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 $1,484 per month in Mexico City vs $830 in Cartago, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,381 per month in Mexico City vs $1,258 in Cartago, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,278 per month in Mexico City vs $1,686 in Cartago, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 79% more than Cartago, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 11% above the global median, while Cartago is 38% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$3.69 COP 13.3K

251.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$28.64 COP 103.4K

85.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$7.16 COP 25.9K

35.75%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$1.63 COP 5,867

130.06%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$0.94 COP 3,398

67.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.56 COP 2,026

101.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$1.01 COP 3,663

214.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$2.51 COP 9,070

85.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$1.26 COP 4,549

28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$1.51 COP 5,457

79.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$1.24 COP 4,481

51.61%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$2.58 COP 9,313

-2.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$4.15 COP 15.0K

142.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$5.50 COP 19.9K

50.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$7.76 COP 28.0K

53.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$2.50 COP 9,022

14.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$0.97 COP 3,503

80.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$1.15 COP 4,149

80.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$1.25 COP 4,518

57.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$0.88 COP 3,162

145.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$1.11 COP 4,010

96.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$0.72 COP 2,597

93.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$0.68 COP 2,459

64.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$2.84 COP 10.3K

47.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$11.44 COP 41.3K

24.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$1.08 COP 3,885

62.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$1.92 COP 6,930

91.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.73 COP 2,649

-46.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$30.35 COP 109.6K

-38.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$1.59 COP 5,736

-12.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$1.95 COP 7,029

-84.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$9.46 COP 34.2K

-42.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$0.95 COP 3,422

42.11%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$22.2K COP 80.2M

-15.04%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$29.9K COP 107.8M

-22.45%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$81.2 COP 293.0K

-49.71%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$9.09 COP 32.8K

202.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$24.36 COP 87.9K

24.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$23.12 COP 83.5K

131.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$4.70 COP 17.0K

33.40%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$222 COP 801.6K

96.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$5,904 COP 21.3M

77.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$63.2 COP 228.0K

-10.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$44.18 COP 159.5K

1.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$78.6 COP 283.6K

30.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$89.9 COP 324.7K

19.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$288 COP 1.0M

247.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$236 COP 851.2K

163.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$524 COP 1.9M

307.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$430 COP 1.6M

187.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

$1,776 COP 6.4M

117.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

$1,493 COP 5.4M

56.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$327 COP 1.2M

225.92%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Cartago: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,000 in Mexico City versus $288 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 226% 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 $29.00 in Cartago. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 vs $183 – 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 79%, 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 $2,225 per month in Mexico City and $1,245 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 $1,484 in Mexico City and $830 in Cartago. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 63% 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 $830, than in Mexico City at $1,484. 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.