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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,467 per month in Mexico City vs $1,274 in Cheonan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Mexico City vs $1,957 in Cheonan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Mexico City vs $2,640 in Cheonan, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 15% more than Cheonan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 10% above the global median, while Cheonan is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$5.71 ₩8,745

130.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$934

$21.99 ₩33.7K

145.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$4.84 ₩7,420

94.63%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.5

$2.14 ₩3,283

65.89%

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

$1.62 MX$28.03

$1.20 ₩1,845

35.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.31

$0.48 ₩735

131.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.1

$2.55 ₩3,900

22.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.2

$3.72 ₩5,696

24.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.48

$1.50 ₩2,295

13.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.10

$3.52 ₩5,387

-22.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.13

$3.03 ₩4,644

-36.96%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.94

$1.73 ₩2,647

46.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$10.60 ₩16.2K

-5.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$8.33 ₩12.8K

-2.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$11.97 ₩18.3K

-2.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.4

$7.33 ₩11.2K

-59.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.30

$2.50 ₩3,825

-27.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.88

$5.57 ₩8,541

-63.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.26

$5.31 ₩8,144

-61.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.82

$4.99 ₩7,651

-57.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.32

$2.95 ₩4,527

-23.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.26

$0.92 ₩1,411

52.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.59

$1.06 ₩1,619

6.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$74.0

$3.29 ₩5,034

29.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$270

$16.68 ₩25.6K

-6.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.44

$1.77 ₩2,709

-0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.3

$1.50 ₩2,296

140.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.64

$1.12 ₩1,712

-66.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.84

$2.96 ₩4,528

-53.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.79

$0.84 ₩1,289

-66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.4

$16.77 ₩25.7K

-67.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.60

$1.16 ₩1,780

12.07%

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

$18.7K MX$323.8K

$27.8K ₩42.5M

-32.71%

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

$23.1K MX$400.8K

$25.3K ₩38.7M

-8.49%

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

$40.86 MX$708

$141 ₩215.5K

-70.95%

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

$26.81 MX$465

$50.6 ₩77.5K

-47.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$519

$9.97 ₩15.3K

200.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$901

$48.28 ₩74.0K

7.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$465

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$7.57 ₩11.6K

-16.78%

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

$436 MX$7,558

$492 ₩754.0K

-11.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.5K

$14.1K ₩21.6M

-25.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$982

$102 ₩156.0K

-44.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$769

$48.01 ₩73.6K

-7.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,784

$74.2 ₩113.7K

38.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,829

$110 ₩168.5K

-4.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$453 ₩693.8K

125.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$378 ₩578.7K

67.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$37.0K

$1,072 ₩1.6M

99.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$774 ₩1.2M

60.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.6K

$9,773 ₩15.0M

-60.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.8K

$5,779 ₩8.9M

-64.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$1,579 ₩2.4M

-29.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

4.22

168.72%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Cheonan: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,022 in Mexico City versus $453 in Cheonan. 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 42% higher in Cheonan, 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 $54.0 in Mexico City versus $22.00 in Cheonan. Groceries tell a different story – $288 in Mexico City vs $362 in Cheonan – 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

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

Mexico City costs about 15% more than Cheonan, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,201 per month in Mexico City and $1,910 in Cheonan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cheonan, 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 $1,467 in Mexico City and $1,274 in Cheonan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $436 per month in Mexico City and $492 in Cheonan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Cheonan, where all-in costs run around $1,274, than in Mexico City at $1,467. In Cheonan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cheonan costs $1,274 versus $1,467 in Mexico City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Cheonan. 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.