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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,452 per month in Icheon vs $1,484 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,264 per month in Icheon vs $2,381 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,076 per month in Icheon vs $3,278 in Mexico City, rent included.

Icheon is about 2% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Icheon and Mexico City sit above the global median – Icheon by 8%, Mexico City by 11%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.35 ₩9,352

$12.98 MX$226

-51.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.50 ₩53.8K

$53.1 MX$923

-31.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.14 ₩9,045

$9.72 MX$169

-36.83%

Cappuccino

$4.01 ₩5,906

$3.75 MX$65.2

6.93%

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

$1.25 ₩1,847

$1.57 MX$27.30

-20.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 ₩1,688

$1.13 MX$19.64

1.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.57 ₩5,260

$3.18 MX$55.3

12.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.72 ₩8,421

$4.66 MX$81.1

22.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.36 ₩3,470

$1.62 MX$28.21

45.68%

White Bread (500g)

$3.58 ₩5,272

$2.71 MX$47.09

32.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.14 ₩4,628

$1.88 MX$32.70

67.02%

Eggs

$2.85 ₩4,205

$2.51 MX$43.65

13.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.67 ₩15.7K

$10.08 MX$175

5.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.00 ₩11.8K

$8.29 MX$144

-3.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.70 ₩40.8K

$11.94 MX$208

131.99%

Apples (1kg)

$8.21 ₩12.1K

$2.86 MX$49.77

187.06%

Banana (1kg)

$3.27 ₩4,823

$1.75 MX$30.45

86.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.28 ₩10.7K

$2.08 MX$36.27

250.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.22 ₩7,696

$1.97 MX$34.27

164.97%

Potato (1kg)

$5.08 ₩7,490

$2.16 MX$37.58

135.19%

Onion (1kg)

$3.06 ₩4,512

$2.18 MX$37.94

40.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 ₩3,059

$1.39 MX$24.20

49.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₩1,777

$1.12 MX$19.57

8.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ₩4,765

$4.20 MX$73.1

-23.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.89 ₩24.9K

$14.25 MX$248

18.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₩2,510

$1.76 MX$30.68

-3.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 ₩5,150

$3.68 MX$64.1

-4.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 ₩1,589

$0.39 MX$6.71

176.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$325

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 ₩5,097

$1.39 MX$24.12

148.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ₩1,149

$0.30 MX$5.29

160.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.33 ₩24.1K

$5.42 MX$94.3

201.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ₩1,804

$1.35 MX$23.50

-9.63%

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

$27.7K ₩40.8M

$18.9K MX$328.6K

46.57%

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

$25.4K ₩37.4M

$23.2K MX$402.8K

9.58%

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

$190 ₩279.5K

$40.82 MX$710

364.75%

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

$50.2 ₩74.0K

$27.50 MX$479

82.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.70 ₩40.8K

$30.38 MX$529

-8.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.95 ₩32.3K

$53.4 MX$930

-58.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$11.16 ₩16.4K

$6.27 MX$109

77.99%

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

$486 ₩716.6K

$436 MX$7,588

11.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K ₩20.6M

$10.5K MX$182.1K

33.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 ₩154.4K

$56.8 MX$988

84.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.44 ₩71.4K

$44.79 MX$779

8.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 ₩129.1K

$103 MX$1,789

-14.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 ₩175.1K

$108 MX$1,878

10.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$747 ₩1.1M

$1,000 MX$17.4K

-25.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 ₩544.1K

$620 MX$10.8K

-40.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,081 ₩1.6M

$2,137 MX$37.2K

-49.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$770 ₩1.1M

$1,235 MX$21.5K

-37.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,419 ₩12.4M

$3,865 MX$67.3K

117.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,490 ₩8.1M

$2,332 MX$40.6K

135.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,092 ₩3.1M

$1,067 MX$18.6K

95.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.9

11.34

-65.61%

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

Last update for Icheon: April 27, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $747 in Icheon versus $1,000 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 96% higher in Icheon, 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 $36.00 in Icheon versus $53.0 in Mexico City. Groceries tell a different story – $448 in Icheon vs $286 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

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

Yes – Mexico City 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 $2,178 per month in Icheon and $2,225 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Icheon and $53.0 in Mexico City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 57% cheaper in Mexico City – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Icheon, where all-in costs run around $1,452, than in Mexico City at $1,484. In Icheon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Icheon – 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 Icheon. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.