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: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $910 in Portoviejo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $1,434 in Portoviejo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $1,959 in Portoviejo.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 61% more expensive than Portoviejo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Portoviejo is 32% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$3.52 $3.52

274.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$46.93 $46.93

14.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$8.23 $8.23

14.46%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$2.54 $2.54

39.76%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$0.90 $0.90

80.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.62 $0.62

79.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$3.02 $3.02

3.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$4.63 $4.63

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$1.08 $1.08

57.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$1.77 $1.77

53.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$1.76 $1.76

8.52%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$2.51 $2.51

1.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$6.04 $6.04

66.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$5.16 $5.16

56.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$6.16 $6.16

88.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$2.04 $2.04

45.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$1.09 $1.09

66.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$1.10 $1.10

82.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$1.04 $1.04

95.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$1.87 $1.87

13.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$1.47 $1.47

54.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$0.74 $0.74

89.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$1.02 $1.02

10.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$5.89 $5.89

-27.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$12.04 $12.04

29.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$1.61 $1.61

9.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$2.18 $2.18

65.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.36 $0.36

5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$24.34 $24.34

-21.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$2.72 $2.72

-49.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$0.99 $0.99

-71.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$10.03 $10.03

-45.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$0.67 $0.67

94.03%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$25.0K $25.0K

-25.11%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$29.0K $29.0K

-20.33%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$37.34 $37.34

9.43%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$13.72 $13.72

95.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$31.97 $31.97

-6.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$30.24 $30.24

72.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$14.46 $14.46

85.62%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$7.80 $7.80

-19.23%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$314 $314

39.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$5,786 $5,786

80.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$52.6 $52.6

7.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$43.03 $43.03

3.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$103 $103

0.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$110 $110

-3.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$343 $343

198.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$319 $319

97.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$630 $630

238.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$501 $501

147.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$1,206 $1,206

223.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$794 $794

160.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$329 $329

238.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

9.35

21.28%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Portoviejo: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $343 in Portoviejo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 239% 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 $47.00 in Portoviejo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $195 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 61% in total monthly costs ($1,467 vs $910 including rent). Portoviejo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 239% more on average, 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: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $343 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 27% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $314 in Portoviejo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $910 in Portoviejo versus $1,467 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 61% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.