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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $1,213 in Narita.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,972 in Narita.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $2,731 in Narita.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 37% more expensive than in Narita, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Narita is 11% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$5.78 ¥902

106.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$886

$41.79 ¥6,526

23.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$196

$4.47 ¥699

155.26%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.6

$3.15 ¥492

26.67%

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

$1.66 MX$28.48

$0.81 ¥127

104.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.77

$0.74 ¥116

79.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.6

$2.05 ¥320

69.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$101

$3.17 ¥495

86.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.21

$1.27 ¥199

48.03%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$55.9

$1.76 ¥275

84.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.10

$3.64 ¥569

-40.66%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.72

$2.04 ¥319

42.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$12.07 ¥1,885

6.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$6.11 ¥954

64.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$272

$14.57 ¥2,275

8.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.6

$5.89 ¥920

-44.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.44

$2.78 ¥434

-27.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.76

$2.91 ¥454

-24.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.44

$4.18 ¥653

-43.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.27

$2.71 ¥424

-24.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.64

$2.73 ¥426

-30.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.55

$1.28 ¥199

25.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$23.98

$0.83 ¥129

68.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$93.8

$3.80 ¥593

43.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$303

$6.29 ¥982

180.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.28

$1.79 ¥280

15.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.4

$2.12 ¥331

120.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.81

$1.50 ¥234

-77.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$357

$59.0 ¥9,220

-64.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$35.99

$3.18 ¥497

-33.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.60

$1.64 ¥257

-65.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$99.8

$21.25 ¥3,318

-72.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.56

$1.07 ¥167

50.47%

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

$22.8K MX$392.1K

$22.3K ¥3.5M

2.53%

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

$26.8K MX$459.2K

$18.4K ¥2.9M

45.21%

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

$65.2 MX$1,119

$133 ¥20.7K

-50.88%

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

$30.09 MX$517

$25.26 ¥3,945

19.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$638

$29.67 ¥4,634

25.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,026

$53.5 ¥8,359

11.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$456

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$11.53 ¥1,801

-38.94%

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

$465 MX$7,976

$646 ¥100.9K

-28.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$227.8K

$14.8K ¥2.3M

-10.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,303

$62.9 ¥9,820

20.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$960

$33.28 ¥5,197

68.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,920

$63.1 ¥9,848

77.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,068

$103 ¥16.1K

17.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$18.9K

$520 ¥81.2K

111.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$342 ¥53.4K

110.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.4K

$1,088 ¥170.0K

132.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.2K

$855 ¥133.6K

51.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.5K

$3,393 ¥529.8K

17.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$35.9K

$2,030 ¥317.1K

2.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.8K

$1,296 ¥202.4K

-19.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

2.12

433.02%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Narita: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $520 in Narita. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Narita pays 25% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $42.00 in Narita for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $297 per month, with Narita cheaper across the board.

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 Narita: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Narita differ by about 37% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $1,213 including rent). Narita is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 25% lower in Narita. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $520 in Narita. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Narita runs roughly 184% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $465 in Mexico City versus $646 in Narita. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,213 in Narita versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Narita but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Narita the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Narita are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Narita gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.