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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,456 per month in Mexico City vs $1,221 in Kanazawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,361 per month in Mexico City vs $1,904 in Kanazawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,266 per month in Mexico City vs $2,587 in Kanazawa, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 19% more than Kanazawa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$5.66 ¥920

130.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$34.17 ¥5,551

57.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$4.91 ¥799

97.15%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$3.24 ¥526

15.43%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$1.13 ¥184

43.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.71 ¥116

63.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$2.82 ¥458

14.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

$4.38 ¥712

8.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$1.53 ¥249

7.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$1.48 ¥241

85.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$4.65 ¥755

-59.78%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$2.44 ¥397

2.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$10.48 ¥1,703

-2.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$6.45 ¥1,048

27.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$19.08 ¥3,101

-38.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$3.65 ¥593

-17.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$2.21 ¥359

-18.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$2.47 ¥401

-19.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$4.46 ¥724

-55.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$1.70 ¥277

22.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$1.29 ¥210

75.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$1.34 ¥217

8.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$0.82 ¥133

31.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$3.96 ¥644

9.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$9.50 ¥1,543

78.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

$2.13 ¥347

-18.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

$2.89 ¥469

23.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$1.67 ¥271

-76.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

$55.8 ¥9,073

-66.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$4.58 ¥744

-70.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$3.31 ¥537

-91.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$23.59 ¥3,832

-77.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$1.18 ¥191

13.56%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$23.5K ¥3.8M

-17.23%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$16.7K ¥2.7M

42.80%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$130 ¥21.2K

-68.75%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$27.23 ¥4,424

-1.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$29.98 ¥4,870

1.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$46.98 ¥7,633

12.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

$13.71 ¥2,227

94.38%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$12.42 ¥2,018

-47.58%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$69.4 ¥11.3K

516.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$10.3K ¥1.7M

1.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$44.17 ¥7,176

29.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$29.41 ¥4,778

54.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$66.9 ¥10.9K

55.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$97.0 ¥15.8K

11.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$462 ¥75.0K

117.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$336 ¥54.6K

85.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$866 ¥140.7K

143.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$655 ¥106.4K

85.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

$4,777 ¥776.1K

-18.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

$2,341 ¥380.4K

-13.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$1,882 ¥305.8K

-44.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

1.81

526.52%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Kanazawa: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,003 in Mexico City versus $462 in Kanazawa. 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 81% higher in Kanazawa, 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 $34.00 in Kanazawa. Groceries tell a different story – $292 in Mexico City vs $301 in Kanazawa – 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 Kanazawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City, $1,221 in Kanazawa – roughly 19% 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 $1,831 in Kanazawa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,456 in Mexico City and $1,221 in Kanazawa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 199% less in Kanazawa. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kanazawa, where all-in costs run around $1,221, than in Mexico City at $1,456. In Kanazawa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,221 in Kanazawa to $1,456 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Kanazawa. 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.