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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,668 per month in Mexico City vs $1,271 in Cartago, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,613 per month in Mexico City vs $1,997 in Cartago, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,557 per month in Mexico City vs $2,722 in Cartago, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 31% more than Cartago, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 24% above the global median, while Cartago is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.03 MX$213

$7.97 COP 26.3K

50.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.8 MX$934

$38.78 COP 127.7K

36.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.69 MX$207

$8.73 COP 28.8K

33.91%

Cappuccino

$3.87 MX$68.4

$1.57 COP 5,155

146.50%

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

$1.75 MX$30.94

$1.32 COP 4,338

32.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$24.65

$0.89 COP 2,917

56.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 MX$59.4

$3.33 COP 11.0K

0.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 MX$102

$3.96 COP 13.1K

45.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MX$31.92

$1.60 COP 5,281

13.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 MX$54.5

$2.03 COP 6,677

51.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 MX$37.65

$1.53 COP 5,031

39.22%

Eggs

$2.98 MX$52.6

$2.99 COP 9,851

-0.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.53 MX$221

$6.82 COP 22.4K

83.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 MX$181

$7.16 COP 23.6K

43.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 MX$281

$10.25 COP 33.8K

55.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$59.8

$3.56 COP 11.7K

-4.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 MX$37.24

$1.36 COP 4,474

55.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$37.59

$1.78 COP 5,849

19.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 MX$43.61

$1.68 COP 5,538

47.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 MX$36.03

$1.48 COP 4,875

37.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$35.59

$1.61 COP 5,302

24.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 MX$28.15

$1.18 COP 3,901

34.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$23.50

$1.00 COP 3,301

33.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.49 MX$97.0

$3.97 COP 13.1K

38.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 MX$310

$13.55 COP 44.6K

29.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 MX$35.61

$1.55 COP 5,094

29.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.8

$2.56 COP 8,435

85.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.94

$1.15 COP 3,788

-70.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.07 MX$373

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$36.28

$0.80 COP 2,629

156.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 MX$10.75

$2.08 COP 6,861

-70.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 MX$101

$8.87 COP 29.2K

-35.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 MX$28.09

$1.36 COP 4,475

16.91%

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

$22.9K MX$404.6K

$25.6K COP 84.2M

-10.46%

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

$26.4K MX$466.2K

$35.7K COP 117.6M

-26.12%

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

$64.2 MX$1,135

$113 COP 372.2K

-43.16%

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

$29.42 MX$520

$13.29 COP 43.8K

121.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.83 MX$651

$31.73 COP 104.5K

16.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.7 MX$1,038

$37.67 COP 124.1K

55.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.54 MX$469

Cinema Ticket

$6.95 MX$123

$8.43 COP 27.8K

-17.56%

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

$463 MX$8,180

$653 COP 2.2M

-29.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$236.2K

$6,684 COP 22.0M

99.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.4 MX$1,333

$82.0 COP 270.0K

-8.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.2 MX$958

$55.0 COP 181.3K

-1.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MX$1,965

$130 COP 428.4K

-14.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,160

$111 COP 365.9K

9.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,133 MX$20.0K

$709 COP 2.3M

59.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 MX$12.3K

$482 COP 1.6M

44.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,442 MX$43.2K

$1,029 COP 3.4M

137.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 MX$23.0K

$972 COP 3.2M

34.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,910 MX$69.1K

$2,007 COP 6.6M

94.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,069 MX$36.6K

$1,698 COP 5.6M

21.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.6K

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: September 21, 2026

Last update for Cartago: September 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,133 in Mexico City versus $709 in Cartago. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Mexico City versus $39.00 in Cartago. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $343 vs $247 – making Cartago 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 Cartago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 31%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,502 per month in Mexico City and $1,906 in Cartago. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,668 in Mexico City and $1,271 in Cartago. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $463 per month in Mexico City and $653 in Cartago. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cartago, where all-in costs run around $1,271, than in Mexico City at $1,668. In Cartago it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cartago – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Cartago. 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.