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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $1,476 in Cartago.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $2,142 in Cartago.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $2,808 in Cartago.

Monthly costs are close between Mexico City and Cartago; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 11% above, Cartago 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$7.93 ₡3,605

63.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$31.36 ₡14.3K

69.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$9.11 ₡4,145

6.70%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$3.95 ₡1,794

-5.06%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$2.03 ₡922

-22.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$1.23 ₡558

-8.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$2.03 ₡922

56.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$4.75 ₡2,160

-1.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$1.97 ₡897

-17.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$2.23 ₡1,016

21.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$2.25 ₡1,025

-16.44%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$2.98 ₡1,354

-15.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$7.76 ₡3,531

29.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$9.05 ₡4,115

-8.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$13.45 ₡6,118

-11.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$4.54 ₡2,065

-37.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$1.16 ₡527

50.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$3.94 ₡1,791

-47.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$2.76 ₡1,254

-28.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$1.96 ₡893

10.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$2.04 ₡926

6.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$0.97 ₡442

43.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$1.95 ₡885

-42.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$5.38 ₡2,445

-21.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$15.32 ₡6,964

-6.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$2.51 ₡1,140

-29.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$1.83 ₡830

101.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$1.03 ₡468

-62.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$69.4 ₡31.5K

-73.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$1.41 ₡639

-1.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$1.85 ₡841

-83.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$7.87 ₡3,581

-31.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$1.45 ₡660

-6.90%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$37.8K ₡17.2M

-50.01%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$33.0K ₡15.0M

-29.89%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$47.45 ₡21.6K

-13.97%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$25.90 ₡11.8K

6.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$57.2 ₡26.0K

-46.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$56.2 ₡25.5K

-4.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$24.30 ₡11.0K

8.23%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$6.36 ₡2,892

-1.42%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$507 ₡230.5K

-13.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$7,204 ₡3.3M

45.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$62.3 ₡28.3K

-8.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$52.2 ₡23.7K

-14.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$111 ₡50.6K

-7.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$80.0 ₡36.4K

34.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$767 ₡348.7K

30.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$586 ₡266.4K

5.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$740 ₡336.3K

188.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$774 ₡352.0K

59.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$1,331 ₡605.4K

-19.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

13.40%

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Last update for Cartago: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $767 in Cartago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cartago pays 25% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $31.00 in Cartago. Groceries flip the comparison at $286 vs $315, with Mexico City cheaper for home cooking.

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

On paper, Cartago earns 25% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $767 in Cartago. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cartago runs roughly 272% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Shoppers in Mexico City pay roughly 10% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,476 in Cartago versus $1,484 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cartago but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Cartago the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cartago is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Cartago are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Cartago wins on affordability, Mexico City on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.