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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,448 in Mexico City versus $2,478 in Portsmouth, OH.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,354 in Mexico City versus $3,471 in Portsmouth, OH.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,260 in Mexico City versus $4,464 in Portsmouth, OH.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 42% less than in Portsmouth, OH, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 9% above, Portsmouth, OH 86% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.96 MX$223

$13.07 $13.07

-0.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.3 MX$900

$32.77 $32.77

59.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.69 MX$167

$6.41 $6.41

51.17%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$64.6

$4.08 $4.08

-8.09%

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

$1.56 MX$26.91

$1.95 $1.95

-20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$19.93

$1.70 $1.70

-31.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 MX$55.8

$9.07 $9.07

-64.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 MX$84.3

$11.83 $11.83

-58.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.29

$0.73 $0.73

132.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 MX$45.90

$2.37 $2.37

12.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.49

$3.75 $3.75

-49.60%

Eggs

$2.52 MX$43.37

$2.27 $2.27

11.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 MX$172

$10.78 $10.78

-7.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.53 MX$147

$18.82 $18.82

-54.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$205

$8.15 $8.15

46.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.1

$4.91 $4.91

-39.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 MX$30.88

$1.56 $1.56

14.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.40

$5.69 $5.69

-64.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.74

$5.26 $5.26

-62.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.21

$2.85 $2.85

-24.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.04

$1.71 $1.71

32.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.14

$1.48 $1.48

-5.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.18

$2.68 $2.68

-58.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$72.2

$9.47 $9.47

-55.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.54 MX$285

$19.05 $19.05

-13.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.94

$1.76 $1.76

-4.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 MX$61.8

$4.91 $4.91

-26.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.65

$1.96 $1.96

-80.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.19 MX$330

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.77

$3.40 $3.40

-59.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.19

$1.37 $1.37

-78.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.7

$29.21 $29.21

-81.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 MX$22.13

$0.81 $0.81

59.26%

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

$18.9K MX$325.1K

$29.3K $29.3K

-35.43%

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

$23.8K MX$409.5K

$25.4K $25.4K

-6.33%

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

$39.86 MX$686

$202 $202

-80.22%

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

$27.83 MX$479

$36.04 $36.04

-22.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.77 MX$512

$63.7 $63.7

-53.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$894

$42.45 $42.45

22.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.22 MX$451

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$108

$13.15 $13.15

-52.32%

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

$433 MX$7,443

$549 $549

-21.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$181.3K

$4,940 $4,940

113.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 MX$981

$29.83 $29.83

91.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.33 MX$780

$25.23 $25.23

79.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 MX$1,753

$56.0 $56.0

81.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,867

$44.16 $44.16

145.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 MX$17.1K

$1,634 $1,634

-39.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 MX$10.6K

$1,378 $1,378

-55.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,086 MX$35.9K

$2,669 $2,669

-21.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 MX$21.6K

$2,233 $2,233

-43.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,936 MX$67.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,089 MX$35.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,131 MX$19.5K

$1,586 $1,586

-28.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

6.54

73.39%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 14, 2026

Last update for Portsmouth, OH: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $994 in Mexico City and $1,634 in Portsmouth, OH. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Portsmouth, OH pays 40% 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 $33.00 in Portsmouth, OH. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $396, with Mexico City 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, OH: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Portsmouth, OH differ by about 71% in total monthly costs ($1,448 vs $2,478 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Portsmouth, OH earns 40% 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: $994 in Mexico City versus $1,634 in Portsmouth, OH. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $433 in Mexico City versus $549 in Portsmouth, OH. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $52.0 versus $33.00 in Portsmouth, OH. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,448 in Mexico City versus $2,478 in Portsmouth, OH, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Portsmouth, OH. 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.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 71% less than in Portsmouth, OH. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.