Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Nagasaki

For one person, living is cheaper in Nagasaki: $1,287 a month against $1,608 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $3,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Mexico City, Mexico
Nagasaki, Japan
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,608
/mo nomad
Nagasaki
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,287
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Nagasaki

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mexico City and in Nagasaki actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,608 in Mexico City versus $1,287 in Nagasaki.

  • Mexico City $1,608
  • Nagasaki $1,287

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Mexico City versus $1,907 in Nagasaki.

  • Mexico City $2,549
  • Nagasaki $1,907

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,490 in Mexico City versus $2,527 in Nagasaki.

  • Mexico City $3,490
  • Nagasaki $2,527

Living in Mexico City is roughly 25% more expensive than in Nagasaki, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 18% above, Nagasaki is 5% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Nagasaki
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.62 MX$199
$5.03 ¥792
111.13%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.35 MX$908
$19.07 ¥3,004
153.54%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.35 MX$194
$5.10 ¥803
102.94%
Cappuccino
$3.69 MX$69.3
$3.63 ¥572
1.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.67 MX$31.29
$1.04 ¥164
60.58%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.76
$0.76 ¥120
67.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.19 MX$59.9
$2.16 ¥341
47.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.31 MX$99.6
$2.26 ¥355
134.96%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Nagasaki
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 MX$32.38
$1.55 ¥245
10.97%
White Bread (500g)
$3.04 MX$57.1
$1.84 ¥290
65.22%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.44
$6.21 ¥979
-68.76%
Eggs
$2.89 MX$54.2
$2.03 ¥320
42.36%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.97 MX$206
$9.36 ¥1,475
17.20%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.25 MX$174
$3.21 ¥506
188.16%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.13 MX$284
$19.33 ¥3,045
-21.73%
Apples (1kg)
$3.05 MX$57.2
$3.56 ¥561
-14.33%
Banana (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.45
$1.83 ¥288
6.01%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.03 MX$38.02
$2.88 ¥453
-29.51%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.31 MX$43.46
$3.26 ¥514
-29.14%
Potato (1kg)
$2.04 MX$38.21
$2.24 ¥353
-8.93%
Onion (1kg)
$1.80 MX$33.79
$2.65 ¥417
-32.08%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.48 MX$27.77
$1.04 ¥163
42.31%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.80
$0.97 ¥152
30.93%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.30 MX$99.6
$3.87 ¥609
36.95%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.10 MX$302
$6.50 ¥1,024
147.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.98 MX$37.23
$1.71 ¥269
15.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.25 MX$79.8
$1.85 ¥291
129.73%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Nagasaki
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.31 MX$5.73
$1.27 ¥200
-75.59%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.73 MX$371
$56.4 ¥8,888
-65.04%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.84 MX$34.50
$4.12 ¥649
-55.34%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.53 MX$10.02
$2.40 ¥378
-77.92%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.30 MX$99.4
$17.66 ¥2,782
-69.99%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.51 MX$28.36
$1.08 ¥170
39.81%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.8K MX$408.4K
$22.8K ¥3.6M
-4.65%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.0K MX$450.3K
$15.5K ¥2.4M
55.12%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Nagasaki
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$63.0 MX$1,182
$215 ¥33.8K
-70.66%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.39 MX$514
$24.77 ¥3,902
10.58%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.67 MX$670
$33.03 ¥5,203
7.99%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Nagasaki
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.9 MX$1,107
$52.3 ¥8,242
12.63%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.64 MX$444
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.40 MX$120
$12.66 ¥1,995
-49.45%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Nagasaki
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$432 MX$8,103
$706 ¥111.2K
-38.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.4K MX$214.5K
$12.4K ¥2.0M
-8.13%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Nagasaki
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$68.2 MX$1,281
$48.40 ¥7,624
40.95%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.1 MX$997
$25.87 ¥4,075
105.37%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$108 MX$2,023
$67.7 ¥10.7K
59.13%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$117 MX$2,202
$46.74 ¥7,363
150.90%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Nagasaki
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,113 MX$20.9K
$550 ¥86.6K
102.41%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$710 MX$13.3K
$374 ¥58.9K
89.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,588 MX$48.6K
$1,085 ¥170.9K
138.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,406 MX$26.4K
$743 ¥117.0K
89.26%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,631 MX$68.2K
$4,205 ¥662.3K
-13.65%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,135 MX$40.1K
$2,287 ¥360.3K
-6.65%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Nagasaki
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$946 MX$17.8K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.35
1.97
476.14%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 25, 2026

Last update for Nagasaki: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
$710
Nagasaki
$374 47.3% $336
Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
$320
Nagasaki
$279 12.8% $41
Eating Out
Mexico City
$199
Nagasaki
$122 38.8% $77
Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
$156
Nagasaki
$85 45.5% $71
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
$126
Nagasaki
$272 116% $146
Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
$72
Nagasaki
$78 8.3% $5.9
Getting Around
Mexico City
$25
Nagasaki
$78 205% $52

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,113 in Mexico City and $550 in Nagasaki. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $48 in Mexico City vs $19 in Nagasaki for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $279 per month, with Nagasaki cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🇯🇵 Nagasaki
🕒 Local time
19:07 7:07 PM
10:07 10:07 AM
15 h ahead of Mexico City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,209,944 Capital
409,118
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

JPY, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18.77 MXN (100 MXN = 5.33 USD). 1 EUR = 20.96 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.35 USD). 1 EUR = 176 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.69 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mexico City Nagasaki 12,220 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mexico City
  • Nagasaki

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Nagasaki: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Mexico City and in Nagasaki?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,608 in Mexico City and $1,287 in Nagasaki, so Nagasaki is about 20% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Mexico City compared to Nagasaki?
You’d need roughly $2,412 in Mexico City and $1,931 in Nagasaki to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Mexico City and in Nagasaki?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,113 in Mexico City versus $550 in Nagasaki. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Mexico City and in Nagasaki?
A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 65% less than in Nagasaki. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Mexico City and Nagasaki?
Childcare runs $432 in Mexico City versus $706 in Nagasaki. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,287 in Nagasaki versus $1,608 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Nagasaki but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Nagasaki the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Mexico City and Nagasaki?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

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