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 $1,660 per month in Mexico City vs $406 in Fort Portal, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,565 per month in Mexico City vs $635 in Fort Portal, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,470 per month in Mexico City vs $864 in Fort Portal, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 309% more than Fort Portal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 21% above the global median, while Fort Portal is 70% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$2.67 UGX 10.5K

346.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$889

$26.03 UGX 102.5K

98.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$7.81 UGX 30.7K

46.09%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.8

$2.64 UGX 10.4K

51.14%

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

$1.66 MX$28.57

$0.39 UGX 1,538

325.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.84

$0.28 UGX 1,098

375.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.8

$1.33 UGX 5,251

160.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$1.87 UGX 7,346

215.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.31

$0.31 UGX 1,208

506.45%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.0

$0.76 UGX 2,990

327.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.21

$1.08 UGX 4,253

100.00%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.87

$1.28 UGX 5,043

126.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$4.66 UGX 18.4K

175.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$5.05 UGX 19.9K

99.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$3.39 UGX 13.4K

367.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.7

$2.16 UGX 8,520

52.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.55

$0.76 UGX 2,998

164.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.39 UGX 5,485

58.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.57

$1.28 UGX 5,043

84.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.38

$1.32 UGX 5,190

55.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.75

$0.68 UGX 2,686

179.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.64

$0.84 UGX 3,308

91.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.05

$0.51 UGX 2,027

174.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.1

$2.63 UGX 10.4K

107.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$5.45 UGX 21.5K

223.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.39

$0.77 UGX 3,052

167.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.7

$1.04 UGX 4,097

350.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$358

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.11

$0.56 UGX 2,187

275.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.63

$0.34 UGX 1,341

64.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$3.23 UGX 12.7K

79.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.35 UGX 5,325

19.26%

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

$22.8K MX$393.3K

$7,827 UGX 30.8M

191.84%

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

$26.8K MX$460.6K

$8,091 UGX 31.9M

230.65%

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

$65.2 MX$1,122

$75.9 UGX 298.9K

-14.11%

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

$30.09 MX$518

$12.40 UGX 48.8K

142.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$640

$37.36 UGX 147.1K

-0.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,029

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$457

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$8.10 UGX 31.9K

-13.09%

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

$465 MX$8,001

$263 UGX 1.0M

76.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.6K

$8,692 UGX 34.2M

52.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,307

$15.15 UGX 59.6K

400.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$963

$14.11 UGX 55.6K

296.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,926

$34.19 UGX 134.6K

227.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,075

$46.35 UGX 182.5K

159.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

20.75

-45.54%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Fort Portal: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Mexico City versus $26.00 in Fort Portal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $129 – 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 309% 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 $2,489 per month in Mexico City and $609 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 $52.0 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 168% 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 $406, than in Mexico City at $1,660. 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 $406 versus $1,660 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.