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 $1,472 per month in Mexico City vs $839 in Cartago, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,359 per month in Mexico City vs $1,282 in Cartago, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,245 per month in Mexico City vs $1,725 in Cartago, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 76% more than Cartago, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 11% above the global median, while Cartago is 37% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$3.71 COP 11.7K

254.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$29.46 COP 92.8K

81.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$7.24 COP 22.8K

28.87%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$1.65 COP 5,179

124.24%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$0.87 COP 2,753

83.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.61 COP 1,913

83.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$1.01 COP 3,193

210.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$2.47 COP 7,774

96.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$1.29 COP 4,052

27.91%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$1.54 COP 4,847

75.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$1.21 COP 3,821

57.85%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$2.47 COP 7,786

4.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$4.13 COP 13.0K

137.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$5.58 COP 17.6K

51.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$7.79 COP 24.5K

53.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.45 COP 7,726

20.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$0.97 COP 3,068

79.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$1.16 COP 3,650

75.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$1.27 COP 4,004

62.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$0.83 COP 2,598

159.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$1.05 COP 3,315

115.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$0.71 COP 2,250

95.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$0.68 COP 2,149

64.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$2.84 COP 8,949

48.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$12.78 COP 40.2K

37.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$1.12 COP 3,522

52.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$1.91 COP 6,018

90.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$0.69 COP 2,167

-49.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

$30.38 COP 95.7K

-36.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$1.59 COP 5,017

-13.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$1.91 COP 6,011

-85.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$9.72 COP 30.6K

-45.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$0.93 COP 2,927

46.24%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$21.7K COP 68.3M

-11.88%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$29.5K COP 93.0M

-20.05%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$81.3 COP 256.0K

-50.15%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$8.61 COP 27.1K

218.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$24.85 COP 78.3K

22.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$23.75 COP 74.8K

119.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$4.75 COP 15.0K

30.32%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$229 COP 721.5K

85.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$6,018 COP 18.9M

78.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$64.6 COP 203.4K

-9.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$44.43 COP 139.9K

0.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$77.8 COP 245.0K

32.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$89.4 COP 281.3K

21.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$285 COP 896.6K

256.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$234 COP 736.3K

166.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$529 COP 1.7M

300.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$431 COP 1.4M

184.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

$2,040 COP 6.4M

85.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

$1,273 COP 4.0M

65.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$360 COP 1.1M

191.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

11.58

-2.07%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for Cartago: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,014 in Mexico City versus $285 in Cartago. 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 192% 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 $54.0 in Mexico City versus $29.00 in Cartago. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $186 – 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 76%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,208 per month in Mexico City and $1,258 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 $1,472 in Mexico City and $839 in Cartago. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 57% less in Cartago. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cartago, where all-in costs run around $839, than in Mexico City at $1,472. 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.