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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,289 per month in Kyoto vs $1,456 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,149 per month in Kyoto vs $2,361 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,009 per month in Kyoto vs $3,266 in Mexico City, rent included.

Kyoto is about 11% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Kyoto sits 4% below the global median, while Mexico City is 9% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.58 ¥1,719

$13.07 MX$228

-19.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.03 ¥5,529

$53.8 MX$936

-36.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.51 ¥895

$9.68 MX$169

-43.08%

Cappuccino

$3.37 ¥548

$3.74 MX$65.1

-9.89%

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

$0.94 ¥153

$1.62 MX$28.13

-41.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥123

$1.16 MX$20.23

-34.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.57 ¥581

$3.23 MX$56.2

10.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.70 ¥1,088

$4.74 MX$82.5

41.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 ¥275

$1.65 MX$28.68

2.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 ¥280

$2.75 MX$47.95

-37.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.08 ¥500

$1.87 MX$32.63

64.71%

Eggs

$2.33 ¥378

$2.50 MX$43.54

-6.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.70 ¥1,576

$10.20 MX$178

-4.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.76 ¥1,261

$8.25 MX$144

-5.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.66 ¥2,545

$11.82 MX$206

32.49%

Apples (1kg)

$5.45 ¥886

$3.01 MX$52.4

81.06%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥421

$1.81 MX$31.54

43.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.50 ¥1,056

$2.00 MX$34.81

225.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.89 ¥632

$2.00 MX$34.74

94.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.66 ¥270

$2.08 MX$36.30

-20.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 ¥366

$2.27 MX$39.56

-0.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 ¥212

$1.46 MX$25.36

-10.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ¥155

$1.08 MX$18.74

-12.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ¥691

$4.35 MX$75.7

-2.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.34 ¥1,192

$16.99 MX$296

-56.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ¥289

$1.73 MX$30.18

2.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ¥605

$3.58 MX$62.3

3.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ¥272

$0.39 MX$6.74

328.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.5 ¥11.1K

$18.69 MX$325

266.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 ¥568

$1.33 MX$23.08

163.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.98 ¥484

$0.28 MX$4.87

964.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.10 ¥2,941

$5.25 MX$91.5

244.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ¥200

$1.34 MX$23.27

-8.21%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$19.4K MX$338.0K

21.61%

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

$16.8K ¥2.7M

$23.8K MX$415.0K

-29.35%

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

$111 ¥18.0K

$40.69 MX$709

172.77%

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

$26.56 ¥4,315

$26.87 MX$468

-1.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.14 ¥5,384

$30.51 MX$531

8.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.6 ¥9,525

$52.8 MX$919

11.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.90 ¥3,396

$26.65 MX$464

-21.58%

Cinema Ticket

$12.91 ¥2,097

$6.51 MX$113

98.31%

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

$369 ¥60.0K

$428 MX$7,454

-13.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,433 ¥1.2M

$10.5K MX$182.8K

-29.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.09 ¥7,488

$57.3 MX$997

-19.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.40 ¥5,265

$45.50 MX$792

-28.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.7 ¥12.1K

$104 MX$1,812

-28.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.6 ¥15.0K

$108 MX$1,878

-14.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$582 ¥94.6K

$1,003 MX$17.5K

-41.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 ¥56.4K

$623 MX$10.8K

-44.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,671 ¥271.4K

$2,109 MX$36.7K

-20.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$909 ¥147.6K

$1,218 MX$21.2K

-25.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,862 ¥302.5K

$1,038 MX$18.1K

79.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.78

11.34

-84.30%

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

Last update for Kyoto: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $582 in Kyoto versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 79% higher in Kyoto, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Kyoto versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Groceries tell a different story – $316 in Kyoto vs $292 in Mexico City – so Mexico City wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,289 in Kyoto, $1,456 in Mexico City – roughly 13% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,934 per month in Kyoto and $2,185 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kyoto, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Mexico City – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Kyoto and $54.0 in Mexico City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kyoto, where all-in costs run around $1,289, than in Mexico City at $1,456. In Kyoto it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Kyoto has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,289 in Kyoto to $1,456 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Kyoto. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.