Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Fort Portal Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Fort Portal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,456 per month in Mexico City vs $399 in Fort Portal, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,361 per month in Mexico City vs $655 in Fort Portal, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,266 per month in Mexico City vs $911 in Fort Portal, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 265% more than Fort Portal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 9% above the global median, while Fort Portal is 70% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$2.80 UGX 10.4K

366.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$26.45 UGX 97.8K

103.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$8.81 UGX 32.6K

9.88%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$2.81 UGX 10.4K

33.10%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$0.51 UGX 1,893

217.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.31 UGX 1,162

274.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$1.42 UGX 5,248

127.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

$2.80 UGX 10.4K

69.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$0.32 UGX 1,181

415.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$0.87 UGX 3,208

216.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$1.10 UGX 4,064

70.00%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$1.36 UGX 5,027

83.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$4.33 UGX 16.0K

135.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$5.03 UGX 18.6K

64.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$3.57 UGX 13.2K

231.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$2.81 UGX 10.4K

7.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$0.85 UGX 3,139

112.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$1.69 UGX 6,241

18.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$1.40 UGX 5,185

42.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$1.58 UGX 5,856

31.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$0.67 UGX 2,480

238.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$1.05 UGX 3,900

39.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$0.57 UGX 2,111

89.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$3.00 UGX 11.1K

45.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$5.36 UGX 19.8K

216.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

$0.85 UGX 3,141

103.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

$1.10 UGX 4,057

225.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$0.58 UGX 2,143

129.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$0.26 UGX 952

7.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$4.10 UGX 15.2K

28.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$1.42 UGX 5,258

-5.63%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$9,203 UGX 34.0M

110.91%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$8,770 UGX 32.4M

171.74%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$41.59 UGX 153.8K

-2.16%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$14.20 UGX 52.5K

89.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$44.14 UGX 163.3K

-30.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$6.36 UGX 23.5K

2.36%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$163 UGX 604.2K

162.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$4,359 UGX 16.1M

140.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$16.85 UGX 62.3K

239.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$14.33 UGX 53.0K

217.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$39.13 UGX 144.7K

165.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$47.79 UGX 176.8K

125.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

20.8

-45.48%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Fort Portal: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City versus $26.00 in Fort Portal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $138 – making Fort Portal the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Mexico City vs Fort Portal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City costs about 265% more than Fort Portal, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,185 per month in Mexico City and $599 in Fort Portal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City and $26.00 in Fort Portal. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 112% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Fort Portal, where all-in costs run around $399, than in Mexico City at $1,456. In Fort Portal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Fort Portal costs $399 versus $1,456 in Mexico City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Fort Portal. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.