Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gyeongju and Mexico City

For one person, living is cheaper in Gyeongju: $1,227 a month against $1,608 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $4,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Gyeongju, South Korea
Mexico City, Mexico
Gyeongju
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,227
/mo nomad
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,608
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Gyeongju and in Mexico City

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Gyeongju and in Mexico City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,227 per month in Gyeongju vs $1,608 in Mexico City, rent included.

  • Gyeongju $1,227
  • Mexico City $1,608

A couple spends around $2,008 per month in Gyeongju vs $2,549 in Mexico City, rent included.

  • Gyeongju $2,008
  • Mexico City $2,549

A family of three spends $2,788 per month in Gyeongju vs $3,490 in Mexico City, rent included.

  • Gyeongju $2,788
  • Mexico City $3,490

Gyeongju is about 24% cheaper than Mexico City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Gyeongju sits 10% below the global median, while Mexico City is 18% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Gyeongju
Mexico City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.65 ₩10.2K
$10.62 MX$198
-27.97%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$49.45 ₩66.3K
$48.35 MX$901
2.28%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.60 ₩8,848
$10.35 MX$193
-36.23%
Cappuccino
$3.05 ₩4,092
$3.69 MX$68.7
-17.34%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10 ₩1,477
$1.67 MX$31.05
-34.13%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36 ₩485
$1.27 MX$23.58
-71.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.68 ₩3,592
$3.19 MX$59.5
-15.99%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.23 ₩5,663
$5.31 MX$98.9
-20.34%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Gyeongju
Mexico City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.25 ₩3,018
$1.72 MX$32.13
30.81%
White Bread (500g)
$2.53 ₩3,392
$3.04 MX$56.6
-16.78%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.07 ₩4,114
$1.94 MX$36.17
58.25%
Eggs
$2.65 ₩3,554
$2.89 MX$53.8
-8.30%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.17 ₩15.0K
$10.97 MX$204
1.82%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.46 ₩14.0K
$9.25 MX$172
13.08%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.08 ₩25.6K
$15.13 MX$282
26.11%
Apples (1kg)
$4.61 ₩6,185
$3.05 MX$56.8
51.15%
Banana (1kg)
$2.69 ₩3,604
$1.94 MX$36.17
38.66%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.86 ₩5,168
$2.03 MX$37.73
90.15%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.68 ₩4,933
$2.31 MX$43.12
59.31%
Potato (1kg)
$2.61 ₩3,504
$2.04 MX$37.91
27.94%
Onion (1kg)
$2.28 ₩3,057
$1.80 MX$33.53
26.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.24 ₩3,002
$1.48 MX$27.56
51.35%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.29 ₩1,726
$1.27 MX$23.62
1.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.32 ₩4,444
$5.30 MX$98.8
-37.36%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.13 ₩20.3K
$16.10 MX$300
-6.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.16 ₩1,549
$1.98 MX$36.95
-41.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 ₩3,068
$4.25 MX$79.2
-46.12%
🚌 Getting Around
Gyeongju
Mexico City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.02 ₩1,373
$0.31 MX$5.68
229.03%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$19.73 MX$368
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.98 ₩3,994
$1.84 MX$34.23
61.96%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.78 ₩1,042
$0.53 MX$9.94
47.17%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.95 ₩22.7K
$5.30 MX$98.7
219.81%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.07 ₩1,435
$1.51 MX$28.14
-29.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$40.1K ₩53.7M
$21.8K MX$405.3K
84.12%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.3K ₩44.7M
$24.0K MX$446.9K
38.93%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gyeongju
Mexico City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$81.2 ₩108.8K
$63.0 MX$1,173
28.90%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.92 ₩48.1K
$27.39 MX$510
31.14%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.37 ₩36.7K
$35.67 MX$664
-23.27%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Gyeongju
Mexico City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.1 ₩73.8K
$58.9 MX$1,098
-6.55%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.94 ₩18.7K
$23.64 MX$441
-41.03%
Cinema Ticket
$11.09 ₩14.9K
$6.40 MX$119
73.28%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Gyeongju
Mexico City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$633 ₩848.8K
$432 MX$8,041
46.72%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$22.0K ₩29.6M
$11.4K MX$212.8K
93.00%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Gyeongju
Mexico City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.48 ₩59.6K
$68.2 MX$1,271
-34.80%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$22.62 ₩30.3K
$53.1 MX$990
-57.43%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.1 ₩124.8K
$108 MX$2,008
-13.60%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$130 ₩174.4K
$117 MX$2,185
10.97%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Gyeongju
Mexico City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$490 ₩657.0K
$1,113 MX$20.7K
-55.98%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$354 ₩475.0K
$710 MX$13.2K
-50.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,170 ₩1.6M
$2,588 MX$48.2K
-54.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$739 ₩991.0K
$1,406 MX$26.2K
-47.41%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,222 ₩9.7M
$3,631 MX$67.6K
98.91%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,555 ₩7.4M
$2,135 MX$39.8K
160.19%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Gyeongju
Mexico City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,898 ₩2.5M
$946 MX$17.6K
100.65%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.22
11.35
-62.82%

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

Last update for Gyeongju: October 25, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Gyeongju
$364
Mexico City
$320 12.3% $45
Accommodation & Living
Gyeongju
$354
Mexico City
$710 101% $356
Eating Out
Gyeongju
$145
Mexico City
$199 36.7% $53
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gyeongju
$144
Mexico City
$126 12.8% $18
Clothing & Footwear
Gyeongju
$131
Mexico City
$156 19.3% $25
Sport & Entertainment
Gyeongju
$77
Mexico City
$72 7.1% $5.5
Getting Around
Gyeongju
$11 *
Mexico City
$25 132% $15

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Gyeongju versus $1,113 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 in Gyeongju are about 2 times higher, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49 in Gyeongju versus $48 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $364 vs $320 – making Mexico City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇰🇷 Gyeongju
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🕒 Local time
14:28 2:28 PM
23:28 11:28 PM
15 h behind Gyeongju
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
258,156
9,209,944 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to KRW – South Korean Won Converter

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 1,340 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.46 USD). 1 EUR = 1,492 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.7 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 18.63 MXN (100 MXN = 5.37 USD). 1 EUR = 20.74 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Gyeongju Mexico City 12,040 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Gyeongju
  • Mexico City

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Gyeongju cheaper than Mexico City?
Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 31%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,841 per month in Gyeongju and $2,412 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Gyeongju, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $490 there versus $1,113 in Mexico City.
How do food prices compare in Gyeongju and in Mexico City?
Interestingly, groceries are about 12% cheaper in Mexico City – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $633 per month in Gyeongju and $432 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Gyeongju or in Mexico City?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Gyeongju, where all-in costs run around $1,227, than in Mexico City at $1,608. In Gyeongju it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Gyeongju or in Mexico City?
It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,227 in Gyeongju to $1,608 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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