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: $1,656 in Mexico City versus $1,756 in Portsmouth, OH.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,619 in Mexico City versus $2,470 in Portsmouth, OH.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,581 in Mexico City versus $3,185 in Portsmouth, OH.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 6% less than in Portsmouth, OH, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 22% above, Portsmouth, OH 29% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$14.55 $14.55

-18.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.4 MX$901

$40.58 $40.58

29.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.58 MX$182

$7.96 $7.96

32.91%

Cappuccino

$3.90 MX$67.0

$4.10 $4.10

-4.88%

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

$1.69 MX$29.01

$2.15 $2.15

-21.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 MX$22.77

$1.65 $1.65

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.29 MX$56.5

$8.98 $8.98

-63.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.63 MX$96.8

$12.10 $12.10

-53.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 MX$30.63

$0.80 $0.80

122.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 MX$53.5

$2.76 $2.76

12.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.40

$3.87 $3.87

-46.77%

Eggs

$3.02 MX$51.9

$2.27 $2.27

33.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.73 MX$219

$10.95 $10.95

16.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.86 MX$170

$21.86 $21.86

-54.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.60 MX$268

$9.50 $9.50

64.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.41 MX$58.7

$4.61 $4.61

-26.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.65 $1.65

21.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.92

$6.93 $6.93

-69.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.38 MX$40.85

$5.29 $5.29

-55.01%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 MX$36.31

$2.95 $2.95

-28.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.99

$1.78 $1.78

4.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.64

$1.47 $1.47

5.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.89

$2.75 $2.75

-51.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.35 MX$91.9

$10.57 $10.57

-49.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.21 MX$296

$18.83 $18.83

-8.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 MX$34.72

$1.76 $1.76

14.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.73 MX$81.3

$3.32 $3.32

42.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.32

$2.28 $2.28

-83.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.51 MX$353

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.99 MX$34.28

$3.06 $3.06

-34.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$1.58 $1.58

-65.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 MX$97.1

$28.93 $28.93

-80.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 MX$26.35

$0.75 $0.75

104.00%

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

$22.7K MX$390.8K

$36.5K $36.5K

-37.80%

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

$26.2K MX$450.8K

$25.9K $25.9K

1.36%

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

$65.7 MX$1,129

$201 $201

-67.38%

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

$30.37 MX$522

$50.1 $50.1

-39.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.54 MX$611

$57.5 $57.5

-38.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.0 MX$980

$47.19 $47.19

20.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.18 MX$450

Cinema Ticket

$6.75 MX$116

$13.33 $13.33

-49.36%

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

$449 MX$7,719

$543 $543

-17.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$229.7K

$6,544 $6,544

104.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.5 MX$1,263

$29.66 $29.66

147.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.9 MX$927

$24.78 $24.78

117.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MX$1,909

$56.0 $56.0

98.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,098

$121 $121

1.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 MX$18.7K

$574 $574

89.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 MX$12.1K

$585 $585

19.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,469 MX$42.5K

$769 $769

221.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.3K

$683 $683

89.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,904 MX$67.2K

$2,394 $2,394

63.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,117 MX$36.4K

$2,110 $2,110

0.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,081 MX$18.6K

$1,586 $1,586

-31.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.35

6.15

84.55%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 1, 2026

Last update for Portsmouth, OH: August 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,090 in Mexico City and $574 in Portsmouth, OH. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Portsmouth, OH pays 47% 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 $41.00 in Portsmouth, OH. Groceries flip the comparison at $339 vs $422, 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 6% in total monthly costs ($1,656 vs $1,756 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 47% lower in Portsmouth, OH. 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: $1,090 in Mexico City versus $574 in Portsmouth, OH. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $449 in Mexico City versus $543 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 $41.00 in Portsmouth, OH. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,656 in Mexico City versus $1,756 in Portsmouth, OH, a $3,000 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 6% less than in Portsmouth, OH. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.