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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $802 in Salento.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,200 in Salento.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,597 in Salento.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 80% more expensive than Salento, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Salento is 40% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$3.85 COP 13.5K

237.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$23.55 COP 82.2K

123.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$7.39 COP 25.8K

27.60%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$1.50 COP 5,227

138.00%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.89 COP 3,093

80.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.56 COP 1,960

105.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$1.19 COP 4,154

164.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$2.14 COP 7,473

127.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.11 COP 3,872

53.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$1.28 COP 4,476

106.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.13 COP 3,941

68.14%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$2.19 COP 7,639

15.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$4.49 COP 15.7K

124.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$5.15 COP 18.0K

60.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$7.16 COP 25.0K

61.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$2.47 COP 8,611

22.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.09 COP 3,801

56.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$1.30 COP 4,536

57.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.10 COP 3,835

87.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$1.11 COP 3,864

85.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.13 COP 3,933

92.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.82 COP 2,849

70.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.69 COP 2,406

62.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$2.34 COP 8,183

83.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$9.62 COP 33.6K

60.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.08 COP 3,764

54.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$1.78 COP 6,219

107.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.73 COP 2,534

-47.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$29.72 COP 103.7K

-35.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$1.44 COP 5,016

-4.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$1.79 COP 6,232

-84.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$6.03 COP 21.1K

-10.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$0.93 COP 3,235

37.63%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$17.7K COP 61.9M

7.05%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$25.2K COP 88.0M

-6.93%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$83.2 COP 290.5K

-50.72%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$8.85 COP 30.9K

204.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$22.58 COP 78.8K

31.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$22.94 COP 80.1K

128.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$3.96 COP 13.8K

56.06%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$243 COP 846.7K

76.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$6,075 COP 21.2M

76.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$59.1 COP 206.3K

-3.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$32.20 COP 112.4K

39.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$84.3 COP 294.0K

24.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$71.4 COP 249.2K

48.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$268 COP 936.5K

270.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$238 COP 832.2K

160.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$530 COP 1.8M

301.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$413 COP 1.4M

203.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$1,400 COP 4.9M

178.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$1,046 COP 3.7M

100.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

13.06

-13.17%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Salento: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $268 in Salento. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $24.00 in Salento for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $173 per month, with Salento 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 Salento: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Salento differ by about 80% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $802 including rent). Salento is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,171 in Mexico City and $1,203 in Salento to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $995 in Mexico City versus $268 in Salento. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Salento runs roughly 56% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $243 in Salento. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $802 in Salento versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Salento but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Salento 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 Salento 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 Salento gentler on the wallet – expenses run 80% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.