Cost of Living Comparison Between Portsmouth and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Portsmouth and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,166 in Portsmouth versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,856 in Portsmouth versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,546 in Portsmouth versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Portsmouth costs roughly 20% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.60 EC$15.12

$13.07 MX$229

-57.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.9 EC$148

$53.8 MX$943

2.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.47 EC$17.46

$9.68 MX$170

-33.16%

Cappuccino

$2.65 EC$7.14

$3.74 MX$65.6

-29.14%

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

$2.24 EC$6.04

$1.62 MX$28.34

38.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 EC$4.94

$1.16 MX$20.37

57.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.61 EC$7.06

$3.23 MX$56.6

-19.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 EC$9.75

$4.74 MX$83.1

-23.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.85 EC$7.70

$1.65 MX$28.89

72.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 EC$6.08

$2.75 MX$48.30

-18.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 EC$5.64

$1.87 MX$32.87

11.76%

Eggs

$6.64 EC$17.94

$2.50 MX$43.86

165.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.64 EC$7.13

$10.20 MX$179

-74.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.48 EC$14.79

$8.25 MX$145

-33.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

Apples (1kg)

$7.21 EC$19.47

$3.01 MX$52.8

139.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 EC$6.79

$1.81 MX$31.77

38.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 EC$11.11

$2.00 MX$35.07

105.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.98 EC$10.73

$2.00 MX$35.00

99.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 EC$7.54

$2.08 MX$36.56

34.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.81 EC$7.58

$2.27 MX$39.85

23.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.82 EC$4.91

$1.46 MX$25.55

24.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 EC$4.97

$1.08 MX$18.88

70.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

Wine (Bottle)

$11.16 EC$30.12

$16.99 MX$298

-34.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 EC$4.88

$1.73 MX$30.40

4.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 EC$6.86

$3.58 MX$62.7

-29.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 EC$2.03

$0.39 MX$6.79

92.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.62 EC$9.79

$1.33 MX$23.25

172.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.67 EC$9.91

$0.28 MX$4.91

1210.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

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

$40.69 MX$714

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

$40.32 EC$109

$26.87 MX$471

50.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.5 EC$177

$30.51 MX$535

114.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.35 EC$101

$52.8 MX$926

-29.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

Cinema Ticket

$11.26 EC$30.40

$6.51 MX$114

72.96%

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

$428 MX$7,508

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 EC$150

$57.3 MX$1,004

-2.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.51 EC$66.2

$45.50 MX$798

-46.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.3 EC$149

$104 MX$1,825

-46.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.5 EC$182

$108 MX$1,891

-37.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 EC$1,281

$1,003 MX$17.6K

-52.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$450 EC$1,216

$623 MX$10.9K

-27.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 EC$2,679

$2,109 MX$37.0K

-52.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$871 EC$2,351

$1,218 MX$21.4K

-28.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$629 EC$1,697

$1,038 MX$18.2K

-39.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

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

Last update for Portsmouth: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Portsmouth and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 65% 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: $55.0 in Portsmouth vs $54.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $289 vs $292, with Portsmouth cheaper for home cooking.

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

Portsmouth vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Portsmouth and Mexico City differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($1,166 vs $1,456 including rent). Portsmouth is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 65% 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: $475 in Portsmouth versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Portsmouth – a meal for two runs $55.0 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,166 per month in Portsmouth versus $1,456 in Mexico City – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,166 in Portsmouth versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Portsmouth but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Portsmouth 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, Portsmouth 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 Portsmouth 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.