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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,613 in Port of Spain versus $1,646 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,727 in Port of Spain versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,841 in Port of Spain versus $3,580 in Mexico City.

Living in Port of Spain costs roughly 2% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Port of Spain 17% above, Mexico City 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.54 TTD 70.1

$12.11 MX$205

-12.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.5 TTD 602

$52.2 MX$883

73.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.75 TTD 58.2

$10.90 MX$184

-19.72%

Cappuccino

$3.80 TTD 25.29

$4.05 MX$68.5

-6.17%

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

$1.05 TTD 6.99

$1.72 MX$29.00

-38.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 TTD 4.71

$1.38 MX$23.29

-48.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 TTD 15.15

$3.47 MX$58.6

-34.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 TTD 24.51

$5.81 MX$98.2

-36.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.44 TTD 16.27

$1.85 MX$31.33

31.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.51 TTD 16.72

$3.22 MX$54.5

-22.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.88 TTD 19.15

$2.09 MX$35.25

37.80%

Eggs

$4.53 TTD 30.15

$2.91 MX$49.18

55.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.85 TTD 45.56

$12.49 MX$211

-45.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 TTD 67.4

$10.11 MX$171

0.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.83 TTD 78.7

$15.89 MX$269

-25.55%

Apples (1kg)

$5.61 TTD 37.33

$3.31 MX$56.0

69.49%

Banana (1kg)

$3.02 TTD 20.11

$2.13 MX$35.95

41.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.79 TTD 25.24

$2.19 MX$37.03

73.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.27 TTD 28.41

$2.45 MX$41.37

74.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 TTD 14.31

$2.19 MX$37.00

-1.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 TTD 12.94

$1.90 MX$32.20

2.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 TTD 12.27

$1.62 MX$27.31

13.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 TTD 9.42

$1.35 MX$22.82

5.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.06 TTD 40.30

$5.43 MX$91.7

11.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.94 TTD 126

$17.59 MX$297

7.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 TTD 14.90

$2.07 MX$34.96

8.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 TTD 19.79

$4.75 MX$80.2

-37.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 TTD 7.77

$0.34 MX$5.75

244.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$136 TTD 902

$21.58 MX$365

528.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 TTD 6.82

$2.04 MX$34.49

-49.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 TTD 8.23

$0.58 MX$9.77

113.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.97 TTD 99.6

$5.97 MX$101

150.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 TTD 7.79

$1.62 MX$27.31

-27.78%

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

$37.4K TTD 248.8K

$22.8K MX$385.6K

63.94%

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

$41.7K TTD 277.6K

$26.7K MX$450.7K

56.44%

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

$91.5 TTD 609

$65.2 MX$1,103

40.28%

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

$52.4 TTD 349

$29.87 MX$505

75.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.5 TTD 382

$36.55 MX$618

57.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 TTD 380

$61.0 MX$1,031

-6.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.12 TTD 87.3

$26.70 MX$451

-50.86%

Cinema Ticket

$8.72 TTD 58.0

$6.85 MX$116

27.30%

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

$399 TTD 2,655

$453 MX$7,664

-12.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K TTD 73.8K

$13.4K MX$226.0K

-17.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 TTD 364

$75.0 MX$1,267

-26.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.9 TTD 352

$55.3 MX$935

-4.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$147 TTD 981

$114 MX$1,920

29.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 TTD 685

$123 MX$2,073

-16.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 TTD 6,841

$1,134 MX$19.2K

-9.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$518 TTD 3,449

$712 MX$12.0K

-27.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,187 TTD 14.6K

$2,571 MX$43.5K

-14.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 TTD 7,949

$1,311 MX$22.2K

-8.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,371 TTD 29.1K

$3,993 MX$67.5K

9.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,974 TTD 13.1K

$2,095 MX$35.4K

-5.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$776 TTD 5,165

$1,047 MX$17.7K

-25.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.75

11.3

-49.12%

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

Last update for Port of Spain: September 1, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,028 in Port of Spain and $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 35% 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: $90.0 in Port of Spain vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $358 vs $345 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 of Spain vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Port of Spain and Mexico City differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($1,613 vs $1,646 including rent). Port of Spain is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 35% lower in Mexico City. 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: $1,028 in Port of Spain versus $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Port of Spain runs roughly 528% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $399 in Port of Spain versus $453 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,613 in Port of Spain versus $1,646 in Mexico City, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Port of Spain but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Port of Spain 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 of Spain gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.