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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $1,385 in Yokohama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $2,142 in Yokohama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $2,898 in Yokohama.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 21% more expensive than in Yokohama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 22% above, Yokohama 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$6.51 ¥1,000

86.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$41.89 ¥6,433

28.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$5.20 ¥798

113.27%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$3.48 ¥534

17.82%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$1.12 ¥172

50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$0.77 ¥118

80.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$2.53 ¥389

31.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$3.20 ¥491

83.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$1.41 ¥217

31.21%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$1.77 ¥272

79.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$3.64 ¥560

-43.13%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$2.07 ¥318

41.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$12.06 ¥1,851

4.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$6.15 ¥944

64.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$14.67 ¥2,252

9.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$5.89 ¥905

-42.44%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$2.79 ¥428

-25.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$2.91 ¥446

-27.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$4.21 ¥647

-42.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$2.61 ¥401

-18.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$2.68 ¥412

-25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$1.33 ¥204

16.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$0.77 ¥118

76.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$3.92 ¥602

47.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$6.37 ¥979

178.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$1.80 ¥277

15.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$2.08 ¥320

121.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$1.39 ¥213

-73.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

$57.7 ¥8,856

-63.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$3.15 ¥484

-34.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$2.62 ¥403

-77.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$21.02 ¥3,227

-71.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$1.15 ¥176

34.78%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$21.7K ¥3.3M

5.55%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$19.0K ¥2.9M

42.97%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$135 ¥20.8K

-50.15%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$25.04 ¥3,845

22.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$32.42 ¥4,978

14.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

$51.3 ¥7,879

19.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

$11.82 ¥1,815

129.44%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$12.88 ¥1,977

-44.80%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$647 ¥99.3K

-29.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$14.8K ¥2.3M

-7.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$65.1 ¥10.0K

13.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$32.63 ¥5,011

74.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$63.2 ¥9,708

82.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$103 ¥15.9K

17.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$1,191 ¥182.9K

-3.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$460 ¥70.6K

54.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$2,333 ¥358.2K

10.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$855 ¥131.2K

51.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

$7,041 ¥1.1M

-43.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

$4,103 ¥630.0K

-48.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$2,740 ¥420.7K

-60.50%

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 6, 2026

Last update for Yokohama: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,148 in Mexico City and $1,191 in Yokohama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yokohama pays 153% 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 $42.00 in Yokohama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $298 per month, with Yokohama 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 Yokohama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Yokohama differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($1,677 vs $1,385 including rent). Yokohama is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 153% lower in Yokohama. 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: $1,148 in Mexico City versus $1,191 in Yokohama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Yokohama runs roughly 172% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $456 in Mexico City versus $647 in Yokohama. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,385 in Yokohama versus $1,677 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Yokohama but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Yokohama 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 Yokohama 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 Yokohama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.