😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $631 in Carthage.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $1,051 in Carthage.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $1,470 in Carthage.
😐Living in Mexico City is roughly 135% more expensive than Carthage, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Carthage is 53% below.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Carthage
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.98MX$227
$5.12TND 14.81
153.52%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$53.1MX$929
$25.82TND 74.6
105.54%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.72MX$170
$5.00TND 14.46
94.40%
Cappuccino
$3.75MX$65.6
$1.08TND 3.11
247.22%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.57MX$27.46
$0.76TND 2.19
106.58%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.13MX$19.76
$0.28TND 0.81
303.57%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.18MX$55.7
$1.67TND 4.84
90.42%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.66MX$81.6
$1.96TND 5.68
137.76%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Carthage
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.62MX$28.37
$0.49TND 1.43
230.61%
White Bread(500g)
$2.71MX$47.36
$0.18TND 0.52
1405.56%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.88MX$32.89
$1.72TND 4.97
9.30%
Eggs
$2.51MX$43.90
$1.58TND 4.56
58.86%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.08MX$176
$10.48TND 30.28
-3.82%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$145
$6.02TND 17.41
37.71%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.94MX$209
$14.77TND 42.70
-19.16%
Apples(1kg)
$2.86MX$50.1
$2.05TND 5.92
39.51%
Banana(1kg)
$1.75MX$30.62
$3.55TND 10.25
-50.70%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.48
$1.12TND 3.25
85.71%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.97MX$34.46
$0.68TND 1.97
189.71%
Potato(1kg)
$2.16MX$37.79
$0.76TND 2.19
184.21%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$38.16
$0.65TND 1.89
235.38%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.39MX$24.34
$0.43TND 1.24
223.26%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.12MX$19.69
$0.29TND 0.83
286.21%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20MX$73.5
$3.54TND 10.22
18.64%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.25MX$249
$7.84TND 22.66
81.76%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76MX$30.85
$1.33TND 3.84
32.33%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68MX$64.5
$1.26TND 3.63
192.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Carthage
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.39MX$6.74
$0.33TND 0.95
18.18%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$18.66MX$327
$7.38TND 21.32
152.85%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.39MX$24.26
$0.30TND 0.86
363.33%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.30MX$5.32
$0.31TND 0.89
-3.23%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.42MX$94.9
$3.31TND 9.56
63.75%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35MX$23.63
$0.83TND 2.41
62.65%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.9KMX$330.5K
$40.3KTND 116.4K
-53.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.2KMX$405.2K
$35.9KTND 103.6K
-35.45%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Carthage
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$40.82MX$714
$45.36TND 131
-10.01%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.50MX$481
$9.78TND 28.25
181.19%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.38MX$532
$18.73TND 54.1
62.20%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Carthage
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$53.4MX$935
$37.36TND 108
43.01%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.30MX$460
$13.59TND 39.26
93.52%
Cinema Ticket
$6.27MX$110
$5.23TND 15.12
19.89%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Carthage
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$436MX$7,632
$112TND 324
289.21%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.5KMX$183.2K
$3,317TND 9,585
215.62%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Carthage
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.8MX$993
$44.84TND 130
26.58%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.79MX$784
$59.7TND 172
-24.92%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$103MX$1,799
$94.7TND 274
8.52%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108MX$1,888
$65.6TND 189
64.61%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Carthage
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,000MX$17.5K
$170TND 492
487.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$620MX$10.9K
$103TND 299
500.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,137MX$37.4K
$302TND 874
606.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,235MX$21.6K
$233TND 674
429.66%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,865MX$67.6K
$843TND 2,436
358.48%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,332MX$40.8K
$418TND 1,209
457.43%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Carthage
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,067MX$18.7K
$275TND 794
288.62%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.34
10.96
3.47%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Mexico City: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Carthage: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $170 in Carthage. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Mexico City pays 289% 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: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $26.00 in Carthage for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $199 per month, with Carthage cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Mexico City vs Carthage: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
What is the total cost difference between living in Mexico City and Carthage?
Mexico City and Carthage differ by about 135% in total monthly costs ($1,484 vs $631 including rent). Carthage is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Mexico City or Carthage?
Mexico City pays 289% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Mexico City and Carthage?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $170 in Carthage. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Carthage – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $53.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $631 in Carthage versus $1,484 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Carthage but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Carthage the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Mexico City and Carthage?
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.
Where should expats move: Mexico City or Carthage?
Expats usually find Carthage gentler on the wallet – expenses run 135% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Mexico City vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado