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 $1,472 per month in Mexico City vs $1,440 in Chungju, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,359 per month in Mexico City vs $2,255 in Chungju, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,245 per month in Mexico City vs $3,071 in Chungju, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 2% more than Chungju, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$7.07 ₩10.2K

85.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$37.22 ₩53.5K

43.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$5.91 ₩8,501

57.87%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$4.14 ₩5,961

-10.63%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$1.87 ₩2,684

-14.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$1.40 ₩2,009

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$3.57 ₩5,140

-12.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$5.85 ₩8,413

-17.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$2.25 ₩3,236

-26.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$2.88 ₩4,142

-5.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$3.06 ₩4,403

-37.58%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$3.02 ₩4,349

-14.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$10.62 ₩15.3K

-7.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$7.28 ₩10.5K

15.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$27.08 ₩38.9K

-55.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$8.25 ₩11.9K

-64.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$3.10 ₩4,454

-43.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$7.20 ₩10.4K

-71.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$5.14 ₩7,388

-59.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$5.04 ₩7,251

-57.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$3.00 ₩4,319

-24.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$2.05 ₩2,945

-32.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$1.20 ₩1,728

-6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$3.35 ₩4,812

25.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$16.84 ₩24.2K

3.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$1.70 ₩2,445

0.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$2.97 ₩4,269

22.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$1.10 ₩1,586

-68.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$3.48 ₩5,004

-60.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$0.86 ₩1,236

-67.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$16.46 ₩23.7K

-67.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$1.16 ₩1,673

17.24%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$27.5K ₩39.5M

-30.46%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$25.2K ₩36.3M

-6.48%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$189 ₩271.9K

-78.56%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$26.32 ₩37.9K

4.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$27.14 ₩39.0K

11.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$48.59 ₩69.9K

7.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$11.25 ₩16.2K

-44.98%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$482 ₩692.7K

-11.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$14.2K ₩20.5M

-24.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$74.1 ₩106.6K

-21.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$36.23 ₩52.1K

23.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$73.7 ₩106.0K

40.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$110 ₩158.4K

-1.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$451 ₩648.3K

124.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$376 ₩540.9K

65.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$1,079 ₩1.6M

96.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$774 ₩1.1M

57.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

$7,363 ₩10.6M

-48.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

$5,129 ₩7.4M

-58.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$1,543 ₩2.2M

-31.79%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Chungju: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,014 in Mexico City versus $451 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 47% higher in Chungju, 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 $37.00 in Chungju. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Mexico City vs $431 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

Mexico City costs about 2% more than Chungju, 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 $2,208 per month in Mexico City and $2,160 in Chungju. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chungju, 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 $1,472 in Mexico City and $1,440 in Chungju. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $425 per month in Mexico City and $482 in Chungju. 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 Chungju, where all-in costs run around $1,440, than in Mexico City at $1,472. In Chungju 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. Chungju costs $1,440 versus $1,472 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 Chungju. 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.