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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $1,175 in Changwon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $1,792 in Changwon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $2,409 in Changwon.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 43% more expensive than in Changwon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 22% above, Changwon is 15% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$7.31 ₩9,808

66.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$27.35 ₩36.7K

97.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$5.35 ₩7,169

107.29%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$3.60 ₩4,831

13.89%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$1.81 ₩2,423

-7.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$0.94 ₩1,256

47.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$2.91 ₩3,902

14.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$4.36 ₩5,847

34.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$2.31 ₩3,091

-19.91%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$3.13 ₩4,191

1.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$3.15 ₩4,228

-34.29%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$2.60 ₩3,489

12.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$11.06 ₩14.8K

13.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$10.52 ₩14.1K

-3.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$24.67 ₩33.1K

-34.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$11.29 ₩15.1K

-69.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$3.67 ₩4,926

-43.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$7.83 ₩10.5K

-72.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$5.89 ₩7,897

-59.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$5.89 ₩7,898

-63.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$3.27 ₩4,390

-38.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$2.85 ₩3,818

-45.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$1.33 ₩1,788

2.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$3.40 ₩4,560

69.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$18.84 ₩25.3K

-5.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$2.34 ₩3,141

-11.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$3.50 ₩4,688

31.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$2.92 ₩3,920

-29.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$0.76 ₩1,023

-23.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$16.94 ₩22.7K

-64.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$1.32 ₩1,771

17.42%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$29.5K ₩39.6M

-22.56%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$33.5K ₩44.9M

-18.71%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$198 ₩265.3K

-65.93%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$35.58 ₩47.7K

-13.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$26.96 ₩36.2K

38.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

$52.4 ₩70.3K

17.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$11.03 ₩14.8K

-35.54%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$630 ₩844.5K

-27.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$22.0K ₩29.5M

-37.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$106 ₩141.6K

-29.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$65.4 ₩87.7K

-12.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$93.0 ₩124.7K

24.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$126 ₩168.9K

-3.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$1,661 ₩2.2M

-34.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

4.22

167.77%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Changwon: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Changwon pays 54% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $27.00 in Changwon. Groceries flip the comparison at $345 vs $484, 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

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

Mexico City and Changwon differ by about 43% in total monthly costs ($1,677 vs $1,175 including rent). Changwon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 54% lower in Changwon. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Shoppers in Mexico City pay roughly 40% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,677 per month in Mexico City versus $1,175 in Changwon – a 43% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,175 in Changwon versus $1,677 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Changwon but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Changwon 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, Mexico City and Changwon 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 Changwon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.