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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $1,047 in Colima.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,702 in Colima.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $2,357 in Colima.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 59% more expensive than in Colima, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Colima is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$7.79 MX$134

53.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$35.34 MX$609

46.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$7.52 MX$130

51.73%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$2.29 MX$39.48

74.24%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$1.11 MX$19.14

49.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.87 MX$14.92

52.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$2.39 MX$41.20

45.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$2.66 MX$45.90

121.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$1.50 MX$25.83

25.33%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$2.79 MX$48.06

16.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$1.45 MX$24.96

48.97%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$2.66 MX$45.93

9.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$9.43 MX$163

36.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$8.98 MX$155

11.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$10.67 MX$184

48.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$3.04 MX$52.4

8.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.64 MX$28.31

22.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$2.59 MX$44.74

-15.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$2.64 MX$45.58

-10.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$2.45 MX$42.23

-16.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$2.55 MX$44.00

-25.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.53 MX$26.40

5.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$1.21 MX$20.92

15.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$3.86 MX$66.5

41.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$8.90 MX$154

98.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$1.62 MX$27.91

27.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$1.96 MX$33.82

138.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$0.71 MX$12.27

-52.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$21.07 MX$363

-1.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$2.68 MX$46.26

-21.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$2.99 MX$51.6

-81.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$17.36 MX$299

-66.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.48 MX$25.47

8.78%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$22.8K MX$392.7K

0.27%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$23.8K MX$409.8K

12.56%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$69.0 MX$1,190

-5.54%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$21.91 MX$378

37.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$31.61 MX$545

17.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$37.78 MX$651

58.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$23.40 MX$403

13.46%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$4.90 MX$84.5

43.67%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$156 MX$2,691

197.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$2,644 MX$45.6K

402.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$47.30 MX$816

60.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$31.77 MX$548

76.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$83.4 MX$1,438

34.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$110 MX$1,893

9.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$280 MX$4,821

294.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$284 MX$4,901

153.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$394 MX$6,799

541.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$628 MX$10.8K

106.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$300 MX$5,180

245.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Colima: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $280 in Colima. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 245% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $35.00 in Colima for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $276 per month, with Colima cheaper across the board.

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 Colima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Colima differ by about 59% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $1,047 including rent). Colima is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 245% higher in Mexico City, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $280 in Colima. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Colima runs roughly 1% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $465 in Mexico City versus $156 in Colima. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,047 in Colima versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Colima but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Colima the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Colima 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 Colima gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.