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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $804 in Popayan versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,223 in Popayan versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,642 in Popayan versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Popayan costs roughly 45% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Popayan is 40% below, Mexico City is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.82 COP 12.4K

$13.07 MX$229

-70.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.83 COP 77.6K

$53.8 MX$943

-55.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.29 COP 23.7K

$9.68 MX$170

-24.69%

Cappuccino

$1.50 COP 4,898

$3.74 MX$65.6

-59.89%

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

$0.88 COP 2,866

$1.62 MX$28.34

-45.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 COP 1,977

$1.16 MX$20.37

-47.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 COP 3,798

$3.23 MX$56.6

-63.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 COP 7,187

$4.74 MX$83.1

-53.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 COP 3,602

$1.65 MX$28.89

-32.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,216

$2.75 MX$48.30

-53.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,823

$1.87 MX$32.87

-37.43%

Eggs

$2.22 COP 7,224

$2.50 MX$43.86

-11.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.31 COP 14.0K

$10.20 MX$179

-57.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.21 COP 17.0K

$8.25 MX$145

-36.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.16 COP 23.3K

$11.82 MX$207

-39.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 COP 8,198

$3.01 MX$52.8

-16.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,622

$1.81 MX$31.77

-38.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,449

$2.00 MX$35.07

-31.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.91 COP 2,958

$2.00 MX$35.00

-54.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 COP 3,647

$2.08 MX$36.56

-46.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,684

$2.27 MX$39.85

-50.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 COP 2,645

$1.46 MX$25.55

-44.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 COP 2,117

$1.08 MX$18.88

-39.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.41 COP 7,859

$4.35 MX$76.3

-44.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.06 COP 42.5K

$16.99 MX$298

-23.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 COP 3,659

$1.73 MX$30.40

-35.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,660

$3.58 MX$62.7

-51.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 COP 2,325

$0.39 MX$6.79

82.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.45 COP 99.1K

$18.69 MX$328

62.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 4,800

$1.33 MX$23.25

10.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 COP 5,374

$0.28 MX$4.91

489.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.19 COP 20.1K

$5.25 MX$92.1

17.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 COP 3,254

$1.34 MX$23.44

-25.37%

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

$17.6K COP 57.4M

$19.4K MX$340.5K

-9.17%

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

$25.7K COP 83.6M

$23.8K MX$418.0K

7.77%

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

$83.9 COP 273.0K

$40.69 MX$714

106.07%

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

$9.26 COP 30.2K

$26.87 MX$471

-65.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.35 COP 72.8K

$30.51 MX$535

-26.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.29 COP 75.8K

$52.8 MX$926

-55.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

Cinema Ticket

$3.87 COP 12.6K

$6.51 MX$114

-40.55%

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

$241 COP 784.9K

$428 MX$7,508

-43.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,914 COP 19.3M

$10.5K MX$184.2K

-43.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 COP 194.6K

$57.3 MX$1,004

4.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 106.8K

$45.50 MX$798

-27.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.4 COP 274.7K

$104 MX$1,825

-18.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.3 COP 235.4K

$108 MX$1,891

-32.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 COP 914.1K

$1,003 MX$17.6K

-72.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 COP 771.1K

$623 MX$10.9K

-61.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$519 COP 1.7M

$2,109 MX$37.0K

-75.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$430 COP 1.4M

$1,218 MX$21.4K

-64.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,662 COP 5.4M

$3,885 MX$68.1K

-57.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,192 COP 3.9M

$2,033 MX$35.7K

-41.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.18

11.34

16.23%

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

Last update for Popayan: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $281 in Popayan and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $24.00 in Popayan vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $179 vs $292 per month, with Popayan 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

Popayan vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Popayan and Mexico City differ by about 81% in total monthly costs ($804 vs $1,456 including rent). Popayan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,207 in Popayan and $2,185 in Mexico City 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: $281 in Popayan versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Popayan runs roughly 63% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $241 in Popayan versus $428 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $804 in Popayan versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Popayan but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Popayan 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.

Expats usually find Popayan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 81% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.