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 $1,484 per month in Mexico City vs $1,456 in Chungju, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,381 per month in Mexico City vs $2,235 in Chungju, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,278 per month in Mexico City vs $3,014 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 9%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$7.33 ₩10.9K

77.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$37.07 ₩55.0K

43.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$6.17 ₩9,153

57.54%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$4.08 ₩6,047

-8.09%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$1.82 ₩2,695

-13.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$1.35 ₩1,999

-16.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$3.63 ₩5,381

-12.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$5.85 ₩8,675

-20.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$2.17 ₩3,216

-25.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$2.92 ₩4,334

-7.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$3.12 ₩4,630

-39.74%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$3.00 ₩4,448

-16.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$10.42 ₩15.5K

-3.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$7.54 ₩11.2K

9.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$27.32 ₩40.5K

-56.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$8.39 ₩12.4K

-65.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$3.14 ₩4,661

-44.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$7.53 ₩11.2K

-72.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$5.37 ₩7,962

-63.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$5.10 ₩7,566

-57.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$2.96 ₩4,395

-26.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$2.07 ₩3,077

-32.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$1.21 ₩1,795

-7.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$3.26 ₩4,838

28.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$16.65 ₩24.7K

-14.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$1.77 ₩2,622

-0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$2.99 ₩4,434

23.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$1.12 ₩1,658

-65.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$3.60 ₩5,337

-61.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$0.85 ₩1,260

-64.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$16.69 ₩24.8K

-67.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$1.17 ₩1,740

15.38%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$27.5K ₩40.8M

-31.28%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$25.0K ₩37.1M

-7.45%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$188 ₩279.4K

-78.33%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$26.89 ₩39.9K

2.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$27.11 ₩40.2K

12.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$47.86 ₩71.0K

11.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$11.19 ₩16.6K

-43.97%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$495 ₩734.0K

-11.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$14.2K ₩21.1M

-26.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$73.9 ₩109.6K

-23.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$37.16 ₩55.1K

20.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$73.2 ₩108.6K

40.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$111 ₩164.3K

-2.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$460 ₩683.0K

117.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$381 ₩565.3K

62.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$1,057 ₩1.6M

102.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$778 ₩1.2M

58.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

$9,683 ₩14.4M

-60.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

$5,755 ₩8.5M

-59.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$1,504 ₩2.2M

-29.06%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chungju: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,000 in Mexico City versus $460 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 41% 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 $53.0 in Mexico City versus $37.00 in Chungju. Groceries tell a different story – $286 in Mexico City vs $436 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 $2,225 per month in Mexico City and $2,184 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 $1,484 in Mexico City and $1,456 in Chungju. 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 $495 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 $1,456, than in Mexico City at $1,484. 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 $1,456 versus $1,484 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.