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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $711 in Tunja.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,062 in Tunja.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,413 in Tunja.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 104% more expensive than Tunja, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Tunja is 47% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$2.68 COP 9,353

384.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$14.38 COP 50.2K

265.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$6.71 COP 23.4K

40.54%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$1.07 COP 3,731

233.64%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.74 COP 2,588

117.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.56 COP 1,937

105.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$1.19 COP 4,151

164.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$2.11 COP 7,356

130.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.21 COP 4,239

40.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$1.06 COP 3,698

149.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.20 COP 4,185

58.33%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$2.18 COP 7,595

16.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$4.24 COP 14.8K

137.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$5.67 COP 19.8K

46.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$7.24 COP 25.3K

59.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$2.48 COP 8,667

22.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.18 COP 4,124

44.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$0.85 COP 2,959

141.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$0.92 COP 3,219

123.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$1.19 COP 4,154

73.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$0.94 COP 3,292

130.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.95 COP 3,312

47.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.74 COP 2,586

51.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$1.66 COP 5,797

158.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$8.41 COP 29.4K

83.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$0.83 COP 2,889

101.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$1.56 COP 5,447

136.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.51 COP 1,768

-25.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$0.66 COP 2,312

109.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$1.55 COP 5,421

-81.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-8.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$0.93 COP 3,230

37.63%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$19.2K COP 66.9M

-0.94%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$28.0K COP 97.6M

-16.08%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$76.1 COP 265.7K

-46.11%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$8.86 COP 30.9K

203.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$20.41 COP 71.2K

45.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$16.80 COP 58.6K

211.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$3.81 COP 13.3K

62.20%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$242 COP 844.3K

76.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$2,419 COP 8.4M

342.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$63.7 COP 222.2K

-10.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$33.19 COP 115.8K

35.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$83.8 COP 292.3K

24.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$37.53 COP 131.0K

182.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$286 COP 998.0K

247.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$230 COP 801.8K

170.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$521 COP 1.8M

307.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$421 COP 1.5M

198.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

15.25

-25.64%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Tunja: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $286 in Tunja. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $14.00 in Tunja for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $169 per month, with Tunja 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 Tunja: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Tunja differ by about 104% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $711 including rent). Tunja 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 $1,066 in Tunja 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 $286 in Tunja. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $242 in Tunja. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Tunja – a meal for two runs $14.00 versus $53.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $711 in Tunja versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Tunja but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Tunja 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 Tunja 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 Tunja gentler on the wallet – expenses run 104% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.