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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $784 in Hamamatsu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,297 in Hamamatsu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,810 in Hamamatsu.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 112% more expensive than in Hamamatsu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Hamamatsu is 43% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$3.91 ¥610

204.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$42.33 ¥6,605

21.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$5.15 ¥804

121.55%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$3.46 ¥539

15.32%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$1.12 ¥175

48.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.76 ¥118

75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$2.61 ¥407

32.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$3.30 ¥515

78.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$1.06 ¥165

77.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$1.73 ¥270

87.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$3.81 ¥595

-43.31%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$1.69 ¥263

71.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$12.23 ¥1,908

5.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$6.19 ¥965

62.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$14.72 ¥2,296

7.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$5.71 ¥892

-42.38%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$2.87 ¥449

-29.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$2.87 ¥448

-23.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$4.21 ¥657

-43.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$2.62 ¥408

-21.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$2.70 ¥422

-29.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.32 ¥206

21.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.67 ¥105

108.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$3.81 ¥595

43.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$6.34 ¥989

178.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$1.86 ¥290

10.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$2.05 ¥320

128.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$51.7 ¥8,062

-59.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$3.25 ¥508

-35.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$2.57 ¥402

-78.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$20.64 ¥3,221

-71.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.09 ¥170

47.71%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$21.9K ¥3.4M

4.31%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$18.4K ¥2.9M

45.73%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$134 ¥20.9K

-51.35%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$9.28 ¥1,448

224.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$32.89 ¥5,131

13.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$17.35 ¥2,706

53.03%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$13.07 ¥2,040

-46.14%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$652 ¥101.7K

-28.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$15.3K ¥2.4M

-13.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$63.7 ¥9,934

19.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$32.90 ¥5,133

70.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$63.8 ¥9,957

75.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$103 ¥16.1K

16.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$8,047 ¥1.3M

-50.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$5,552 ¥866.2K

-62.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$1,614 ¥251.8K

-35.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

2.12

433.02%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Hamamatsu: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Hamamatsu pays 56% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $42.00 in Hamamatsu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $293 per month, with Hamamatsu 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

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

Mexico City and Hamamatsu differ by about 112% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $784 including rent). Hamamatsu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 56% lower in Hamamatsu. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Hamamatsu – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $784 in Hamamatsu versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Hamamatsu but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Hamamatsu 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, Mexico City and Hamamatsu 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 Hamamatsu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 112% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.