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: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $1,500 in Cartago.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $2,132 in Cartago.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $2,763 in Cartago.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 2% less than in Cartago, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 11% above, Cartago 13% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$8.08 ₡3,624

62.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$31.20 ₡14.0K

71.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$8.75 ₡3,923

6.63%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$3.78 ₡1,697

-2.12%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$1.96 ₡881

-18.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$1.25 ₡560

-10.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$2.05 ₡919

53.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$4.69 ₡2,103

3.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$2.07 ₡927

-20.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$2.19 ₡984

23.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$2.17 ₡975

-11.98%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$3.02 ₡1,354

-14.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$8.01 ₡3,593

22.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$9.16 ₡4,106

-7.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$13.85 ₡6,209

-13.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$4.62 ₡2,070

-36.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$1.17 ₡525

48.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$3.94 ₡1,765

-48.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$2.74 ₡1,229

-24.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$1.94 ₡872

10.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$1.96 ₡879

15.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$1.01 ₡454

37.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$2.01 ₡903

-44.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$5.33 ₡2,391

-20.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$15.22 ₡6,824

15.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$2.51 ₡1,125

-31.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$1.82 ₡818

99.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$1.02 ₡458

-65.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

$70.3 ₡31.5K

-72.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$1.35 ₡606

2.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$1.86 ₡834

-84.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$7.84 ₡3,515

-32.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$1.44 ₡647

-5.56%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$38.3K ₡17.2M

-50.13%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$32.6K ₡14.6M

-27.69%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$48.78 ₡21.9K

-16.91%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$26.16 ₡11.7K

4.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$56.3 ₡25.2K

-45.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$57.4 ₡25.8K

-9.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

$24.26 ₡10.9K

9.15%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$6.31 ₡2,830

-1.90%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$499 ₡223.9K

-14.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$7,284 ₡3.3M

47.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$61.9 ₡27.8K

-5.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$51.6 ₡23.1K

-13.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$110 ₡49.3K

-5.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$80.1 ₡35.9K

35.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$753 ₡337.6K

34.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$590 ₡264.4K

5.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$751 ₡336.6K

182.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$756 ₡338.8K

61.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$1,312 ₡588.5K

-19.83%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Cartago: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $753 in Cartago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cartago pays 25% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $31.00 in Cartago. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $319, 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

Mexico City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 25% lower in Cartago. 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: $1,014 in Mexico City versus $753 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 264% less than in Cartago. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $425 in Mexico City versus $499 in Cartago. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,472 in Mexico City versus $1,500 in Cartago, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Cartago. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mexico City is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cartago, 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.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Cartago. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.