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: $2,223 in Port Douglas versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,290 in Port Douglas versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,357 in Port Douglas versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Port Douglas is roughly 53% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Port Douglas 66% above, Mexico City 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.77 A$16.87

$13.07 MX$229

-9.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.1 A$115

$53.8 MX$943

49.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.53 A$15.09

$9.68 MX$170

8.78%

Cappuccino

$3.80 A$5.44

$3.74 MX$65.6

1.60%

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

$2.75 A$3.94

$1.62 MX$28.34

69.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 A$3.18

$1.16 MX$20.37

91.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.52 A$9.35

$3.23 MX$56.6

101.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 A$10.29

$4.74 MX$83.1

51.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 A$2.49

$1.65 MX$28.89

5.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 A$3.42

$2.75 MX$48.30

-13.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.73 A$3.91

$1.87 MX$32.87

45.99%

Eggs

$3.90 A$5.58

$2.50 MX$43.86

56.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 A$11.53

$10.20 MX$179

-21.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.21 A$13.20

$8.25 MX$145

11.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.49 A$17.89

$11.82 MX$207

5.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 A$4.28

$3.01 MX$52.8

-1.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 A$3.17

$1.81 MX$31.77

22.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.66 A$3.81

$2.00 MX$35.07

33.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.28 A$10.43

$2.00 MX$35.00

264.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.22 A$3.18

$2.08 MX$36.56

6.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 A$3.29

$2.27 MX$39.85

1.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 A$3.35

$1.46 MX$25.55

60.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 A$4.15

$1.08 MX$18.88

167.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$28.85 A$41.33

$4.35 MX$76.3

563.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.82 A$18.37

$16.99 MX$298

-24.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.28 A$4.71

$1.73 MX$30.40

89.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 A$5.25

$3.58 MX$62.7

2.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.57 A$3.69

$0.39 MX$6.79

558.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.9 A$93.0

$18.69 MX$328

247.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.55 A$9.38

$1.33 MX$23.25

392.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 A$2.29

$0.28 MX$4.91

471.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.95 A$47.21

$5.25 MX$92.1

527.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 A$1.65

$1.34 MX$23.44

-14.18%

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

$23.2K A$33.2K

$19.4K MX$340.5K

19.29%

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

$19.1K A$27.4K

$23.8K MX$418.0K

-19.75%

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

$154 A$220

$40.69 MX$714

277.37%

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

$36.26 A$51.9

$26.87 MX$471

34.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.1 A$84.7

$30.51 MX$535

93.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.90 A$70.1

$52.8 MX$926

-7.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.63 A$22.40

$26.65 MX$467

-41.35%

Cinema Ticket

$12.76 A$18.28

$6.51 MX$114

96.01%

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

$1,638 A$2,346

$428 MX$7,508

282.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K A$17.5K

$10.5K MX$184.2K

16.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.1 A$122

$57.3 MX$1,004

48.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.82 A$68.5

$45.50 MX$798

5.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 A$143

$104 MX$1,825

-3.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 A$193

$108 MX$1,891

25.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 A$1,787

$1,003 MX$17.6K

24.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,074 A$1,539

$623 MX$10.9K

72.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 A$2,841

$2,109 MX$37.0K

-5.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,670 A$2,393

$1,218 MX$21.4K

37.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,596 A$8,017

$3,885 MX$68.1K

44.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,094 A$7,299

$2,033 MX$35.7K

150.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.96

11.34

-38.62%

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

Last update for Port Douglas: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,247 in Port Douglas and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $80.0 in Port Douglas vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $355 vs $292 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 53% in total monthly costs ($2,223 vs $1,456 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,335 in Port Douglas and $2,185 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: $1,247 in Port Douglas versus $1,003 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 247% less than in Port Douglas. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,638 in Port Douglas versus $428 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,456 in Mexico City versus $2,223 in Port Douglas, a $2,000 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 53% less than in Port Douglas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.