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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $1,144 in Portsmouth.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $1,863 in Portsmouth.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $2,583 in Portsmouth.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 28% more expensive than Portsmouth, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Portsmouth is 15% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$5.51 EC$14.88

139.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$54.4 EC$147

-0.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$6.76 EC$18.26

39.35%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$2.55 EC$6.89

39.22%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$2.21 EC$5.97

-26.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$1.90 EC$5.12

-41.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$2.66 EC$7.19

17.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$3.73 EC$10.07

24.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$2.84 EC$7.67

-40.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$2.17 EC$5.86

25.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$2.07 EC$5.59

-7.73%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$6.56 EC$17.72

-61.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$2.63 EC$7.10

281.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$5.44 EC$14.69

48.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$7.58 EC$20.46

-60.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$2.56 EC$6.92

-29.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$4.17 EC$11.26

-51.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$4.12 EC$11.12

-50.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$2.93 EC$7.91

-27.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$2.80 EC$7.55

-18.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$1.88 EC$5.07

-25.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$1.90 EC$5.12

-40.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$11.12 EC$30.01

39.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$1.82 EC$4.93

-3.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$2.57 EC$6.95

40.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.77 EC$2.09

-50.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$3.80 EC$10.25

-63.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$3.61 EC$9.75

-92.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

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

$40.86 MX$707

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

$26.81 MX$464

$40.26 EC$109

-33.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$65.4 EC$176

-54.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$37.58 EC$101

38.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$11.13 EC$30.06

-43.40%

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

$436 MX$7,544

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$55.9 EC$151

1.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$23.61 EC$63.8

87.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$55.9 EC$151

84.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$66.7 EC$180

58.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$478 EC$1,292

113.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$449 EC$1,213

40.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$1,006 EC$2,717

112.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$841 EC$2,272

47.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$621 EC$1,675

79.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Portsmouth: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $478 in Portsmouth. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 80% 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 $54.0 in Portsmouth for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $291 per month, with Mexico City 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 Portsmouth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Portsmouth differ by about 28% in total monthly costs ($1,467 vs $1,144 including rent). Portsmouth is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 80% 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 $478 in Portsmouth. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Portsmouth – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,467 per month in Mexico City versus $1,144 in Portsmouth – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,144 in Portsmouth versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Portsmouth but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Portsmouth 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.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Portsmouth are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Portsmouth gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.