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: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $932 in Portsmouth.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,647 in Portsmouth.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $2,362 in Portsmouth.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 78% more expensive than in Portsmouth, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Portsmouth is 32% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$204

$5.49 EC$14.81

117.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$885

$54.9 EC$148

-5.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$196

$6.56 EC$17.70

73.93%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.5

$2.61 EC$7.04

52.87%

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

$1.66 MX$28.45

$2.16 EC$5.82

-23.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.74

$1.81 EC$4.88

-26.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.5

$2.53 EC$6.82

37.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$101

$3.76 EC$10.15

56.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.18

$2.75 EC$7.42

-31.64%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$55.8

$2.24 EC$6.04

45.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.05

$2.09 EC$5.63

3.35%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.66

$6.55 EC$17.68

-55.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$220

$2.55 EC$6.89

404.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$172

$5.60 EC$15.13

79.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$272

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.5

$7.30 EC$19.71

-54.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.40

$2.64 EC$7.12

-23.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.71

$4.18 EC$11.30

-47.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.40

$4.03 EC$10.89

-41.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.23

$2.81 EC$7.59

-27.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.60

$2.79 EC$7.55

-31.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.52

$1.87 EC$5.04

-13.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$23.95

$1.87 EC$5.06

-25.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$93.7

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$303

$11.28 EC$30.46

56.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.24

$1.83 EC$4.94

12.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.3

$2.67 EC$7.20

75.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.80

$0.78 EC$2.09

-56.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$357

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$35.95

$3.74 EC$10.11

-43.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.59

$3.66 EC$9.90

-84.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$99.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.53

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

$22.8K MX$391.6K

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

$26.8K MX$458.6K

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

$65.2 MX$1,117

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

$30.09 MX$516

$40.10 EC$108

-24.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$637

$64.0 EC$173

-41.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,024

$36.63 EC$98.9

63.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$455

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$11.29 EC$30.47

-37.64%

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

$465 MX$7,967

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$227.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,301

$56.2 EC$152

35.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$959

$24.41 EC$65.9

129.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,918

$56.1 EC$151

99.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,066

$67.6 EC$183

78.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$18.9K

$255 EC$690

331.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$221 EC$596

226.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.4K

$655 EC$1,769

286.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.2K

$625 EC$1,687

106.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$35.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.8K

$627 EC$1,692

65.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Portsmouth: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $255 in Portsmouth. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 66% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $55.0 in Portsmouth. Groceries flip the comparison at $345 vs $290, with Portsmouth cheaper for home cooking.

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 78% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $932 including rent). Portsmouth is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 66% 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: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $255 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 $55.0 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,660 per month in Mexico City versus $932 in Portsmouth – a 78% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $932 in Portsmouth versus $1,660 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 78% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.