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: $1,144 in Portsmouth versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,863 in Portsmouth versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,583 in Portsmouth versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Portsmouth costs roughly 22% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Portsmouth is 15% below, Mexico City is 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.51 EC$14.88

$13.18 MX$228

-58.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.4 EC$147

$53.9 MX$932

0.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.76 EC$18.26

$9.42 MX$163

-28.24%

Cappuccino

$2.55 EC$6.89

$3.55 MX$61.4

-28.17%

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

$2.21 EC$5.97

$1.62 MX$27.98

36.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 EC$5.12

$1.11 MX$19.27

71.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.66 EC$7.19

$3.12 MX$54.0

-14.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 EC$10.07

$4.63 MX$80.1

-19.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.84 EC$7.67

$1.70 MX$29.43

67.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.17 EC$5.86

$2.72 MX$47.02

-20.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 EC$5.59

$1.91 MX$33.07

8.38%

Eggs

$6.56 EC$17.72

$2.54 MX$43.86

158.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.63 EC$7.10

$10.03 MX$174

-73.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.44 EC$14.69

$8.09 MX$140

-32.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

Apples (1kg)

$7.58 EC$20.46

$2.97 MX$51.3

155.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 EC$6.92

$1.81 MX$31.24

41.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.17 EC$11.26

$2.01 MX$34.82

107.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 EC$11.12

$2.03 MX$35.20

102.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.93 EC$7.91

$2.12 MX$36.75

38.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 EC$7.55

$2.27 MX$39.25

23.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 EC$5.07

$1.40 MX$24.22

34.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 EC$5.12

$1.13 MX$19.55

68.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

Wine (Bottle)

$11.12 EC$30.01

$15.56 MX$269

-28.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 EC$4.93

$1.76 MX$30.39

3.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 EC$6.95

$3.60 MX$62.2

-28.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 EC$2.09

$0.38 MX$6.62

102.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.80 EC$10.25

$1.38 MX$23.79

175.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.61 EC$9.75

$0.28 MX$4.78

1189.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

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

$40.86 MX$707

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

$40.26 EC$109

$26.81 MX$464

50.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.4 EC$176

$29.96 MX$518

118.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.58 EC$101

$52.0 MX$900

-27.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$11.13 EC$30.06

$6.30 MX$109

76.67%

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

$436 MX$7,544

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.9 EC$151

$56.7 MX$980

-1.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.61 EC$63.8

$44.38 MX$768

-46.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.9 EC$151

$103 MX$1,780

-45.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.7 EC$180

$106 MX$1,825

-36.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$478 EC$1,292

$1,022 MX$17.7K

-53.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$449 EC$1,213

$631 MX$10.9K

-28.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 EC$2,717

$2,136 MX$36.9K

-52.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 EC$2,272

$1,243 MX$21.5K

-32.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$621 EC$1,675

$1,115 MX$19.3K

-44.35%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $478 in Portsmouth and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 80% 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: $54.0 in Portsmouth vs $54.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $291 vs $288, with Mexico City 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 28% in total monthly costs ($1,144 vs $1,467 including rent). Portsmouth is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mexico City earns 80% less. 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: $478 in Portsmouth versus $1,022 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 $54.0 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 $1,144 per month in Portsmouth versus $1,467 in Mexico City – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,144 in Portsmouth versus $1,467 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 28% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.