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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $759 in Tarija versus $1,448 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $989 in Tarija versus $2,354 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,219 in Tarija versus $3,260 in Mexico City.

Living in Tarija costs roughly 48% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tarija is 43% below, Mexico City is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.61 BOB 24.71

$12.96 MX$223

-72.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.39 BOB 98.6

$52.3 MX$900

-72.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.05 BOB 41.47

$9.69 MX$167

-37.56%

Cappuccino

$2.45 BOB 16.78

$3.75 MX$64.6

-34.67%

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

$1.47 BOB 10.05

$1.56 MX$26.91

-5.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 BOB 6.92

$1.16 MX$19.93

-12.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 BOB 10.74

$3.24 MX$55.8

-51.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 BOB 15.03

$4.90 MX$84.3

-55.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.71 BOB 4.84

$1.70 MX$29.29

-58.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 BOB 9.43

$2.67 MX$45.90

-48.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 BOB 8.36

$1.89 MX$32.49

-35.45%

Eggs

$2.50 BOB 17.13

$2.52 MX$43.37

-0.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.78 BOB 32.73

$10.02 MX$172

-52.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.19 BOB 35.57

$8.53 MX$147

-39.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.23 BOB 42.66

$11.94 MX$205

-47.82%

Apples (1kg)

$1.43 BOB 9.81

$2.97 MX$51.1

-51.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 BOB 9.11

$1.79 MX$30.88

-25.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.10 BOB 7.57

$2.00 MX$34.40

-45.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 BOB 14.74

$1.96 MX$33.74

9.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 BOB 10.03

$2.16 MX$37.21

-32.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 BOB 9.69

$2.27 MX$39.04

-37.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.36 BOB 2.44

$1.40 MX$24.14

-74.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 BOB 9.22

$1.11 MX$19.18

21.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 BOB 20.16

$4.20 MX$72.2

-30.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.70 BOB 25.36

$16.54 MX$285

-77.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 BOB 12.62

$1.68 MX$28.94

9.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 BOB 12.92

$3.59 MX$61.8

-47.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 BOB 2.06

$0.39 MX$6.65

-23.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.96 BOB 212

$19.19 MX$330

61.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 BOB 7.62

$1.38 MX$23.77

-19.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 BOB 7.87

$0.30 MX$5.19

283.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.69 BOB 32.11

$5.39 MX$92.7

-12.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.51 BOB 3.50

$1.29 MX$22.13

-60.47%

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

$19.2K BOB 131.4K

$18.9K MX$325.1K

1.52%

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

$21.1K BOB 144.4K

$23.8K MX$409.5K

-11.44%

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

$50.3 BOB 344

$39.86 MX$686

26.07%

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

$27.04 BOB 185

$27.83 MX$479

-2.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.28 BOB 296

$29.77 MX$512

45.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.27 BOB 242

$52.0 MX$894

-32.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.39 BOB 30.08

$26.22 MX$451

-83.26%

Cinema Ticket

$7.06 BOB 48.39

$6.27 MX$108

12.60%

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

$62.2 BOB 426

$433 MX$7,443

-85.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,281 BOB 8,776

$10.5K MX$181.3K

-87.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.76 BOB 176

$57.0 MX$981

-54.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.90 BOB 198

$45.33 MX$780

-36.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$40.00 BOB 274

$102 MX$1,753

-60.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$21.55 BOB 148

$109 MX$1,867

-80.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$332 BOB 2,277

$994 MX$17.1K

-66.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$221 BOB 1,515

$617 MX$10.6K

-64.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 BOB 3,515

$2,086 MX$35.9K

-75.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 BOB 784

$1,256 MX$21.6K

-90.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,936 MX$67.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,089 MX$35.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,131 MX$19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

11.34

-51.50%

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

Last update for Tarija: June 15, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $332 in Tarija and $994 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $14.00 in Tarija vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $170 vs $292 per month, with Tarija 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

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

Tarija and Mexico City differ by about 91% in total monthly costs ($759 vs $1,448 including rent). Tarija is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,139 in Tarija and $2,173 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: $332 in Tarija versus $994 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Tarija runs roughly 61% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $62.2 in Tarija versus $433 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $759 in Tarija versus $1,448 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tarija but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Tarija 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, Tarija 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 Tarija gentler on the wallet – expenses run 91% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.