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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Living in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk costs roughly 12% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.07 ₽1,346

$11.83 MX$200

35.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.0 ₽7,030

$52.2 MX$884

60.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.37 ₽952

$10.87 MX$184

4.60%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ₽258

$4.03 MX$68.2

-23.57%

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

$1.78 ₽149

$1.71 MX$28.99

4.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 ₽83.8

$1.34 MX$22.70

-25.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.04 ₽422

$3.39 MX$57.5

48.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.80 ₽402

$5.74 MX$97.3

-16.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 ₽152

$1.89 MX$31.99

-4.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ₽140

$3.17 MX$53.8

-47.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ₽188

$2.05 MX$34.74

9.76%

Eggs

$2.71 ₽227

$3.01 MX$51.1

-9.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.81 ₽1,324

$12.61 MX$214

25.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.57 ₽634

$9.94 MX$169

-23.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.86 ₽1,412

$16.00 MX$271

5.37%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 ₽355

$3.28 MX$55.6

29.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.98 ₽250

$2.06 MX$34.87

44.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.59 ₽301

$2.09 MX$35.36

71.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.48 ₽375

$2.50 MX$42.44

79.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 ₽83.0

$2.05 MX$34.76

-51.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 MX$31.70

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.85 ₽155

$1.57 MX$26.66

17.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 ₽131

$1.39 MX$23.64

12.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.59 ₽217

$5.38 MX$91.2

-51.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.32 ₽697

$17.95 MX$304

-53.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ₽148

$2.02 MX$34.31

-12.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 ₽301

$4.76 MX$80.7

-24.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ₽36.57

$0.36 MX$6.13

22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.80 MX$353

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.74 ₽313

$2.06 MX$34.92

81.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.55

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 MX$98.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 ₽70.5

$1.54 MX$26.05

-45.45%

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)

$21.5K ₽1.8M

$26.5K MX$448.7K

-18.80%

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

$122 ₽10.2K

$66.0 MX$1,118

84.45%

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

$10.40 ₽871

$30.98 MX$525

-66.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.38 ₽869

$36.20 MX$613

-71.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$84.4 ₽7,071

$57.5 MX$975

46.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.12 ₽3,025

$26.75 MX$453

35.03%

Cinema Ticket

$5.48 ₽459

$7.13 MX$121

-23.14%

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)

$151 ₽12.7K

$75.8 MX$1,285

99.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 MX$917

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 ₽9,985

$116 MX$1,974

2.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,063

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$744 ₽62.3K

$1,147 MX$19.4K

-35.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$565 ₽47.3K

$726 MX$12.3K

-22.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,657 ₽138.7K

$2,503 MX$42.4K

-33.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,279 ₽107.1K

$1,331 MX$22.6K

-3.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,660 ₽306.5K

$3,895 MX$66.0K

-6.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,221 ₽186.0K

$2,149 MX$36.4K

3.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,191 ₽99.7K

$1,069 MX$18.1K

11.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.33

11.35

114.36%

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

Last update for Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk: August 18, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $744 in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and $1,147 in Mexico City. 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: $84.0 in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk vs $52.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $328 vs $344, with Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

Average pay runs 11% higher in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, 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: $744 in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk versus $1,147 in Mexico City. 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 $1,485 per month in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk versus $1,682 in Mexico City – 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, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk 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 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.