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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,495 per month in Gyeongju vs $1,467 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,319 per month in Gyeongju vs $2,371 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,144 per month in Gyeongju vs $3,274 in Mexico City, rent included.

Gyeongju costs about 2% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Gyeongju and Mexico City sit above the global median – Gyeongju by 12%, Mexico City by 10%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.31 ₩11.1K

$13.18 MX$228

-44.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.18 ₩54.8K

$53.9 MX$932

-32.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.17 ₩9,354

$9.42 MX$163

-34.50%

Cappuccino

$4.00 ₩6,054

$3.55 MX$61.4

12.68%

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

$1.83 ₩2,772

$1.62 MX$27.98

12.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 ₩2,014

$1.11 MX$19.27

19.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.60 ₩5,449

$3.12 MX$54.0

15.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.76 ₩8,732

$4.63 MX$80.1

24.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 ₩3,401

$1.70 MX$29.43

31.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.43 ₩5,202

$2.72 MX$47.02

26.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.09 ₩4,685

$1.91 MX$33.07

61.78%

Eggs

$2.98 ₩4,518

$2.54 MX$43.86

17.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.45 ₩15.8K

$10.03 MX$174

4.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.22 ₩12.5K

$8.09 MX$140

1.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.27 ₩41.3K

$11.62 MX$201

134.68%

Apples (1kg)

$8.53 ₩12.9K

$2.97 MX$51.3

187.21%

Banana (1kg)

$3.15 ₩4,767

$1.81 MX$31.24

74.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.46 ₩11.3K

$2.01 MX$34.82

271.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.30 ₩8,035

$2.03 MX$35.20

161.08%

Potato (1kg)

$5.20 ₩7,877

$2.12 MX$36.75

145.28%

Onion (1kg)

$3.04 ₩4,601

$2.27 MX$39.25

33.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 ₩3,058

$1.40 MX$24.22

44.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₩1,820

$1.13 MX$19.55

6.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.33 ₩5,048

$4.27 MX$73.9

-22.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.18 ₩20.0K

$15.56 MX$269

-15.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₩2,651

$1.76 MX$30.39

-0.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 ₩5,258

$3.60 MX$62.2

-3.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 ₩1,677

$0.38 MX$6.62

192.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ₩4,575

$1.38 MX$23.79

118.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ₩1,188

$0.28 MX$4.78

178.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.38 ₩24.8K

$5.45 MX$94.2

200.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ₩1,842

$1.30 MX$22.55

-6.15%

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

$27.2K ₩41.2M

$18.7K MX$323.2K

45.66%

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

$25.1K ₩38.0M

$23.1K MX$400.1K

8.46%

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

$187 ₩283.9K

$40.86 MX$707

358.52%

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

$46.54 ₩70.5K

$26.81 MX$464

73.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.73 ₩42.0K

$29.96 MX$518

-7.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.37 ₩71.8K

$52.0 MX$900

-8.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$11.17 ₩16.9K

$6.30 MX$109

77.30%

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

$494 ₩748.3K

$436 MX$7,544

13.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K ₩21.8M

$10.4K MX$180.2K

38.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 ₩158.9K

$56.7 MX$980

85.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.99 ₩72.7K

$44.38 MX$768

8.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.9 ₩136.2K

$103 MX$1,780

-12.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 ₩177.6K

$106 MX$1,825

11.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$448 ₩678.7K

$1,022 MX$17.7K

-56.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 ₩570.4K

$631 MX$10.9K

-40.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,087 ₩1.6M

$2,136 MX$36.9K

-49.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$758 ₩1.1M

$1,243 MX$21.5K

-39.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,707 ₩14.7M

$3,903 MX$67.5K

148.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,689 ₩8.6M

$2,064 MX$35.7K

175.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,646 ₩2.5M

$1,115 MX$19.3K

47.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

11.34

-62.79%

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

Last update for Gyeongju: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $448 in Gyeongju versus $1,022 in Mexico City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 48% higher in Gyeongju, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Gyeongju versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Groceries tell a different story – $439 in Gyeongju vs $288 in Mexico City – so Mexico City wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Yes – Gyeongju is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,242 per month in Gyeongju and $2,201 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mexico City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,495 in Gyeongju and $1,467 in Mexico City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $494 per month in Gyeongju and $436 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,467, than in Gyeongju at $1,495. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Gyeongju it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mexico City – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Mexico City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Gyeongju makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.