Cost of Living Comparison Between South Portland, ME and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between South Portland, ME and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,823 in South Portland, ME versus $1,466 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,103 in South Portland, ME versus $2,325 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,382 in South Portland, ME versus $3,184 in Mexico City.

Living in South Portland, ME is roughly 93% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: South Portland, ME 111% above, Mexico City 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.81 $19.81

$13.30 MX$231

48.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.3 $69.3

$53.8 MX$932

28.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.81 $11.81

$9.42 MX$163

25.37%

Cappuccino

$4.88 $4.88

$3.59 MX$62.3

35.93%

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

$2.79 $2.79

$1.62 MX$28.13

72.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 $2.32

$1.12 MX$19.49

107.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.87 $5.87

$3.25 MX$56.3

80.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.87 $6.87

$4.65 MX$80.6

47.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.64 MX$28.37

-43.90%

White Bread (500g)

$3.44 $3.44

$2.65 MX$46.00

29.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.64 $5.64

$1.96 MX$33.99

187.76%

Eggs

$3.97 $3.97

$2.54 MX$44.08

56.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.54 $16.54

$9.97 MX$173

65.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 $10.52

$8.39 MX$145

25.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 $16.33

$11.83 MX$205

38.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.44 $3.44

$2.86 MX$49.62

20.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.73 MX$30.05

-16.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.05 $4.05

$1.99 MX$34.50

103.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.64 $7.64

$2.05 MX$35.51

272.68%

Potato (1kg)

$3.24 $3.24

$2.06 MX$35.64

57.28%

Onion (1kg)

$3.01 $3.01

$2.28 MX$39.54

32.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.86 $1.86

$1.45 MX$25.05

28.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.09 MX$18.83

50.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.32 $12.32

$4.27 MX$73.9

188.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.06 $15.06

$14.67 MX$254

2.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.76 MX$30.58

1.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 $2.97

$3.57 MX$61.8

-16.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.38 MX$6.67

421.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.73 MX$325

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.39 MX$24.09

46.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$0.30 MX$5.26

466.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.88 $28.88

$5.41 MX$93.8

433.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.34 MX$23.22

-32.09%

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

$27.4K $27.4K

$18.9K MX$326.7K

45.55%

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

$24.9K $24.9K

$23.2K MX$402.0K

7.36%

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

$208 $208

$40.30 MX$698

416.05%

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

$55.4 $55.4

$27.15 MX$471

104.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.1 $67.1

$29.46 MX$510

127.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.12 $43.12

$52.7 MX$914

-18.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.01 $30.01

$26.17 MX$454

14.67%

Cinema Ticket

$15.21 $15.21

$6.18 MX$107

146.12%

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

$394 $394

$441 MX$7,637

-10.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K $14.7K

$10.7K MX$185.4K

37.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.03 $48.03

$57.2 MX$992

-16.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.45 $33.45

$45.04 MX$781

-25.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 $85.6

$103 MX$1,793

-17.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 $134

$109 MX$1,884

22.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,981 $1,981

$1,000 MX$17.3K

98.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,551 $1,551

$632 MX$11.0K

145.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,289 $3,289

$2,141 MX$37.1K

53.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,608 $2,608

$1,253 MX$21.7K

108.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,678 $2,678

$3,745 MX$64.9K

-28.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,406 $2,406

$2,381 MX$41.3K

1.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,201 $4,201

$1,079 MX$18.7K

289.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.71

11.34

-40.83%

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

Last update for South Portland, ME: April 20, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,981 in South Portland, ME and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

South Portland, ME pays 289% 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: $69 in South Portland, ME vs $54 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $402 vs $286 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

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

South Portland, ME and Mexico City differ by about 93% in total monthly costs ($2,823 vs $1,466 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

South Portland, ME pays 289% 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: $1,981 in South Portland, ME versus $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $394 in South Portland, ME versus $441 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $69.0 in South Portland, ME. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,466 in Mexico City versus $2,823 in South Portland, ME, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in South Portland, ME. 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.

Safety-wise, South Portland, ME 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 Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 93% less than in South Portland, ME. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.