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: $802 in Salento versus $1,447 in Mexico City.

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

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,597 in Salento versus $3,174 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 40% below, Mexico City is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.85 COP 13.5K

$12.98 MX$223

-70.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.55 COP 82.2K

$52.6 MX$903

-55.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.39 COP 25.8K

$9.43 MX$162

-21.63%

Cappuccino

$1.50 COP 5,227

$3.57 MX$61.3

-57.98%

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

$0.89 COP 3,093

$1.61 MX$27.55

-44.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 COP 1,960

$1.15 MX$19.81

-51.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 COP 4,154

$3.15 MX$54.0

-62.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 COP 7,473

$4.86 MX$83.4

-55.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 COP 3,872

$1.70 MX$29.17

-34.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 COP 4,476

$2.64 MX$45.23

-51.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,941

$1.90 MX$32.67

-40.53%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,639

$2.54 MX$43.62

-13.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 15.7K

$10.08 MX$173

-55.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.15 COP 18.0K

$8.29 MX$142

-37.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.16 COP 25.0K

$11.57 MX$199

-38.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.47 COP 8,611

$3.03 MX$52.0

-18.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 COP 3,801

$1.71 MX$29.35

-36.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 COP 4,536

$2.05 MX$35.16

-36.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,835

$2.06 MX$35.36

-46.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,864

$2.06 MX$35.43

-46.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,933

$2.17 MX$37.25

-47.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 COP 2,849

$1.40 MX$24.08

-41.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 COP 2,406

$1.12 MX$19.26

-38.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 8,183

$4.29 MX$73.7

-45.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.62 COP 33.6K

$15.41 MX$265

-37.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 COP 3,764

$1.67 MX$28.74

-35.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 COP 6,219

$3.69 MX$63.3

-51.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 COP 2,534

$0.38 MX$6.55

92.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.72 COP 103.7K

$19.06 MX$327

55.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,016

$1.38 MX$23.70

4.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 COP 6,232

$0.28 MX$4.74

539.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.03 COP 21.1K

$5.42 MX$92.9

11.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 COP 3,235

$1.28 MX$21.98

-27.34%

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

$17.7K COP 61.9M

$19.0K MX$325.8K

-6.59%

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

$25.2K COP 88.0M

$23.5K MX$402.7K

7.45%

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

$83.2 COP 290.5K

$41.02 MX$704

102.93%

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

$8.85 COP 30.9K

$26.92 MX$462

-67.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.58 COP 78.8K

$29.69 MX$510

-23.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.94 COP 80.1K

$52.3 MX$898

-56.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

Cinema Ticket

$3.96 COP 13.8K

$6.18 MX$106

-35.92%

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

$243 COP 846.7K

$427 MX$7,331

-43.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,075 COP 21.2M

$10.7K MX$183.6K

-43.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.1 COP 206.3K

$56.8 MX$975

4.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 112.4K

$44.83 MX$769

-28.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.3 COP 294.0K

$105 MX$1,794

-19.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.4 COP 249.2K

$106 MX$1,819

-32.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$268 COP 936.5K

$995 MX$17.1K

-73.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 COP 832.2K

$621 MX$10.7K

-61.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$530 COP 1.8M

$2,126 MX$36.5K

-75.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$413 COP 1.4M

$1,254 MX$21.5K

-67.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,400 COP 4.9M

$3,903 MX$67.0K

-64.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,046 COP 3.7M

$2,096 MX$36.0K

-50.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $268 in Salento and $995 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 $173 vs $288 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 80% in total monthly costs ($802 vs $1,447 including rent). Salento is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,203 in Salento and $2,171 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 $995 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 56% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $243 in Salento versus $427 in Mexico City. 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, 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 80% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.