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 $1,472 per month in Mexico City vs $1,278 in Kitakyushu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,359 per month in Mexico City vs $1,974 in Kitakyushu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,245 per month in Mexico City vs $2,669 in Kitakyushu, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 15% more than Kitakyushu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 11% above the global median, while Kitakyushu is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$7.34 ¥1,157

79.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$41.29 ¥6,506

29.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$4.94 ¥779

88.87%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$3.20 ¥504

15.63%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$1.09 ¥172

46.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.75 ¥118

49.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$2.63 ¥414

19.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$3.05 ¥480

59.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$1.55 ¥244

6.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$1.64 ¥259

65.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$4.29 ¥676

-55.48%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$2.55 ¥401

1.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$10.23 ¥1,612

-4.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$6.28 ¥989

34.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$20.94 ¥3,300

-43.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$3.21 ¥506

-8.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$1.36 ¥214

27.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$1.41 ¥223

44.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$3.29 ¥519

-37.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$2.71 ¥427

-20.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$3.17 ¥499

-28.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$0.92 ¥145

51.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$0.75 ¥119

49.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$3.84 ¥605

9.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$6.21 ¥979

181.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$1.95 ¥307

-12.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$2.10 ¥331

72.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$1.65 ¥259

-78.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

$55.3 ¥8,718

-65.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$4.55 ¥717

-69.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$2.92 ¥460

-90.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$19.38 ¥3,054

-72.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$1.23 ¥193

10.57%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$22.8K ¥3.6M

-16.16%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$20.0K ¥3.2M

17.77%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$216 ¥34.0K

-81.22%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$27.59 ¥4,348

-0.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$35.33 ¥5,566

-14.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$56.0 ¥8,829

-6.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

$13.63 ¥2,148

94.28%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$13.98 ¥2,203

-55.72%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$408 ¥64.2K

4.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$13.5K ¥2.1M

-20.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$42.79 ¥6,742

36.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$29.20 ¥4,600

52.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$65.2 ¥10.3K

58.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$60.5 ¥9,524

79.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$467 ¥73.6K

117.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$334 ¥52.7K

86.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$867 ¥136.6K

144.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$663 ¥104.5K

84.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

$4,260 ¥671.3K

-10.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

$2,070 ¥326.1K

1.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$1,463 ¥230.5K

-28.07%

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 25, 2026

Last update for Kitakyushu: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,014 in Mexico City versus $467 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 39% 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 $54.0 in Mexico City versus $41.00 in Kitakyushu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 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: $1,472 in Mexico City, $1,278 in Kitakyushu – roughly 15% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,208 per month in Mexico City and $1,918 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 3% 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 $54.0 in Mexico City and $41.00 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 $1,278, than in Mexico City at $1,472. 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 $1,278 in Kitakyushu to $1,472 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.