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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,456 per month in Mexico City vs $1,278 in Fukuoka, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,361 per month in Mexico City vs $2,050 in Fukuoka, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,266 per month in Mexico City vs $2,822 in Fukuoka, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 14% more than Fukuoka, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$8.15 ¥1,324

60.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$42.01 ¥6,826

27.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$6.24 ¥1,013

55.13%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$3.09 ¥503

21.04%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$1.04 ¥169

55.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.83 ¥134

39.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$1.63 ¥265

98.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

$2.05 ¥333

131.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$1.75 ¥284

-5.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$1.58 ¥257

74.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$4.25 ¥691

-56.00%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$2.61 ¥424

-4.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$20.67 ¥3,358

-50.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$6.26 ¥1,017

31.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$20.68 ¥3,361

-42.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$3.16 ¥514

-4.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$1.41 ¥228

28.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$1.35 ¥220

48.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$5.92 ¥961

-66.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$2.85 ¥463

-27.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$3.20 ¥521

-29.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$0.96 ¥156

52.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$0.81 ¥131

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$3.82 ¥620

13.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$6.23 ¥1,012

172.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

$1.94 ¥315

-10.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

$2.14 ¥348

67.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$1.77 ¥287

-77.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

$42.36 ¥6,882

-55.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$4.75 ¥772

-72.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$4.44 ¥721

-93.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$19.68 ¥3,198

-73.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$1.23 ¥200

8.94%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$23.6K ¥3.8M

-17.74%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$19.8K ¥3.2M

20.64%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$221 ¥35.8K

-81.55%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$27.43 ¥4,456

-2.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$35.23 ¥5,724

-13.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$59.9 ¥9,726

-11.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

$3.54 ¥575

652.82%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$13.83 ¥2,247

-52.93%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$411 ¥66.7K

4.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$13.3K ¥2.2M

-20.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$44.09 ¥7,164

29.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$30.00 ¥4,874

51.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$66.8 ¥10.8K

55.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$60.2 ¥9,775

79.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$537 ¥87.2K

86.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$295 ¥47.9K

111.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$1,043 ¥169.4K

102.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$692 ¥112.5K

75.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

$6,287 ¥1.0M

-38.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

$2,625 ¥426.4K

-22.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$1,518 ¥246.6K

-31.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

1.67

579.04%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Fukuoka: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,003 in Mexico City versus $537 in Fukuoka. 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 46% higher in Fukuoka, 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 $54.0 in Mexico City versus $42.00 in Fukuoka. Groceries tell a different story – $292 in Mexico City vs $330 in Fukuoka – 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City, $1,278 in Fukuoka – roughly 14% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,185 per month in Mexico City and $1,917 in Fukuoka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $428 per month in Mexico City and $411 in Fukuoka. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 13% cheaper in Mexico City – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Fukuoka, where all-in costs run around $1,278, than in Mexico City at $1,456. In Fukuoka it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Fukuoka has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,278 in Fukuoka to $1,456 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Fukuoka. 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.