Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Arthur, TX and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Arthur, TX and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,597 in Port Arthur, TX versus $1,472 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,754 in Port Arthur, TX versus $2,359 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,911 in Port Arthur, TX versus $3,245 in Mexico City.

Living in Port Arthur, TX is roughly 76% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Port Arthur, TX 95% above, Mexico City 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.98 $18.98

$13.14 MX$229

44.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.0 $76.0

$53.5 MX$934

42.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.12 $11.12

$9.33 MX$163

19.19%

Cappuccino

$5.19 $5.19

$3.70 MX$64.5

40.27%

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

$2.59 $2.59

$1.60 MX$27.98

61.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.12 MX$19.49

81.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.97 $5.97

$3.14 MX$54.7

90.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.88 $6.88

$4.85 MX$84.5

41.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.65 MX$28.84

-36.97%

White Bread (500g)

$3.48 $3.48

$2.71 MX$47.34

28.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.42 $4.42

$1.91 MX$33.29

131.41%

Eggs

$4.13 $4.13

$2.59 MX$45.17

59.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.24 $12.24

$9.81 MX$171

24.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.60 $11.60

$8.43 MX$147

37.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.72 $15.72

$11.93 MX$208

31.77%

Apples (1kg)

$4.75 $4.75

$2.95 MX$51.5

61.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.74 MX$30.35

-9.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.21 $4.21

$2.04 MX$35.66

106.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 $4.72

$2.06 MX$35.93

129.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.90 $2.90

$2.15 MX$37.49

34.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.85 $2.85

$2.26 MX$39.33

26.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.39 MX$24.17

43.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.12 MX$19.47

89.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.33 $9.33

$4.22 MX$73.6

121.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.24 $14.24

$17.51 MX$305

-18.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.71 MX$29.82

3.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 $3.28

$3.63 MX$63.4

-9.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.35 MX$6.15

460.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$337

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 $3.49

$1.38 MX$24.00

152.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$0.28 MX$4.81

492.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.82 $28.82

$5.28 MX$92.0

445.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.36 MX$23.69

-33.09%

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

$29.4K $29.4K

$19.1K MX$333.2K

53.77%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$23.6K MX$411.7K

9.74%

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

$184 $184

$40.53 MX$707

354.21%

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

$51.9 $51.9

$27.38 MX$478

89.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.0 $67.0

$30.38 MX$530

120.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.53 $43.53

$52.2 MX$911

-16.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$462

Cinema Ticket

$13.62 $13.62

$6.19 MX$108

120.03%

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

$1,303 $1,303

$425 MX$7,414

206.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K $23.7K

$10.7K MX$187.2K

120.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.97 $49.97

$58.3 MX$1,017

-14.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.43 $40.43

$44.57 MX$777

-9.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.7 $86.7

$103 MX$1,805

-16.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 $111

$109 MX$1,897

2.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,576 $1,576

$1,014 MX$17.7K

55.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,375 $1,375

$623 MX$10.9K

120.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,675 $2,675

$2,119 MX$37.0K

26.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,256 $2,256

$1,223 MX$21.3K

84.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,720 $2,720

$3,792 MX$66.1K

-28.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,460 $2,460

$2,110 MX$36.8K

16.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

11.34

-42.59%

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

Last update for Port Arthur, TX: July 27, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,576 in Port Arthur, TX and $1,014 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $76.0 in Port Arthur, TX vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $387 vs $293 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

Port Arthur, TX vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Port Arthur, TX and Mexico City differ by about 76% in total monthly costs ($2,597 vs $1,472 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,895 in Port Arthur, TX and $2,208 in Mexico City to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,576 in Port Arthur, TX versus $1,014 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,303 in Port Arthur, TX versus $425 in Mexico City. 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 $54.0 versus $76.0 in Port Arthur, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,472 in Mexico City versus $2,597 in Port Arthur, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Port Arthur, TX. 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 76% less than in Port Arthur, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.