Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Toyama

For one person, living is cheaper in Toyama: $1,175 a month against $1,548 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $4,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,548
/mo nomad
Toyama
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,175
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Toyama actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,548 in Mexico City versus $1,175 in Toyama.

  • Mexico City $1,548
  • Toyama $1,175

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,436 in Mexico City versus $1,880 in Toyama.

  • Mexico City $2,436
  • Toyama $1,880

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,323 in Mexico City versus $2,584 in Toyama.

  • Mexico City $3,323
  • Toyama $2,584

Living in Mexico City is roughly 32% more expensive than in Toyama, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 14% above, Toyama is 13% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Toyama
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.02 MX$204
$3.94 ¥622
179.70%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.68 MX$900
$40.27 ¥6,362
20.88%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.90 MX$201
$4.98 ¥787
118.88%
Cappuccino
$3.68 MX$68.1
$3.33 ¥526
10.51%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.63 MX$30.18
$1.05 ¥166
55.24%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.25 MX$23.07
$0.79 ¥125
58.23%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.25 MX$60.1
$2.45 ¥387
32.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.53 MX$102
$3.10 ¥489
78.39%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Toyama
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.70 MX$31.50
$1.13 ¥178
50.44%
White Bread (500g)
$3.02 MX$55.8
$0.77 ¥122
292.21%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.92 MX$35.53
$3.55 ¥561
-45.92%
Eggs
$2.73 MX$50.5
$2.07 ¥327
31.88%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.77 MX$218
$10.50 ¥1,659
12.10%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.53 MX$176
$6.13 ¥968
55.46%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.41 MX$266
$14.44 ¥2,281
-0.21%
Apples (1kg)
$3.02 MX$55.8
$5.73 ¥906
-47.29%
Banana (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.01
$2.73 ¥431
-30.77%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.99 MX$36.70
$2.85 ¥450
-30.18%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.19 MX$40.38
$4.27 ¥675
-48.71%
Potato (1kg)
$1.92 MX$35.43
$2.55 ¥402
-24.71%
Onion (1kg)
$1.87 MX$34.49
$2.65 ¥419
-29.43%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.44 MX$26.62
$1.30 ¥205
10.77%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.39
$0.65 ¥102
95.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.22 MX$96.4
$3.77 ¥595
38.46%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.17 MX$299
$6.44 ¥1,017
151.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.90 MX$35.03
$1.72 ¥272
10.47%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.22 MX$78.0
$2.00 ¥316
111.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Toyama
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.34 MX$6.30
$1.51 ¥239
-77.48%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.65 MX$363
$53.9 ¥8,509
-63.52%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.00 MX$36.90
$3.23 ¥510
-38.08%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.52 MX$9.67
$2.64 ¥418
-80.30%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.34 MX$98.7
$20.28 ¥3,203
-73.67%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.52 MX$28.13
$1.11 ¥175
36.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.1K MX$408.0K
$21.0K ¥3.3M
5.33%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.5K MX$452.9K
$18.0K ¥2.8M
35.97%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Toyama
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$61.1 MX$1,129
$130 ¥20.6K
-53.14%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.58 MX$528
$24.54 ¥3,878
16.46%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.47 MX$637
$31.59 ¥4,991
9.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Toyama
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.4 MX$1,042
$53.1 ¥8,381
6.24%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.88 MX$460
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.66 MX$123
$11.31 ¥1,786
-41.11%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Toyama
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$427 MX$7,891
$626 ¥98.9K
-31.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.6K MX$215.0K
$14.6K ¥2.3M
-20.36%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Toyama
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$67.8 MX$1,253
$62.8 ¥9,928
7.89%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.0 MX$960
$37.20 ¥5,877
39.68%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 MX$1,959
$62.0 ¥9,794
71.04%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$113 MX$2,080
$101 ¥16.0K
11.17%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Toyama
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,025 MX$18.9K
$234 ¥37.0K
337.66%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$654 MX$12.1K
$330 ¥52.1K
98.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,308 MX$42.7K
$1,091 ¥172.3K
111.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,242 MX$22.9K
$730 ¥115.4K
70.07%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,613 MX$66.8K
$4,156 ¥656.5K
-13.07%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,936 MX$35.8K
$1,755 ¥277.3K
10.28%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Toyama
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$964 MX$17.8K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.3
2.64
328.03%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 20, 2026

Last update for Toyama: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
$654
Toyama
$330 49.6% $324
Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
$318
Toyama
$276 13.2% $42
Eating Out
Mexico City
$204
Toyama
$112 45% $92
Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
$152
Toyama
$118 22.2% $34
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
$124
Toyama
$186 50.2% $62
Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
$70
Toyama
$76 8.6% $6
Getting Around
Mexico City
$26
Toyama
$76 198% $51

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,025 in Mexico City and $234 in Toyama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $49.00 in Mexico City vs $40.00 in Toyama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $276 per month, with Toyama cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🇯🇵 Toyama
🕒 Local time
21:53 9:53 PM
12:53 12:53 PM
15 h ahead of Mexico City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,209,944 Capital
421,259
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

JPY, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mexico City Toyama 11,420 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mexico City
  • Toyama

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 Toyama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Mexico City and in Toyama?
Mexico City and Toyama differ by about 32% in total monthly costs ($1,548 vs $1,175 including rent). Toyama is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Mexico City compared to Toyama?
You'd need roughly $2,322 in Mexico City and $1,762 in Toyama 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 Toyama?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,025 in Mexico City versus $234 in Toyama. 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 Toyama?
A monthly transit pass in Toyama runs roughly 174% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Mexico City and Toyama?
Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $626 in Toyama. 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 $1,175 in Toyama versus $1,548 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Toyama but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Toyama the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Mexico City and Toyama?
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.
Is Mexico City or Toyama safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Mexico City and Toyama are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Mexico City or Toyama?
Expats usually find Toyama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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