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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Living in Tunja costs roughly 51% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.68 COP 9,353

$12.98 MX$223

-79.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.38 COP 50.2K

$52.6 MX$903

-72.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.71 COP 23.4K

$9.43 MX$162

-28.84%

Cappuccino

$1.07 COP 3,731

$3.57 MX$61.3

-70.03%

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

$0.74 COP 2,588

$1.61 MX$27.55

-54.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 COP 1,937

$1.15 MX$19.81

-51.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 COP 4,151

$3.15 MX$54.0

-62.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 COP 7,356

$4.86 MX$83.4

-56.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 COP 4,239

$1.70 MX$29.17

-28.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 COP 3,698

$2.64 MX$45.23

-59.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 COP 4,185

$1.90 MX$32.67

-36.84%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 7,595

$2.54 MX$43.62

-14.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.24 COP 14.8K

$10.08 MX$173

-57.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.67 COP 19.8K

$8.29 MX$142

-31.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.24 COP 25.3K

$11.57 MX$199

-37.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.48 COP 8,667

$3.03 MX$52.0

-18.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,124

$1.71 MX$29.35

-30.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.85 COP 2,959

$2.05 MX$35.16

-58.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.92 COP 3,219

$2.06 MX$35.36

-55.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 COP 4,154

$2.06 MX$35.43

-42.23%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 COP 3,292

$2.17 MX$37.25

-56.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 COP 3,312

$1.40 MX$24.08

-32.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 COP 2,586

$1.12 MX$19.26

-33.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.66 COP 5,797

$4.29 MX$73.7

-61.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.41 COP 29.4K

$15.41 MX$265

-45.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 COP 2,889

$1.67 MX$28.74

-50.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 COP 5,447

$3.69 MX$63.3

-57.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 COP 1,768

$0.38 MX$6.55

34.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 COP 2,312

$1.38 MX$23.70

-52.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 COP 5,421

$0.28 MX$4.74

453.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$5.42 MX$92.9

9.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 COP 3,230

$1.28 MX$21.98

-27.34%

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

$19.2K COP 66.9M

$19.0K MX$325.8K

0.95%

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

$28.0K COP 97.6M

$23.5K MX$402.7K

19.17%

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

$76.1 COP 265.7K

$41.02 MX$704

85.57%

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

$8.86 COP 30.9K

$26.92 MX$462

-67.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.41 COP 71.2K

$29.69 MX$510

-31.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.80 COP 58.6K

$52.3 MX$898

-67.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

Cinema Ticket

$3.81 COP 13.3K

$6.18 MX$106

-38.35%

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

$242 COP 844.3K

$427 MX$7,331

-43.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,419 COP 8.4M

$10.7K MX$183.6K

-77.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.7 COP 222.2K

$56.8 MX$975

12.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.19 COP 115.8K

$44.83 MX$769

-25.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.8 COP 292.3K

$105 MX$1,794

-19.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.53 COP 131.0K

$106 MX$1,819

-64.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$286 COP 998.0K

$995 MX$17.1K

-71.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$230 COP 801.8K

$621 MX$10.7K

-63.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$521 COP 1.8M

$2,126 MX$36.5K

-75.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$421 COP 1.5M

$1,254 MX$21.5K

-66.45%

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 %)

15.25

11.34

34.48%

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

Last update for Tunja: June 8, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

Dining out: $14.00 in Tunja vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $169 vs $288 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

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

Tunja and Mexico City differ by about 104% in total monthly costs ($711 vs $1,447 including rent). Tunja is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,066 in Tunja 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: $286 in Tunja versus $995 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $242 in Tunja versus $427 in Mexico City. 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, Tunja 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 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.