Cost of Living Comparison Between Portland, OR and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Portland, OR and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,928 in Portland, OR versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,420 in Portland, OR versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,912 in Portland, OR versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Portland, OR is roughly 100% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Portland, OR 118% above, Mexico City 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.23 $20.23

$13.18 MX$228

53.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.1 $90.1

$53.9 MX$934

67.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.24 $12.24

$9.42 MX$163

29.94%

Cappuccino

$4.76 $4.76

$3.55 MX$61.5

34.08%

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

$2.55 $2.55

$1.62 MX$28.03

57.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.11 MX$19.31

71.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.84 $6.84

$3.12 MX$54.1

119.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 $5.90

$4.63 MX$80.2

27.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.70 MX$29.48

-37.65%

White Bread (500g)

$4.16 $4.16

$2.72 MX$47.10

52.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$1.91 MX$33.13

128.80%

Eggs

$4.52 $4.52

$2.54 MX$43.94

77.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.41 $15.41

$10.03 MX$174

53.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.37 $11.37

$8.09 MX$140

40.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.07 $15.07

$11.62 MX$201

29.69%

Apples (1kg)

$5.17 $5.17

$2.97 MX$51.4

74.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.81 MX$31.30

9.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$2.01 MX$34.88

121.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.17 $5.17

$2.03 MX$35.26

154.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.12 MX$36.82

40.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.27 MX$39.32

-10.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.37 $2.37

$1.40 MX$24.26

69.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.13 MX$19.59

97.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.06 $11.06

$4.27 MX$74.0

159.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.27 $15.27

$15.56 MX$270

-1.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.76 MX$30.44

27.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 $4.53

$3.60 MX$62.3

25.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.76 $2.76

$0.38 MX$6.64

626.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.1 $98.1

$19.18 MX$332

411.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.72 $3.72

$1.38 MX$23.84

169.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.28 MX$4.79

596.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.65 $36.65

$5.45 MX$94.4

572.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.30 MX$22.60

-20.77%

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

$33.7K $33.7K

$18.7K MX$323.8K

80.56%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$23.1K MX$400.8K

10.78%

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

$223 $223

$40.86 MX$708

444.74%

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

$69.4 $69.4

$26.81 MX$465

159.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.1 $64.1

$29.96 MX$519

113.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.46 $39.46

$52.0 MX$901

-24.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.7 $53.7

$26.84 MX$465

100.00%

Cinema Ticket

$12.77 $12.77

$6.30 MX$109

102.70%

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

$1,766 $1,766

$436 MX$7,558

304.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K $18.8K

$10.4K MX$180.5K

80.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.0 $64.0

$56.7 MX$982

12.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.02 $47.02

$44.38 MX$769

5.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 $104

$103 MX$1,784

0.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$106 MX$1,829

7.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,871 $1,871

$1,022 MX$17.7K

83.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,525 $1,525

$631 MX$10.9K

141.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,450 $3,450

$2,136 MX$37.0K

61.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,581 $2,581

$1,243 MX$21.5K

107.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,963 $3,963

$3,903 MX$67.6K

1.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,317 $3,317

$2,064 MX$35.8K

60.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,024 $5,024

$1,115 MX$19.3K

350.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.41

11.34

-43.47%

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

Last update for Portland, OR: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,871 in Portland, OR and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Portland, OR pays 351% 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 Portland, OR vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $417 vs $288 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

Portland, OR vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Portland, OR and Mexico City differ by about 100% in total monthly costs ($2,928 vs $1,467 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Portland, OR pays 351% more on average, 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: $1,871 in Portland, OR versus $1,022 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 411% less than in Portland, OR. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,766 in Portland, OR versus $436 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,467 in Mexico City versus $2,928 in Portland, OR, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Portland, OR. 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 100% less than in Portland, OR. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.