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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $1,223 in Otsu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,920 in Otsu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $2,617 in Otsu.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 19% more expensive than in Otsu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Otsu is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$8.50 ¥1,382

53.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$34.39 ¥5,587

56.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$5.47 ¥888

76.97%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$3.01 ¥490

24.25%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$0.91 ¥149

78.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.72 ¥117

61.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$3.45 ¥560

-6.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

$3.20 ¥520

48.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$1.69 ¥275

-2.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$1.71 ¥278

60.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$3.10 ¥503

-39.68%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$2.34 ¥379

6.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$9.56 ¥1,554

6.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$7.71 ¥1,253

7.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$15.61 ¥2,537

-24.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$5.46 ¥887

-44.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$2.60 ¥422

-30.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$4.83 ¥785

-58.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$3.94 ¥641

-49.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$1.60 ¥260

30.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$2.37 ¥385

-4.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$1.31 ¥212

11.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$1.01 ¥164

6.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$4.06 ¥660

7.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$9.06 ¥1,472

87.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

$1.80 ¥292

-3.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

$2.40 ¥390

49.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$1.59 ¥258

-75.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

$54.9 ¥8,916

-65.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$3.44 ¥559

-61.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$2.93 ¥475

-90.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$17.07 ¥2,773

-69.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$1.19 ¥194

12.61%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$22.8K ¥3.7M

-14.96%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$17.1K ¥2.8M

39.37%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$110 ¥17.9K

-63.04%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$26.63 ¥4,326

0.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$33.78 ¥5,488

-9.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$54.9 ¥8,916

-3.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

$13.64 ¥2,216

95.38%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$12.54 ¥2,037

-48.09%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$374 ¥60.7K

14.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$7,474 ¥1.2M

40.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$45.41 ¥7,378

26.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$31.67 ¥5,146

43.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$56.1 ¥9,119

85.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$92.5 ¥15.0K

16.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$468 ¥76.1K

114.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$323 ¥52.5K

92.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$856 ¥139.1K

146.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$669 ¥108.8K

81.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

$4,318 ¥701.6K

-10.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

$2,079 ¥337.7K

-2.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$1,769 ¥287.5K

-41.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

1.78

537.08%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Otsu: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $468 in Otsu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Otsu pays 71% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $34.00 in Otsu. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $311, with Mexico City cheaper for home cooking.

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 Otsu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Otsu differ by about 19% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $1,223 including rent). Otsu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 71% lower in Otsu. 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: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $468 in Otsu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Otsu runs roughly 194% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $374 in Otsu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,223 in Otsu versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Otsu but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Otsu 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 Otsu 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 Otsu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.