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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,456 per month in Mexico City vs $1,188 in Kagoshima, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,361 per month in Mexico City vs $1,903 in Kagoshima, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,266 per month in Mexico City vs $2,618 in Kagoshima, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 23% more than Kagoshima, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 9% above the global median, while Kagoshima is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$8.29 ¥1,347

57.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$40.85 ¥6,637

31.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$5.89 ¥956

64.35%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$3.05 ¥495

22.62%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$1.08 ¥176

50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.80 ¥131

45.00%

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

$2.09 ¥340

126.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$1.34 ¥217

23.13%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$1.26 ¥204

118.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$4.06 ¥660

-53.94%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$2.40 ¥389

4.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$9.90 ¥1,609

3.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$6.04 ¥982

36.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$20.85 ¥3,387

-43.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$3.05 ¥495

-1.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$1.36 ¥220

33.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$1.41 ¥229

41.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$5.99 ¥973

-66.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$2.31 ¥375

-9.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$2.06 ¥334

10.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$0.98 ¥160

48.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$0.75 ¥122

44.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$3.80 ¥618

14.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$5.87 ¥954

189.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

$1.28 ¥207

35.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

$2.10 ¥341

70.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$1.49 ¥242

-73.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

$55.6 ¥9,039

-66.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$4.73 ¥769

-71.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$2.99 ¥486

-90.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$12.43 ¥2,019

-57.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$1.21 ¥197

10.74%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$22.9K ¥3.7M

-15.26%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$19.9K ¥3.2M

19.53%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$211 ¥34.3K

-80.71%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$26.94 ¥4,377

-0.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$36.20 ¥5,882

-15.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$56.7 ¥9,208

-6.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

$13.74 ¥2,232

93.96%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$13.61 ¥2,212

-52.17%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$409 ¥66.5K

4.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$13.2K ¥2.1M

-20.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$42.51 ¥6,906

34.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$29.17 ¥4,740

55.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$67.0 ¥10.9K

55.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$60.9 ¥9,890

77.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$474 ¥77.1K

111.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$238 ¥38.7K

161.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$852 ¥138.5K

147.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$660 ¥107.3K

84.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

$4,841 ¥786.5K

-19.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

$2,213 ¥359.5K

-8.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$1,826 ¥296.7K

-43.16%

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 Kagoshima: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,003 in Mexico City versus $474 in Kagoshima. 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 76% higher in Kagoshima, 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 $41.00 in Kagoshima. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $279 – making Kagoshima the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Kagoshima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City costs about 23% more than Kagoshima, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,185 per month in Mexico City and $1,781 in Kagoshima. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 198% less in Kagoshima. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $428 per month in Mexico City and $409 in Kagoshima. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kagoshima, where all-in costs run around $1,188, than in Mexico City at $1,456. In Kagoshima it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kagoshima costs $1,188 versus $1,456 in Mexico City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Kagoshima. 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.