Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Douglas and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Douglas and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,679 in Port Douglas versus $1,668 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,846 in Port Douglas versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,012 in Port Douglas versus $3,557 in Mexico City.

Living in Port Douglas is roughly 61% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Port Douglas 99% above, Mexico City 24% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.01 A$25.63

$12.03 MX$213

49.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.0 A$141

$52.8 MX$934

87.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.72 A$18.10

$11.69 MX$207

8.81%

Cappuccino

$4.50 A$6.41

$3.87 MX$68.4

16.28%

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

$3.36 A$4.78

$1.75 MX$30.94

92.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 A$4.05

$1.39 MX$24.65

104.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.99 A$9.94

$3.36 MX$59.4

108.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.40 A$11.95

$5.77 MX$102

45.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 A$2.80

$1.81 MX$31.92

8.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 A$4.06

$3.08 MX$54.5

-7.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.61 A$3.71

$2.13 MX$37.65

22.54%

Eggs

$5.31 A$7.56

$2.98 MX$52.6

78.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.32 A$13.26

$12.53 MX$221

-25.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.24 A$20.26

$10.24 MX$181

39.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.43 A$21.97

$15.92 MX$281

-3.08%

Apples (1kg)

$4.15 A$5.90

$3.39 MX$59.8

22.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.92 A$4.16

$2.11 MX$37.24

38.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.60 A$5.12

$2.13 MX$37.59

69.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.99 A$8.53

$2.47 MX$43.61

142.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 A$3.58

$2.04 MX$36.03

23.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 A$3.61

$2.01 MX$35.59

25.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.91 A$4.14

$1.59 MX$28.15

83.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 A$3.76

$1.33 MX$23.50

98.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$44.85 A$63.8

$5.49 MX$97.0

716.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.43 A$20.54

$17.52 MX$310

-17.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.57 A$5.08

$2.01 MX$35.61

77.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.36 A$7.64

$4.74 MX$83.8

13.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.21 A$4.56

$0.34 MX$5.94

844.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.3 A$123

$21.07 MX$373

309.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 A$3.80

$2.05 MX$36.28

30.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 A$2.88

$0.61 MX$10.75

232.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.67 A$60.7

$5.70 MX$101

648.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 A$1.76

$1.59 MX$28.09

-22.01%

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

$32.3K A$46.0K

$22.9K MX$404.6K

41.04%

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

$42.6K A$60.6K

$26.4K MX$466.2K

61.35%

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

$164 A$233

$64.2 MX$1,135

155.31%

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

$35.88 A$51.1

$29.42 MX$520

21.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.3 A$95.7

$36.83 MX$651

82.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.5 A$80.4

$58.7 MX$1,038

-3.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 A$26.50

$26.54 MX$469

-29.84%

Cinema Ticket

$14.54 A$20.69

$6.95 MX$123

109.21%

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

$2,117 A$3,013

$463 MX$8,180

357.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K A$20.5K

$13.4K MX$236.2K

7.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.9 A$132

$75.4 MX$1,333

23.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$74.8 A$106

$54.2 MX$958

37.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 A$183

$111 MX$1,965

15.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 A$189

$122 MX$2,160

8.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,423 A$2,025

$1,133 MX$20.0K

25.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,267 A$1,804

$698 MX$12.3K

81.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,228 A$3,171

$2,442 MX$43.2K

-8.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,819 A$2,588

$1,303 MX$23.0K

39.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,262 A$8,913

$3,910 MX$69.1K

60.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,109 A$7,272

$2,069 MX$36.6K

146.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.32

11.3

-44.07%

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

Last update for Port Douglas: September 20, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,423 in Port Douglas and $1,133 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $99.0 in Port Douglas vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $421 vs $343 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 Douglas vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Port Douglas and Mexico City differ by about 61% in total monthly costs ($2,679 vs $1,668 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $4,018 in Port Douglas and $2,502 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: $1,423 in Port Douglas versus $1,133 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 309% less than in Port Douglas. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,117 in Port Douglas versus $463 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,668 in Mexico City versus $2,679 in Port Douglas, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Port Douglas. 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, Port Douglas and Mexico City 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 61% less than in Port Douglas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.