062 versus $1,484 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.