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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,472 per month in Mexico City vs $1,450 in Icheon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,359 per month in Mexico City vs $2,276 in Icheon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,245 per month in Mexico City vs $3,101 in Icheon, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 1% more than Icheon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mexico City and Icheon sit above the global median – Mexico City by 11%, Icheon by 9%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$6.19 ₩8,905

112.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$37.33 ₩53.7K

43.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$6.18 ₩8,894

50.97%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$4.05 ₩5,832

-8.64%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$1.30 ₩1,873

23.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$1.20 ₩1,729

-6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$3.75 ₩5,397

-16.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$6.01 ₩8,649

-19.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$2.34 ₩3,360

-29.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$3.49 ₩5,020

-22.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$3.10 ₩4,460

-38.39%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$2.89 ₩4,156

-10.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$10.29 ₩14.8K

-4.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$8.08 ₩11.6K

4.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$28.05 ₩40.3K

-57.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$8.53 ₩12.3K

-65.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$3.15 ₩4,535

-44.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$7.56 ₩10.9K

-73.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$5.31 ₩7,636

-61.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$5.02 ₩7,219

-57.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$2.95 ₩4,250

-23.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$2.01 ₩2,887

-30.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$1.17 ₩1,676

-4.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$3.35 ₩4,825

25.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$16.91 ₩24.3K

3.55%

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

$3.44 ₩4,945

5.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$1.13 ₩1,623

-69.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$3.57 ₩5,142

-61.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$0.79 ₩1,133

-64.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$16.68 ₩24.0K

-68.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$1.21 ₩1,746

12.40%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$27.8K ₩40.0M

-31.31%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$25.1K ₩36.1M

-5.94%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$190 ₩273.2K

-78.66%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$50.1 ₩72.0K

-45.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$28.03 ₩40.3K

8.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$22.43 ₩32.3K

132.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$11.09 ₩16.0K

-44.18%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$488 ₩701.4K

-12.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$13.9K ₩19.9M

-22.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$102 ₩146.8K

-42.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$47.77 ₩68.7K

-6.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$87.6 ₩126.0K

18.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$117 ₩168.7K

-7.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$724 ₩1.0M

40.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$378 ₩543.3K

64.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$1,085 ₩1.6M

95.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$772 ₩1.1M

58.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$2,116 ₩3.0M

-50.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

3.9

190.77%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for Icheon: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,014 in Mexico City versus $724 in Icheon. 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 101% higher in Icheon, 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 Icheon. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Mexico City vs $448 in Icheon – 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 Icheon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 1%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,208 per month in Mexico City and $2,175 in Icheon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Icheon, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City and $37.00 in Icheon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 53% cheaper in Mexico City – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Icheon, where all-in costs run around $1,450, than in Mexico City at $1,472. In Icheon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Icheon – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Icheon. 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.