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: $1,701 in Tokyo versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,691 in Tokyo versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,682 in Tokyo versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Tokyo is roughly 17% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Tokyo 27% above, Mexico City 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,314

$13.07 MX$228

-38.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.77 ¥7,923

$53.8 MX$936

-9.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.48 ¥891

$9.68 MX$169

-43.39%

Cappuccino

$3.60 ¥584

$3.74 MX$65.1

-3.74%

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

$1.27 ¥206

$1.62 MX$28.13

-21.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥140

$1.16 MX$20.23

-25.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.08 ¥662

$3.23 MX$56.2

26.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 ¥883

$4.74 MX$82.5

14.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 ¥264

$1.65 MX$28.68

-1.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ¥245

$2.75 MX$47.95

-45.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.34 ¥868

$1.87 MX$32.63

185.56%

Eggs

$2.32 ¥377

$2.50 MX$43.54

-7.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.96 ¥2,593

$10.20 MX$178

56.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.12 ¥1,319

$8.25 MX$144

-1.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.55 ¥3,664

$11.82 MX$206

90.78%

Apples (1kg)

$5.52 ¥897

$3.01 MX$52.4

83.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥421

$1.81 MX$31.54

43.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.92 ¥962

$2.00 MX$34.81

196.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.07 ¥987

$2.00 MX$34.74

203.50%

Potato (1kg)

$3.24 ¥527

$2.08 MX$36.30

55.77%

Onion (1kg)

$3.39 ¥551

$2.27 MX$39.56

49.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 ¥235

$1.46 MX$25.36

-0.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥142

$1.08 MX$18.74

-19.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ¥691

$4.35 MX$75.7

-2.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.31 ¥1,513

$16.99 MX$296

-45.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥334

$1.73 MX$30.18

18.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ¥466

$3.58 MX$62.3

-19.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥241

$0.39 MX$6.74

279.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.6 ¥13.7K

$18.69 MX$325

352.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 ¥548

$1.33 MX$23.08

154.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.91 ¥473

$0.28 MX$4.87

939.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.24 ¥4,264

$5.25 MX$91.5

399.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥195

$1.34 MX$23.27

-10.45%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$19.4K MX$338.0K

21.39%

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

$17.2K ¥2.8M

$23.8K MX$415.0K

-27.83%

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

$168 ¥27.2K

$40.69 MX$709

312.04%

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

$25.82 ¥4,195

$26.87 MX$468

-3.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.50 ¥5,444

$30.51 MX$531

9.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.9 ¥11.5K

$52.8 MX$919

34.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.25 ¥3,289

$26.65 MX$464

-24.02%

Cinema Ticket

$13.07 ¥2,124

$6.51 MX$113

100.77%

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

$495 ¥80.3K

$428 MX$7,454

15.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.6M

$10.5K MX$182.8K

49.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 ¥10,000

$57.3 MX$997

7.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.66 ¥6,769

$45.50 MX$792

-8.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.9 ¥10.7K

$104 MX$1,812

-36.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.1 ¥14.8K

$108 MX$1,878

-15.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 ¥182.0K

$1,003 MX$17.5K

11.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$606 ¥98.5K

$623 MX$10.8K

-2.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,680 ¥435.5K

$2,109 MX$36.7K

27.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 ¥218.0K

$1,218 MX$21.2K

10.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.4K ¥1.7M

$3,885 MX$67.6K

166.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,986 ¥810.1K

$2,033 MX$35.4K

145.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,330 ¥378.5K

$1,038 MX$18.1K

124.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.72

11.34

-84.83%

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

Last update for Tokyo: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,120 in Tokyo and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tokyo pays 124% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $49.00 in Tokyo vs $54.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $383 vs $292, 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

Tokyo and Mexico City differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($1,701 vs $1,456 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 124% 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: $1,120 in Tokyo versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 353% less than in Tokyo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $495 in Tokyo versus $428 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,456 in Mexico City versus $1,701 in Tokyo, a $2,000 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.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Tokyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.