✦ Compare
Cologne vs
Mexico City
Cost-of-living comparison and salary equivalence. Enter your current salary to see what you'd need to earn to live equally well.
Cologne, DE vs Mexico City, MX at a glance — Mexico City, MX is 39% cheaper than Cologne, DE overall. Median 1-bed rent runs about $800/mo versus $1,050/mo. Top income tax: 35% vs 45%.
To keep the same standard of living in Mexico City, MX, you'd need
$45,756 / year
Mexico City, MX is 39% cheaper overall
Category breakdown (Mexico City, MX vs Cologne, DE)
- Housing-46%
- Food & groceries-38%
- Transport-40%
- Utilities-37%
- Healthcare-32%
- Goods & services-33%
Median 1-bed rent
$1,050 /mo
Cologne, DE overview →
Median 1-bed rent
$800 /mo
Mexico City, MX overview →
◎ How Cologne, DE and Mexico City, MX compare
Index vs the US average — the line marks 100. Lower is cheaper.
▤ Full comparison
| Cologne, DE | Mexico City, MX | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | ||
| Overall cost index | 106 | 64 |
| Housing | 112 | 60 |
| Food | 105 | 65 |
| Transport | 84 | 50 |
| Utilities | 126 | 80 |
| Healthcare | 95 | 65 |
| Goods & services | 105 | 70 |
| Housing | ||
| Rent, 1-bed centre | $1,050/mo | $800/mo |
| Rent, 1-bed outside | $780/mo | $550/mo |
| Rent, 3-bed centre | $2,000/mo | $1,600/mo |
| Buy price / m² centre | $6,500 | $3,200 |
| Money & purchasing power | ||
| $1,000 goes as far as | $947 | $1,553 |
| Inexpensive meal | $14 | $5 |
| Monthly transit pass | $115 | $20 |
| Taxes | ||
| Income tax (top rate) | 45% | 35% |
| VAT / sales tax | 19% | 16% |
| Social security (employee) | 20% | — |
| Corporate tax | 30% | 30% |
| Capital gains | 26.4% | — |
| Economy & salaries | ||
| Avg net salary | $2,900/mo | $700/mo |
| Minimum wage | $2,200/mo | $420/mo |
| GDP per capita | $60,496 | $13,889 |
| Inflation (annual) | 2.2% | 3.8% |
| Work & digital nomad | ||
| Digital-nomad visa | No | Yes |
| English proficiency | High | Low |
| Coworking spaces | 35 | 70 |
| Time zone | UTC+1 | UTC-6 |
| Quality of life | ||
| Safety index | 66 | 40 |
| Healthcare index | 84 | 68 |
| Pollution index | 40 | 75 |
| Internet speed | 150 Mbps | 80 Mbps |
| Walkability | 78 | 68 |
| Public transport | 80 | 70 |
| Family-friendly | 72 | 60 |
| Tap water | Safe to drink | Use caution |
| Health insurance | — | $80/mo |
| Life expectancy | 81 yr | 75 yr |
| LGBTQ+ acceptance | High | Moderate |
| Climate | ||
| January avg | +3 °C | +14 °C |
| July avg | +19 °C | +17 °C |
| Sunny days / year | 105 | 240 |
| Rainfall / year | 800 mm | 850 mm |
| Connectivity | ||
| Flight to nearest hub | 1 h | 1 h |
Taxes & Economy & salaries: Germany vs Mexico. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.
Good to know before you move to Cologne
An easy-going media and culture city on the Rhine, crowned by its Gothic cathedral and famous for carnival and a warm, open crowd. More affordable and less corporate than Munich or Frankfurt, with a lively creative and startup scene.
- Currency
- Euro (€ EUR)
- Languages
- German
- Time zone
- UTC+1
- Internet
- 150 Mbps
- English
- Widely spoken
- Safety
- 66/100
- Climate
- ❄ 3°C · ☀ 19°C · 105 sunny days/yr
- Tap water
- Safe to drink
- Power
- F · 230V
- Driving
- Right-hand side
- Popular areas
- Ehrenfeld · Belgisches Viertel · Südstadt · Nippes
Good to know before you move to Mexico City
A vast, vibrant capital with a perfect spring-like climate — a top nomad pick, though air and traffic bite.
- Currency
- Mexican peso ($ MXN)
- Languages
- Spanish
- Time zone
- UTC-6
- Internet
- 80 Mbps
- English
- Rarely spoken
- Safety
- 40/100
- Climate
- ❄ 14°C · ☀ 17°C · 240 sunny days/yr
- Tap water
- Bottled recommended
- Power
- A/B · 127V
- Driving
- Right-hand side
- Popular areas
- Roma · Condesa · Polanco
Plan your move to Cologne
Everything you will book for the move — sorted, and updated as we add partners.
- FlightsCheapvuelos
- FlightsAviasales
- HotelsNH Hotels
- Car rentalEconomybookings
- Airport transferKiwitaxi
- Tours & ticketsKlook
- Tours & ticketsTiqets
- InsuranceSafetyWing
- eSIM / dataAiralo
- Luggage storageRadical Storage
- Flight compensationAirHelp
Sponsored
Plan your move to Mexico City
Everything you will book for the move — sorted, and updated as we add partners.
- FlightsCheapvuelos
- FlightsAviasales
- HotelsNH Hotels
- Car rentalLocalrent
- Airport transferKiwitaxi
- Tours & ticketsKlook
- InsuranceSafetyWing
- eSIM / dataAiralo
- Luggage storageRadical Storage
Sponsored
? Frequently asked questions
Moving from Cologne to Mexico City: cheaper or more expensive?
Moving from Cologne to Mexico City, your cost of living will be roughly 39% cheaper. Mexico City’s cost-of-living index is 64 versus 106 for Cologne (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.
Is Cologne cheaper than Mexico City?
Mexico City is about 39% cheaper than Cologne overall — its cost-of-living index is 64 versus 106 for Cologne.
How much do you need to earn in Mexico City to live like in Cologne?
To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Cologne is worth about $45,756 in Mexico City. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.
Which has lower taxes, Cologne or Mexico City?
Mexico has the lower top income-tax rate — 35% versus 45% in Germany.
◷ More comparisons from Cologne
Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.