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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,448 per month in Mexico City vs $1,460 in Chungju, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,354 per month in Mexico City vs $2,241 in Chungju, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,260 per month in Mexico City vs $3,021 in Chungju, rent included.

Mexico City is about 1% cheaper than Chungju, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mexico City and Chungju sit above the global median – Mexico City by 9%, Chungju by 10%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.96 MX$223

$7.18 ₩10.9K

80.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.3 MX$900

$37.33 ₩56.4K

40.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.69 MX$167

$6.18 ₩9,334

56.80%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$64.6

$4.02 ₩6,078

-6.72%

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

$1.56 MX$26.91

$1.85 ₩2,800

-15.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$19.93

$1.39 ₩2,101

-16.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 MX$55.8

$3.61 ₩5,451

-10.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 MX$84.3

$5.75 ₩8,685

-14.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.29

$2.17 ₩3,286

-21.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 MX$45.90

$2.87 ₩4,342

-6.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.49

$3.11 ₩4,699

-39.23%

Eggs

$2.52 MX$43.37

$2.99 ₩4,517

-15.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 MX$172

$10.28 ₩15.5K

-2.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.53 MX$147

$7.37 ₩11.1K

15.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$205

$27.31 ₩41.3K

-56.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.1

$8.41 ₩12.7K

-64.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 MX$30.88

$3.26 ₩4,922

-45.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.40

$7.51 ₩11.3K

-73.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.74

$5.31 ₩8,024

-63.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.21

$5.08 ₩7,675

-57.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.04

$3.02 ₩4,561

-24.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.14

$2.02 ₩3,052

-30.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.18

$1.19 ₩1,803

-6.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$72.2

$3.22 ₩4,872

30.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.54 MX$285

$16.60 ₩25.1K

-0.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.94

$1.70 ₩2,576

-1.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 MX$61.8

$2.86 ₩4,316

25.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.65

$1.10 ₩1,669

-64.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.19 MX$330

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.77

$3.51 ₩5,304

-60.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.19

$0.79 ₩1,192

-62.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.7

$16.59 ₩25.1K

-67.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 MX$22.13

$1.21 ₩1,824

6.61%

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

$18.9K MX$325.1K

$27.8K ₩42.0M

-31.97%

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

$23.8K MX$409.5K

$24.8K ₩37.4M

-3.93%

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

$39.86 MX$686

$189 ₩285.2K

-78.88%

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

$27.83 MX$479

$26.49 ₩40.0K

5.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.77 MX$512

$27.01 ₩40.8K

10.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$894

$46.97 ₩71.0K

10.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.22 MX$451

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$108

$11.29 ₩17.1K

-44.46%

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

$433 MX$7,443

$493 ₩745.4K

-12.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$181.3K

$14.3K ₩21.6M

-26.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 MX$981

$72.6 ₩109.6K

-21.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.33 MX$780

$36.68 ₩55.4K

23.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 MX$1,753

$72.1 ₩108.9K

41.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,867

$108 ₩163.5K

0.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 MX$17.1K

$454 ₩685.8K

118.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 MX$10.6K

$383 ₩579.3K

60.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,086 MX$35.9K

$1,071 ₩1.6M

94.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 MX$21.6K

$752 ₩1.1M

66.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,936 MX$67.7K

$9,709 ₩14.7M

-59.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,089 MX$35.9K

$5,204 ₩7.9M

-59.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,131 MX$19.5K

$1,472 ₩2.2M

-23.14%

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Chungju: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $994 in Mexico City versus $454 in Chungju. 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 30% higher in Chungju, 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 $52.0 in Mexico City versus $37.00 in Chungju. Groceries tell a different story – $292 in Mexico City vs $434 in Chungju – 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 Chungju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chungju costs about 1% more than Mexico City, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,173 per month in Mexico City and $2,190 in Chungju. 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 $1,448 in Mexico City and $1,460 in Chungju. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $433 per month in Mexico City and $493 in Chungju. 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 $1,448, than in Chungju at $1,460. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chungju it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mexico City costs $1,448 versus $1,460 in Chungju. 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 Mexico City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chungju makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.