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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $802 in Portoviejo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $1,361 in Portoviejo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $1,919 in Portoviejo.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 109% more expensive than in Portoviejo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 22% above, Portoviejo is 42% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$3.90 $3.90

211.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$52.9 $52.9

1.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$8.75 $8.75

26.74%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$2.78 $2.78

47.48%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$0.84 $0.84

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$0.65 $0.65

113.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$2.92 $2.92

14.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$4.48 $4.48

31.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$1.21 $1.21

52.89%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$1.93 $1.93

64.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$1.45 $1.45

42.76%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$2.14 $2.14

36.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$6.85 $6.85

83.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$5.11 $5.11

97.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$9.34 $9.34

72.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$1.48 $1.48

129.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$1.15 $1.15

80.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$1.01 $1.01

109.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$0.97 $0.97

148.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$1.22 $1.22

74.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$0.93 $0.93

116.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$0.87 $0.87

78.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$1.02 $1.02

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$6.02 $6.02

-4.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$12.09 $12.09

46.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$1.49 $1.49

38.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$2.13 $2.13

116.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$0.34 $0.34

8.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

$20.83 $20.83

1.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$1.22 $1.22

68.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$1.77 $1.77

-67.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$12.09 $12.09

-49.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$0.83 $0.83

86.75%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$20.8K $20.8K

10.02%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$31.2K $31.2K

-12.65%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$35.97 $35.97

87.41%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$14.72 $14.72

108.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$25.18 $25.18

47.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

$29.94 $29.94

105.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

$16.42 $16.42

65.16%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$7.51 $7.51

-5.33%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$397 $397

15.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$6,140 $6,140

123.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$66.3 $66.3

11.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$40.73 $40.73

39.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$125 $125

-7.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$93.7 $93.7

29.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$295 $295

288.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$189 $189

274.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$685 $685

276.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$411 $411

215.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

$1,194 $1,194

235.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

$791 $791

169.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$322 $322

235.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

10.05

12.44%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Portoviejo: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,148 in Mexico City and $295 in Portoviejo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 236% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $53.0 in Portoviejo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $200 per month, with Portoviejo 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

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

Mexico City and Portoviejo differ by about 109% in total monthly costs ($1,677 vs $802 including rent). Portoviejo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 236% higher in Mexico City, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,148 in Mexico City versus $295 in Portoviejo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Portoviejo runs roughly 2% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $456 in Mexico City versus $397 in Portoviejo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $802 in Portoviejo versus $1,677 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Portoviejo but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Portoviejo 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.

Expats usually find Portoviejo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 109% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.