Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Cartago, Costa Rica

For one person, living is cheaper in Mexico City: $1,608 a month against $1,733 in Cartago, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

78

Cost of Living Index in Mexico City
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Mexico City Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Cartago
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Cartago Living Index

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Mexico City

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,608

/mo nomad

Cartago

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,733

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Cartago

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mexico City and in Cartago actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,608 in Mexico City versus $1,733 in Cartago.

Mexico City $1,608
Cartago $1,733

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Mexico City versus $2,363 in Cartago.

Mexico City $2,549
Cartago $2,363

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,490 in Mexico City versus $2,993 in Cartago.

Mexico City $3,490
Cartago $2,993

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 7% less than in Cartago, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 18% above, Cartago 27% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.62 MX$199

$8.61 ₡3,886

23.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.35 MX$908

$35.63 ₡16.1K

35.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.35 MX$194

$9.75 ₡4,400

6.15%

Cappuccino

$3.69 MX$69.3

$4.55 ₡2,056

-18.90%

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

$1.67 MX$31.29

$2.24 ₡1,013

-25.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 MX$23.76

$1.37 ₡618

-7.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$59.9

$2.15 ₡972

48.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.31 MX$99.6

$4.20 ₡1,896

26.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 MX$32.38

$2.39 ₡1,079

-28.03%

White Bread (500g)

$3.04 MX$57.1

$2.48 ₡1,118

22.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 MX$36.44

$2.42 ₡1,093

-19.83%

Eggs

$2.89 MX$54.2

$3.59 ₡1,622

-19.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.97 MX$206

$8.73 ₡3,940

25.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.25 MX$174

$10.61 ₡4,788

-12.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.13 MX$284

$13.93 ₡6,288

8.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.05 MX$57.2

$5.05 ₡2,279

-39.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 MX$36.45

$1.33 ₡601

45.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 MX$38.02

$4.37 ₡1,975

-53.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.31 MX$43.46

$2.99 ₡1,350

-22.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 MX$38.21

$2.16 ₡977

-5.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 MX$33.79

$2.25 ₡1,015

-20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 MX$27.77

$1.07 ₡484

38.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 MX$23.80

$2.18 ₡985

-41.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.30 MX$99.6

$5.98 ₡2,700

-11.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.10 MX$302

$15.61 ₡7,047

3.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 MX$37.23

$2.85 ₡1,286

-30.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 MX$79.8

$2.02 ₡911

110.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 MX$5.73

$1.27 ₡571

-75.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.73 MX$371

$74.1 ₡33.5K

-73.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 MX$34.50

$1.31 ₡591

40.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MX$10.02

$1.57 ₡711

-66.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.30 MX$99.4

$8.73 ₡3,941

-39.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 MX$28.36

$1.50 ₡675

0.67%

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

$21.8K MX$408.4K

$34.7K ₡15.7M

-37.29%

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

$24.0K MX$450.3K

$42.3K ₡19.1M

-43.27%

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

$63.0 MX$1,182

$53.0 ₡23.9K

18.83%

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

$27.39 MX$514

$36.31 ₡16.4K

-24.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.67 MX$670

$60.0 ₡27.1K

-40.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.9 MX$1,107

$68.0 ₡30.7K

-13.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.64 MX$444

$77.5 ₡35.0K

-69.51%

Cinema Ticket

$6.40 MX$120

$7.16 ₡3,234

-10.61%

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

$432 MX$8,103

$559 ₡252.2K

-22.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K MX$214.5K

$7,872 ₡3.6M

45.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.2 MX$1,281

$72.8 ₡32.9K

-6.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 MX$997

$56.8 ₡25.7K

-6.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 MX$2,023

$121 ₡54.8K

-11.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 MX$2,202

$87.1 ₡39.3K

34.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,113 MX$20.9K

$733 ₡331.0K

51.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$710 MX$13.3K

$725 ₡327.1K

-1.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,588 MX$48.6K

$1,920 ₡866.9K

34.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,406 MX$26.4K

$702 ₡316.8K

100.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,631 MX$68.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,135 MX$40.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$946 MX$17.8K

$1,305 ₡589.0K

-27.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.35

8.62

31.67%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 25, 2026

Last update for Cartago: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Mexico City

$710 44.2%

Cartago

$725 41.8% 2% $14

Groceries & Markets

Mexico City

$320 19.9%

Cartago

$350 20.2% 9.6% $31

Eating Out

Mexico City

$199 12.4%

Cartago

$186 10.8% 6.2% $12

Clothing & Footwear

Mexico City

$156 9.7%

Cartago

$152 8.8% 2.4% $3.7

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mexico City

$126 7.8%

Cartago

$149 8.6% 18.5% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Mexico City

$72 4.5%

Cartago

$82 4.8% 14.7% $11

Getting Around

Mexico City

$25 1.6%

Cartago

$88 5.1% 247% $63

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,113 in Mexico City and $733 in Cartago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cartago pays 38% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $48 in Mexico City vs $36 in Cartago. Groceries flip the comparison at $320 vs $350, with Mexico City cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Mexico City

🇨🇷 Cartago

🕒 Local time

10:12 10:12 AM

Same time as Mexico City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,209,944 Capital

110,000

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.33 USD

100 MXN = 4.77 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 18.77 MXN (100 MXN = 5.33 USD). 1 EUR = 20.96 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Mexico City Cartago 1,950 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Mexico City
Cartago

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Mexico City is about 7% cheaper overall, especially in transport, utilities, and groceries. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 27% lower in Mexico City. 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: $1,113 in Mexico City versus $733 in Cartago. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 73% less than in Cartago. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Childcare runs $432 in Mexico City versus $559 in Cartago. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $3,000 a month, though Mexico City gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

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