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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $968 in Oita.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $1,610 in Oita.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $2,253 in Oita.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 70% more expensive than in Oita, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 20% above, Oita is 30% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$205

$4.96 ¥775

144.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$883

$42.11 ¥6,579

24.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$184

$5.74 ¥896

89.90%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.5

$1.94 ¥302

108.76%

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

$1.72 MX$28.99

$1.06 ¥166

62.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.28

$0.61 ¥95.8

126.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.6

$3.20 ¥500

8.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.2

$2.14 ¥335

171.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.32

$1.32 ¥206

40.15%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.5

$1.24 ¥194

159.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.24

$6.22 ¥972

-66.40%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.16

$2.19 ¥342

32.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$211

$3.05 ¥477

309.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$5.46 ¥853

85.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$269

$12.55 ¥1,960

26.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.0

$2.19 ¥342

51.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.94

$1.27 ¥198

67.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.02

$1.58 ¥247

38.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.36

$2.00 ¥312

22.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$36.99

$1.24 ¥194

76.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.19

$1.28 ¥200

48.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.30

$0.91 ¥142

78.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.81

$0.98 ¥153

37.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$91.7

$3.80 ¥594

42.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$297

$6.27 ¥980

180.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.95

$1.58 ¥246

31.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.2

$1.88 ¥293

152.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.74

$1.48 ¥231

-77.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$365

$55.6 ¥8,682

-61.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.48

$4.02 ¥627

-49.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.77

$2.02 ¥315

-71.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

$17.55 ¥2,742

-65.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.30

$1.10 ¥172

47.27%

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

$22.8K MX$385.5K

$21.2K ¥3.3M

7.42%

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

$26.7K MX$450.6K

$17.0K ¥2.7M

56.74%

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

$65.2 MX$1,102

$49.78 ¥7,776

31.06%

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

$29.87 MX$505

$25.01 ¥3,908

19.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$618

$32.56 ¥5,086

12.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,031

$49.61 ¥7,750

22.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$9.50 ¥1,485

-27.89%

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

$453 MX$7,662

$123 ¥19.3K

267.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$226.0K

$12.1K ¥1.9M

10.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,267

$37.43 ¥5,848

100.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$934

$23.59 ¥3,685

134.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,920

$59.4 ¥9,275

91.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,073

$46.28 ¥7,230

165.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.2K

$468 ¥73.0K

142.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.0K

$320 ¥50.0K

122.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.4K

$1,076 ¥168.1K

138.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.2K

$717 ¥112.0K

82.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.5K

$4,407 ¥688.4K

-9.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

$1,908 ¥298.1K

9.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

$992 ¥154.9K

5.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

1.97

473.60%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Last update for Oita: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,134 in Mexico City and $468 in Oita. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 6% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $42.00 in Oita for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $214 per month, with Oita 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 Oita: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Oita differ by about 70% in total monthly costs ($1,646 vs $968 including rent). Oita is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 6% higher in Mexico City, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,134 in Mexico City versus $468 in Oita. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Oita runs roughly 158% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $453 in Mexico City versus $123 in Oita. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $968 in Oita versus $1,646 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Oita but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Oita 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 Oita 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 Oita gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.