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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $2,975 in Portsmouth, NH.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $4,151 in Portsmouth, NH.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $5,327 in Portsmouth, NH.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 50% less than in Portsmouth, NH, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 11% above, Portsmouth, NH 122% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$226

$18.75 $18.75

-30.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$923

$102 $102

-47.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$169

$9.19 $9.19

5.77%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.2

$4.60 $4.60

-18.48%

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

$1.57 MX$27.30

$2.71 $2.71

-42.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.64

$1.96 $1.96

-42.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.3

$5.90 $5.90

-46.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.1

$7.40 $7.40

-37.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.21

$1.03 $1.03

57.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.09

$3.34 $3.34

-18.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.70

$3.14 $3.14

-40.13%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.65

$2.83 $2.83

-11.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$175

$10.87 $10.87

-7.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$9.61 $9.61

-13.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$208

$16.70 $16.70

-28.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$49.77

$4.90 $4.90

-41.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.45

$2.24 $2.24

-21.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.27

$5.97 $5.97

-65.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.27

$5.92 $5.92

-66.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.58

$4.51 $4.51

-52.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.94

$4.52 $4.52

-51.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.20

$3.07 $3.07

-54.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.57

$2.20 $2.20

-49.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.1

$11.03 $11.03

-61.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$248

$15.28 $15.28

-6.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.68

$1.68 $1.68

4.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.1

$1.96 $1.96

87.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.71

$1.53 $1.53

-74.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$325

$51.5 $51.5

-63.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.12

$3.88 $3.88

-64.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.29

$1.76 $1.76

-82.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.3

$28.97 $28.97

-81.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.50

$0.88 $0.88

53.41%

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

$18.9K MX$328.6K

$29.8K $29.8K

-36.73%

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

$23.2K MX$402.8K

$26.2K $26.2K

-11.61%

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

$40.82 MX$710

$319 $319

-87.22%

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

$27.50 MX$479

$65.1 $65.1

-57.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$529

$65.3 $65.3

-53.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$930

$24.77 $24.77

115.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$109

$12.19 $12.19

-48.56%

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

$436 MX$7,588

$1,481 $1,481

-70.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.1K

$23.4K $23.4K

-55.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$988

$24.70 $24.70

129.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$779

$33.08 $33.08

35.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,789

$66.3 $66.3

55.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$83.0 $83.0

30.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.4K

$2,143 $2,143

-53.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.8K

$1,616 $1,616

-61.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.2K

$4,190 $4,190

-49.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.5K

$2,407 $2,407

-48.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.3K

$2,668 $2,668

44.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.6K

$1,918 $1,918

21.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.6K

$6,068 $6,068

-82.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

6.45

75.81%

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Last update for Portsmouth, NH: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $2,143 in Portsmouth, NH. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Portsmouth, NH pays 469% 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: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $102 in Portsmouth, NH for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $394 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, NH: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Portsmouth, NH differ by about 101% in total monthly costs ($1,484 vs $2,975 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Portsmouth, NH earns 469% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $2,143 in Portsmouth, NH. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 176% less than in Portsmouth, NH. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $1,481 in Portsmouth, NH. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,484 in Mexico City versus $2,975 in Portsmouth, NH, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Portsmouth, NH. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City 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, NH 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 Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 101% less than in Portsmouth, NH. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.