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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,660 per month in Mexico City vs $1,233 in Kitakyushu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,565 per month in Mexico City vs $1,926 in Kitakyushu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,470 per month in Mexico City vs $2,620 in Kitakyushu, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 35% more than Kitakyushu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Mexico City sits 21% above the global median, while Kitakyushu is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$7.22 ¥1,128

65.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$886

$33.59 ¥5,246

53.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$196

$5.55 ¥867

105.59%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.6

$3.37 ¥526

18.40%

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

$1.66 MX$28.48

$1.04 ¥162

59.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.77

$0.70 ¥109

90.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.6

$2.97 ¥463

16.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$101

$2.26 ¥352

161.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.21

$1.53 ¥239

22.88%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$55.9

$1.31 ¥204

148.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.10

$5.55 ¥867

-61.08%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.72

$2.26 ¥354

28.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$9.98 ¥1,559

28.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$5.49 ¥857

83.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$272

$19.18 ¥2,996

-17.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.6

$3.71 ¥579

-11.32%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.44

$1.85 ¥289

8.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.76

$2.88 ¥450

-23.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.44

$2.97 ¥464

-20.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.27

$2.26 ¥354

-9.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.64

$2.60 ¥406

-26.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.55

$1.09 ¥171

47.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$23.98

$0.94 ¥147

48.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$93.8

$4.04 ¥631

35.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$303

$6.40 ¥1,000

175.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.28

$1.78 ¥278

15.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.4

$1.76 ¥276

165.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.81

$1.64 ¥257

-79.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$357

$58.2 ¥9,094

-64.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$35.99

$3.93 ¥614

-46.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.60

$2.06 ¥322

-72.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$99.8

$18.42 ¥2,876

-68.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.56

$1.06 ¥165

51.89%

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

$22.8K MX$392.1K

$21.3K ¥3.3M

7.29%

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

$26.8K MX$459.2K

$17.6K ¥2.8M

51.64%

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

$65.2 MX$1,119

$195 ¥30.5K

-66.61%

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

$30.09 MX$517

$25.26 ¥3,944

19.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$638

$33.60 ¥5,248

10.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,026

$52.3 ¥8,171

14.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$456

$3.15 ¥493

742.86%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$11.52 ¥1,798

-38.89%

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

$465 MX$7,976

$389 ¥60.8K

19.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$227.8K

$12.4K ¥1.9M

7.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,303

$39.38 ¥6,151

92.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$960

$24.50 ¥3,826

128.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,920

$60.7 ¥9,473

84.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,068

$48.25 ¥7,535

149.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$18.9K

$520 ¥81.2K

112.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$331 ¥51.7K

117.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.4K

$1,049 ¥163.9K

141.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.2K

$739 ¥115.4K

75.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.5K

$3,702 ¥578.1K

7.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$35.9K

$1,776 ¥277.3K

17.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.8K

$1,527 ¥238.4K

-32.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

1.69

568.64%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Kitakyushu: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,103 in Mexico City versus $520 in Kitakyushu. 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 47% higher in Kitakyushu, 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 $52.0 in Mexico City versus $34.00 in Kitakyushu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $284 – making Kitakyushu 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 Kitakyushu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City, $1,233 in Kitakyushu – roughly 35% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,489 per month in Mexico City and $1,850 in Kitakyushu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 22% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Mexico City and $34.00 in Kitakyushu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kitakyushu, where all-in costs run around $1,233, than in Mexico City at $1,660. In Kitakyushu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Kitakyushu has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,233 in Kitakyushu to $1,660 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 Kitakyushu. 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.