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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $813 in Salento versus $1,484 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,207 in Salento versus $2,381 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,601 in Salento versus $3,278 in Mexico City.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Salento is 39% below, Mexico City is 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.99 COP 14.4K

$12.98 MX$227

-69.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.54 COP 85.0K

$53.1 MX$929

-55.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.40 COP 26.7K

$9.72 MX$170

-23.87%

Cappuccino

$1.55 COP 5,597

$3.75 MX$65.6

-58.67%

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

$0.93 COP 3,348

$1.57 MX$27.46

-40.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 COP 2,179

$1.13 MX$19.76

-46.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 COP 4,182

$3.18 MX$55.7

-63.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 COP 7,933

$4.66 MX$81.6

-52.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,826

$1.62 MX$28.37

-34.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 COP 4,491

$2.71 MX$47.36

-54.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,235

$1.88 MX$32.89

-37.77%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,970

$2.51 MX$43.90

-11.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.56 COP 16.5K

$10.08 MX$176

-54.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.25 COP 19.0K

$8.29 MX$145

-36.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.24 COP 26.1K

$11.94 MX$209

-39.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 COP 9,103

$2.86 MX$50.1

-11.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 COP 3,787

$1.75 MX$30.62

-40.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 COP 4,738

$2.08 MX$36.48

-37.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,976

$1.97 MX$34.46

-44.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,040

$2.16 MX$37.79

-48.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,080

$2.18 MX$38.16

-48.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 COP 2,896

$1.39 MX$24.34

-42.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 COP 2,348

$1.12 MX$19.69

-41.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,406

$4.20 MX$73.5

-44.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.45 COP 34.1K

$14.25 MX$249

-33.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 COP 3,967

$1.76 MX$30.85

-37.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 COP 6,355

$3.68 MX$64.5

-52.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 COP 2,403

$0.39 MX$6.74

71.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.19 COP 109.0K

$18.66 MX$327

61.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,186

$1.39 MX$24.26

3.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 COP 6,473

$0.30 MX$5.32

496.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 COP 22.4K

$5.42 MX$94.9

14.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 COP 3,609

$1.35 MX$23.63

-25.93%

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

$17.8K COP 64.3M

$18.9K MX$330.5K

-5.73%

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

$25.8K COP 93.3M

$23.2K MX$405.2K

11.64%

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

$82.4 COP 297.5K

$40.82 MX$714

101.86%

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

$9.12 COP 32.9K

$27.50 MX$481

-66.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.47 COP 81.1K

$30.38 MX$532

-26.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.24 COP 83.9K

$53.4 MX$935

-56.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$4.00 COP 14.4K

$6.27 MX$110

-36.20%

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

$240 COP 867.4K

$436 MX$7,632

-44.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,005 COP 21.7M

$10.5K MX$183.2K

-42.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 215.6K

$56.8 MX$993

5.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.39 COP 116.9K

$44.79 MX$784

-27.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.4 COP 297.3K

$103 MX$1,799

-19.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.5 COP 258.2K

$108 MX$1,888

-33.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$268 COP 966.0K

$1,000 MX$17.5K

-73.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 COP 864.3K

$620 MX$10.9K

-61.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$526 COP 1.9M

$2,137 MX$37.4K

-75.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$422 COP 1.5M

$1,235 MX$21.6K

-65.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,435 COP 5.2M

$3,865 MX$67.6K

-62.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,064 COP 3.8M

$2,332 MX$40.8K

-54.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.06

11.34

15.17%

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

Last update for Salento: April 27, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $268 in Salento and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $24.00 in Salento vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $172 vs $286 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

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

Salento and Mexico City differ by about 83% in total monthly costs ($813 vs $1,484 including rent). Salento is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,219 in Salento and $2,225 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: $268 in Salento versus $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Salento runs roughly 62% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $240 in Salento versus $436 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $813 in Salento versus $1,484 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, Salento and Mexico City 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 83% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.