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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,167 in Port Elizabeth versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,849 in Port Elizabeth versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,532 in Port Elizabeth versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Port Elizabeth costs roughly 20% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Port Elizabeth is 13% below, Mexico City is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.89 R 146

$13.07 MX$229

-31.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.06 R 724

$53.8 MX$940

-18.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.36 R 88.2

$9.68 MX$169

-44.63%

Cappuccino

$2.14 R 35.22

$3.74 MX$65.4

-42.78%

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

$1.14 R 18.70

$1.62 MX$28.25

-29.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 R 16.38

$1.16 MX$20.31

-13.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 R 42.11

$3.23 MX$56.4

-20.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 R 49.69

$4.74 MX$82.9

-36.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 R 18.40

$1.65 MX$28.80

-32.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 R 15.67

$2.75 MX$48.15

-65.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 R 24.63

$1.87 MX$32.77

-19.79%

Eggs

$2.45 R 40.30

$2.50 MX$43.72

-2.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.79 R 128

$10.20 MX$178

-23.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.74 R 78.0

$8.25 MX$144

-42.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.03 R 132

$11.82 MX$207

-32.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 R 26.89

$3.01 MX$52.6

-45.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 R 23.40

$1.81 MX$31.67

-21.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 R 26.82

$2.00 MX$34.96

-18.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 R 26.72

$2.00 MX$34.89

-18.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 R 25.55

$2.08 MX$36.45

-25.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 R 18.45

$2.27 MX$39.72

-50.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 R 19.29

$1.46 MX$25.47

-19.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 R 16.57

$1.08 MX$18.82

-6.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 R 48.41

$4.35 MX$76.0

-32.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.86 R 79.8

$16.99 MX$297

-71.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 R 18.09

$1.73 MX$30.31

-36.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 R 28.20

$3.58 MX$62.5

-51.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 R 18.61

$0.39 MX$6.77

189.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.27 R 563

$18.69 MX$327

83.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 R 43.87

$1.33 MX$23.18

100.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 R 7.42

$0.28 MX$4.89

60.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.95 R 131

$5.25 MX$91.8

51.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 R 20.83

$1.34 MX$23.37

-5.22%

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

$23.9K R 393.4K

$19.4K MX$339.4K

23.29%

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

$25.8K R 423.5K

$23.8K MX$416.7K

8.11%

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

$114 R 1,879

$40.69 MX$712

180.86%

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

$31.86 R 524

$26.87 MX$470

18.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.72 R 735

$30.51 MX$534

46.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.14 R 479

$52.8 MX$923

-44.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.28 R 350

$26.65 MX$466

-20.15%

Cinema Ticket

$9.73 R 160

$6.51 MX$114

49.46%

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

$168 R 2,763

$428 MX$7,485

-60.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,835 R 79.5K

$10.5K MX$183.6K

-53.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.2 R 1,105

$57.3 MX$1,001

17.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.20 R 612

$45.50 MX$796

-18.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.6 R 1,588

$104 MX$1,819

-7.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.0 R 1,462

$108 MX$1,885

-17.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 R 9,602

$1,003 MX$17.5K

-41.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$438 R 7,192

$623 MX$10.9K

-29.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,097 R 18.0K

$2,109 MX$36.9K

-48.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$870 R 14.3K

$1,218 MX$21.3K

-28.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$772 R 12.7K

$3,885 MX$67.9K

-80.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$525 R 8,636

$2,033 MX$35.5K

-74.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,623 R 26.7K

$1,038 MX$18.1K

56.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.04

11.34

6.17%

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

Last update for Port Elizabeth: July 11, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $584 in Port Elizabeth and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Port Elizabeth pays 56% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $44.00 in Port Elizabeth vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $181 vs $292 per month, with Port Elizabeth 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 Elizabeth vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Port Elizabeth and Mexico City differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($1,167 vs $1,456 including rent). Port Elizabeth is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 56% higher in Port Elizabeth, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $584 in Port Elizabeth 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 Port Elizabeth runs roughly 83% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $168 in Port Elizabeth versus $428 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,167 in Port Elizabeth versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Port Elizabeth but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Port Elizabeth 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 Port Elizabeth gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.