Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,682 in Mexico City versus $1,485 in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,599 in Mexico City versus $2,541 in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,516 in Mexico City versus $3,598 in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 13% more expensive than in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 23% above, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.83 MX$200

$16.07 ₽1,346

-26.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$884

$84.0 ₽7,030

-37.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.87 MX$184

$11.37 ₽952

-4.40%

Cappuccino

$4.03 MX$68.2

$3.08 ₽258

30.84%

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

$1.71 MX$28.99

$1.78 ₽149

-3.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 MX$22.70

$1.00 ₽83.8

34.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$5.04 ₽422

-32.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 MX$97.3

$4.80 ₽402

19.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MX$31.99

$1.81 ₽152

4.42%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$1.67 ₽140

89.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.74

$2.25 ₽188

-8.89%

Eggs

$3.01 MX$51.1

$2.71 ₽227

11.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.61 MX$214

$15.81 ₽1,324

-20.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.94 MX$169

$7.57 ₽634

31.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.00 MX$271

$16.86 ₽1,412

-5.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 MX$55.6

$4.24 ₽355

-22.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.87

$2.98 ₽250

-30.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.36

$3.59 ₽301

-41.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 MX$42.44

$4.48 ₽375

-44.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.76

$0.99 ₽83.0

107.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 MX$31.70

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 MX$26.66

$1.85 ₽155

-15.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.64

$1.56 ₽131

-10.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.38 MX$91.2

$2.59 ₽217

107.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 MX$304

$8.32 ₽697

115.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 MX$34.31

$1.77 ₽148

14.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 MX$80.7

$3.60 ₽301

32.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MX$6.13

$0.44 ₽36.57

-18.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.80 MX$353

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 MX$34.92

$3.74 ₽313

-44.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.55

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 MX$98.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.05

$0.84 ₽70.5

83.33%

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

$22.5K MX$380.6K

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

$26.5K MX$448.7K

$21.5K ₽1.8M

23.15%

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

$66.0 MX$1,118

$122 ₽10.2K

-45.78%

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

$30.98 MX$525

$10.40 ₽871

197.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.20 MX$613

$10.38 ₽869

248.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 MX$975

$84.4 ₽7,071

-31.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.75 MX$453

$36.12 ₽3,025

-25.94%

Cinema Ticket

$7.13 MX$121

$5.48 ₽459

30.11%

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

$457 MX$7,738

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K MX$224.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.8 MX$1,285

$151 ₽12.7K

-49.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 MX$917

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 MX$1,974

$119 ₽9,985

-2.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,063

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 MX$19.4K

$744 ₽62.3K

54.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$726 MX$12.3K

$565 ₽47.3K

28.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,503 MX$42.4K

$1,657 ₽138.7K

51.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 MX$22.6K

$1,279 ₽107.1K

4.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,895 MX$66.0K

$3,660 ₽306.5K

6.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,149 MX$36.4K

$2,221 ₽186.0K

-3.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$1,191 ₽99.7K

-10.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.35

24.33

-53.35%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 17, 2026

Last update for Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,147 in Mexico City and $744 in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk pays 11% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $84.0 in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. Groceries flip the comparison at $344 vs $328, with Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk 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 Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($1,682 vs $1,485 including rent). Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 11% lower in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. 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: $1,147 in Mexico City versus $744 in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk – a meal for two runs $84.0 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,682 per month in Mexico City versus $1,485 in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,485 in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk versus $1,682 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk 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 Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk 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 Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.