Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Yamaguchi

For one person, living is cheaper in Yamaguchi: $1,202 a month against $1,608 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Mexico City, Mexico
Yamaguchi, Japan
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,608
/mo nomad
Yamaguchi
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,202
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,608 in Mexico City versus $1,202 in Yamaguchi.

  • Mexico City $1,608
  • Yamaguchi $1,202

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Mexico City versus $1,849 in Yamaguchi.

  • Mexico City $2,549
  • Yamaguchi $1,849

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,490 in Mexico City versus $2,495 in Yamaguchi.

  • Mexico City $3,490
  • Yamaguchi $2,495

Living in Mexico City is roughly 34% more expensive than in Yamaguchi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 18% above, Yamaguchi is 12% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Yamaguchi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.62 MX$198
$3.80 ¥600
179.47%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.35 MX$901
$31.96 ¥5,047
51.28%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.35 MX$193
$5.02 ¥793
106.18%
Cappuccino
$3.69 MX$68.8
$3.71 ¥586
-0.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.67 MX$31.07
$1.05 ¥166
59.05%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.59
$0.75 ¥118
69.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.19 MX$59.5
$3.88 ¥612
-17.78%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.31 MX$98.9
$2.21 ¥349
140.27%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Yamaguchi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 MX$32.15
$1.55 ¥245
10.97%
White Bread (500g)
$3.04 MX$56.7
$1.83 ¥288
66.12%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.19
$6.61 ¥1,044
-70.65%
Eggs
$2.89 MX$53.8
$2.21 ¥349
30.77%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.97 MX$205
$18.53 ¥2,926
-40.80%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.25 MX$172
$5.28 ¥833
75.19%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.13 MX$282
$19.00 ¥3,001
-20.37%
Apples (1kg)
$3.05 MX$56.8
$3.71 ¥586
-17.79%
Banana (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.19
$1.87 ¥295
3.74%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.03 MX$37.75
$2.82 ¥445
-28.01%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.31 MX$43.15
$3.26 ¥515
-29.14%
Potato (1kg)
$2.04 MX$37.94
$2.22 ¥351
-8.11%
Onion (1kg)
$1.80 MX$33.55
$2.54 ¥401
-29.13%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.48 MX$27.58
$1.08 ¥171
37.04%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.63
$0.93 ¥147
36.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.30 MX$98.9
$4.04 ¥638
31.19%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.10 MX$300
$6.20 ¥979
159.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.98 MX$36.97
$1.67 ¥263
18.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.25 MX$79.3
$1.91 ¥302
122.51%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Yamaguchi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.31 MX$5.69
$1.48 ¥234
-79.05%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.73 MX$368
$50.8 ¥8,016
-61.14%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.84 MX$34.25
$4.00 ¥631
-54.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.53 MX$9.94
$2.42 ¥382
-78.10%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.30 MX$98.7
$17.73 ¥2,799
-70.11%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.51 MX$28.16
$1.07 ¥169
41.12%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.8K MX$405.5K
$22.5K ¥3.6M
-3.51%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.0K MX$447.1K
$15.3K ¥2.4M
56.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Yamaguchi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$63.0 MX$1,174
$214 ¥33.8K
-70.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.39 MX$511
$24.94 ¥3,938
9.82%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.67 MX$665
$33.47 ¥5,284
6.57%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Yamaguchi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.9 MX$1,099
$52.7 ¥8,321
11.82%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.64 MX$441
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.40 MX$119
$12.67 ¥2,000
-49.49%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Yamaguchi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$432 MX$8,045
$695 ¥109.8K
-37.94%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.4K MX$212.9K
$12.1K ¥1.9M
-5.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Yamaguchi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$68.2 MX$1,272
$48.71 ¥7,690
40.05%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.1 MX$990
$25.97 ¥4,101
104.58%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$108 MX$2,009
$65.8 ¥10.4K
63.70%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$117 MX$2,186
$47.76 ¥7,541
145.54%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Yamaguchi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,113 MX$20.8K
$409 ¥64.6K
172.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$710 MX$13.2K
$256 ¥40.4K
177.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,588 MX$48.2K
$806 ¥127.2K
221.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,406 MX$26.2K
$572 ¥90.3K
145.73%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,631 MX$67.7K
$4,869 ¥768.8K
-25.43%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,135 MX$39.8K
$2,007 ¥316.8K
6.40%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Yamaguchi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$946 MX$17.6K
-
-
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 Yamaguchi: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
$710
Yamaguchi
$256 64% $455
Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
$320
Yamaguchi
$317 0.7% $2.3
Eating Out
Mexico City
$199
Yamaguchi
$121 39.1% $78
Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
$156
Yamaguchi
$85 45.6% $71
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
$126
Yamaguchi
$272 116% $146
Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
$72
Yamaguchi
$78 8.8% $6.3
Getting Around
Mexico City
$25
Yamaguchi
$73 186% $47

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,113 in Mexico City and $409 in Yamaguchi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $48 in Mexico City vs $32 in Yamaguchi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $317 per month, with Yamaguchi cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🇯🇵 Yamaguchi
🕒 Local time
15:35 3:35 PM
06:35 6:35 AM
15 h ahead of Mexico City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,209,944 Capital
193,966
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

JPY, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18.64 MXN (100 MXN = 5.36 USD). 1 EUR = 20.75 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 176 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.69 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mexico City Yamaguchi 12,000 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mexico City
  • Yamaguchi

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 Yamaguchi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Mexico City and in Yamaguchi?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,608 in Mexico City and $1,202 in Yamaguchi, so Yamaguchi is about 25% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Mexico City compared to Yamaguchi?
You’d need roughly $2,412 in Mexico City and $1,803 in Yamaguchi 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 Yamaguchi?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,113 in Mexico City versus $409 in Yamaguchi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Mexico City and Yamaguchi?
Childcare runs $432 in Mexico City versus $695 in Yamaguchi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Yamaguchi – a meal for two runs $32 versus $48 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is feasible on a $1,000 budget?
Both cities are expensive relative to $1,000. Yamaguchi is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
How does quality of life compare between Mexico City and Yamaguchi?
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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