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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,653 in Tokyo versus $1,646 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Tokyo versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,517 in Tokyo versus $3,580 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs are close between Tokyo and Mexico City; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Tokyo 20% above, Mexico City 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.31 ¥1,137

$12.11 MX$205

-39.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.11 ¥5,776

$52.2 MX$883

-28.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥774

$10.90 MX$184

-54.31%

Cappuccino

$3.65 ¥567

$4.05 MX$68.5

-9.88%

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

$1.69 ¥262

$1.72 MX$29.00

-1.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 ¥144

$1.38 MX$23.29

-33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 ¥568

$3.47 MX$58.6

5.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 ¥788

$5.81 MX$98.2

-12.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ¥242

$1.85 MX$31.33

-16.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 ¥268

$3.22 MX$54.5

-46.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.92 ¥922

$2.09 MX$35.25

183.25%

Eggs

$2.23 ¥347

$2.91 MX$49.18

-23.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.36 ¥1,769

$12.49 MX$211

-9.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.67 ¥1,194

$10.11 MX$171

-24.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.11 ¥3,130

$15.89 MX$269

26.56%

Apples (1kg)

$5.18 ¥806

$3.31 MX$56.0

56.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 ¥391

$2.13 MX$35.95

17.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.64 ¥722

$2.19 MX$37.03

111.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.91 ¥920

$2.45 MX$41.37

141.22%

Potato (1kg)

$3.54 ¥551

$2.19 MX$37.00

61.64%

Onion (1kg)

$3.44 ¥536

$1.90 MX$32.20

81.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 ¥189

$1.62 MX$27.31

-24.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥133

$1.35 MX$22.82

-36.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 ¥618

$5.43 MX$91.7

-26.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.53 ¥1,484

$17.59 MX$297

-45.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ¥277

$2.07 MX$34.96

-14.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 ¥472

$4.75 MX$80.2

-36.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 ¥191

$0.34 MX$5.75

261.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.6 ¥10.5K

$21.58 MX$365

213.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 ¥492

$2.04 MX$34.49

54.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.04 ¥473

$0.58 MX$9.77

424.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.14 ¥2,824

$5.97 MX$101

203.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 ¥162

$1.62 MX$27.31

-35.80%

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

$21.7K ¥3.4M

$22.8K MX$385.6K

-4.88%

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

$14.7K ¥2.3M

$26.7K MX$450.7K

-44.78%

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

$157 ¥24.4K

$65.2 MX$1,103

140.65%

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

$22.07 ¥3,435

$29.87 MX$505

-26.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.21 ¥4,702

$36.55 MX$618

-17.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.5 ¥9,734

$61.0 MX$1,031

2.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.32 ¥3,941

$26.70 MX$451

-5.17%

Cinema Ticket

$12.30 ¥1,914

$6.85 MX$116

79.56%

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

$1,300 ¥202.3K

$453 MX$7,664

186.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K ¥2.8M

$13.4K MX$226.0K

32.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 ¥7,970

$75.0 MX$1,267

-31.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 ¥5,035

$55.3 MX$935

-41.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.6 ¥9,740

$114 MX$1,920

-44.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.6 ¥11.6K

$123 MX$2,073

-39.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 ¥191.5K

$1,134 MX$19.2K

8.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 ¥102.7K

$712 MX$12.0K

-7.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,368 ¥368.5K

$2,571 MX$43.5K

-7.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,357 ¥211.3K

$1,311 MX$22.2K

3.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,747 ¥1.4M

$3,993 MX$67.5K

119.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,944 ¥613.9K

$2,095 MX$35.4K

88.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,843 ¥442.5K

$1,047 MX$17.7K

171.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.93

11.3

-82.92%

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

Last update for Tokyo: August 30, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,230 in Tokyo and $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tokyo pays 172% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $37.00 in Tokyo vs $52.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $354 vs $345, 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

Tokyo vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Average pay runs 172% higher in Tokyo, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,230 in Tokyo versus $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,300 in Tokyo versus $453 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $52.0 versus $37.00 in Tokyo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,646 in Mexico City versus $1,653 in Tokyo, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Tokyo. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City 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, Tokyo and Mexico City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Mexico City wins on affordability, Tokyo on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.