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 $1,668 per month in Mexico City vs $1,138 in Kagoshima, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,613 per month in Mexico City vs $1,870 in Kagoshima, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,557 per month in Mexico City vs $2,601 in Kagoshima, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 47% more than Kagoshima, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 24% above the global median, while Kagoshima is 16% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.03 MX$213

$6.35 ¥998

89.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.8 MX$934

$33.56 ¥5,275

57.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.69 MX$207

$5.01 ¥787

133.33%

Cappuccino

$3.87 MX$68.4

$3.11 ¥488

24.44%

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

$1.75 MX$30.94

$1.02 ¥161

71.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$24.65

$0.67 ¥105

107.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 MX$59.4

$2.52 ¥396

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 MX$102

$2.20 ¥347

162.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MX$31.92

$1.41 ¥221

28.37%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 MX$54.5

$1.18 ¥185

161.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 MX$37.65

$5.37 ¥844

-60.34%

Eggs

$2.98 MX$52.6

$2.11 ¥332

41.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.53 MX$221

$18.51 ¥2,909

-32.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 MX$181

$5.53 ¥869

85.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 MX$281

$19.67 ¥3,092

-19.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$59.8

$3.63 ¥571

-6.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 MX$37.24

$1.86 ¥292

13.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$37.59

$2.99 ¥469

-28.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 MX$43.61

$3.51 ¥551

-29.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 MX$36.03

$2.20 ¥345

-7.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$35.59

$1.88 ¥296

6.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 MX$28.15

$1.10 ¥173

44.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$23.50

$0.87 ¥137

52.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.49 MX$97.0

$3.96 ¥623

38.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 MX$310

$6.31 ¥991

177.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 MX$35.61

$1.18 ¥185

70.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.8

$1.93 ¥303

145.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.94

$1.29 ¥202

-73.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.07 MX$373

$58.3 ¥9,162

-63.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$36.28

$4.08 ¥641

-49.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 MX$10.75

$2.08 ¥326

-70.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 MX$101

$11.74 ¥1,845

-51.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 MX$28.09

$1.14 ¥179

39.47%

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

$22.9K MX$404.6K

$22.0K ¥3.5M

3.91%

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

$26.4K MX$466.2K

$17.8K ¥2.8M

48.29%

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

$64.2 MX$1,135

$194 ¥30.5K

-66.84%

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

$29.42 MX$520

$25.00 ¥3,930

17.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.83 MX$651

$32.30 ¥5,078

14.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.7 MX$1,038

$53.3 ¥8,383

10.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.54 MX$469

Cinema Ticket

$6.95 MX$123

$12.09 ¥1,900

-42.51%

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

$463 MX$8,180

$130 ¥20.4K

256.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$236.2K

$12.4K ¥1.9M

8.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.4 MX$1,333

$39.41 ¥6,194

91.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.2 MX$958

$23.80 ¥3,741

127.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MX$1,965

$60.6 ¥9,529

83.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,160

$49.41 ¥7,766

147.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,133 MX$20.0K

$517 ¥81.3K

119.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 MX$12.3K

$229 ¥36.1K

204.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,442 MX$43.2K

$1,040 ¥163.5K

134.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 MX$23.0K

$743 ¥116.8K

75.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,910 MX$69.1K

$3,758 ¥590.6K

4.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,069 MX$36.6K

$1,788 ¥281.1K

15.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.6K

$1,917 ¥301.3K

-45.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

1.85

510.81%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 21, 2026

Last update for Kagoshima: September 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,133 in Mexico City versus $517 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 82% 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 $53.0 in Mexico City versus $34.00 in Kagoshima. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $343 vs $304 – 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 47% 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 $2,502 per month in Mexico City and $1,707 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 177% less in Kagoshima. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $463 per month in Mexico City and $130 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 $1,138, than in Mexico City at $1,668. 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 $1,138 versus $1,668 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.