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 $1,448 per month in Mexico City vs $1,468 in Icheon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,354 per month in Mexico City vs $2,256 in Icheon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,260 per month in Mexico City vs $3,043 in Icheon, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.96 MX$223

$6.22 ₩9,400

108.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.3 MX$900

$36.85 ₩55.7K

42.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.69 MX$167

$6.09 ₩9,208

59.11%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$64.6

$4.17 ₩6,303

-10.07%

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

$1.56 MX$26.91

$1.27 ₩1,925

22.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$19.93

$1.15 ₩1,736

0.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 MX$55.8

$3.71 ₩5,611

-12.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 MX$84.3

$5.92 ₩8,945

-17.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.29

$2.28 ₩3,451

-25.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 MX$45.90

$3.63 ₩5,488

-26.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.49

$3.06 ₩4,630

-38.24%

Eggs

$2.52 MX$43.37

$2.88 ₩4,351

-12.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 MX$172

$10.59 ₩16.0K

-5.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.53 MX$147

$8.14 ₩12.3K

4.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$205

$27.95 ₩42.2K

-57.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.1

$8.39 ₩12.7K

-64.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 MX$30.88

$3.17 ₩4,788

-43.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.40

$7.22 ₩10.9K

-72.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.74

$5.39 ₩8,139

-63.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.21

$5.12 ₩7,733

-57.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.04

$2.91 ₩4,390

-21.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.14

$2.11 ₩3,194

-33.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.18

$1.21 ₩1,835

-8.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$72.2

$3.34 ₩5,052

25.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.54 MX$285

$16.54 ₩25.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.94

$1.77 ₩2,668

-5.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 MX$61.8

$3.47 ₩5,249

3.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.65

$1.13 ₩1,704

-65.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.19 MX$330

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.77

$3.60 ₩5,436

-61.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.19

$0.85 ₩1,290

-64.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.7

$16.68 ₩25.2K

-67.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 MX$22.13

$1.22 ₩1,849

5.74%

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

$18.9K MX$325.1K

$27.3K ₩41.3M

-30.85%

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

$23.8K MX$409.5K

$25.1K ₩37.9M

-5.17%

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

$39.86 MX$686

$187 ₩282.7K

-78.69%

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

$27.83 MX$479

$51.4 ₩77.6K

-45.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.77 MX$512

$27.96 ₩42.2K

6.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$894

$21.84 ₩33.0K

137.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.22 MX$451

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$108

$11.11 ₩16.8K

-43.56%

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

$433 MX$7,443

$498 ₩751.9K

-13.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$181.3K

$13.9K ₩21.0M

-24.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 MX$981

$101 ₩152.6K

-43.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.33 MX$780

$47.73 ₩72.1K

-5.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 MX$1,753

$87.9 ₩132.8K

15.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,867

$118 ₩178.8K

-8.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 MX$17.1K

$745 ₩1.1M

33.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 MX$10.6K

$379 ₩573.0K

62.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,086 MX$35.9K

$1,081 ₩1.6M

93.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 MX$21.6K

$762 ₩1.2M

64.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,936 MX$67.7K

$8,823 ₩13.3M

-55.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,089 MX$35.9K

$4,734 ₩7.2M

-55.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,131 MX$19.5K

$2,072 ₩3.1M

-45.40%

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Icheon: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $994 in Mexico City versus $745 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 83% higher in Icheon, 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 Icheon. Groceries tell a different story – $292 in Mexico City vs $449 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 – Icheon 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 $2,173 per month in Mexico City and $2,202 in Icheon. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 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.

Groceries cost about 54% more in Icheon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,448, than in Icheon at $1,468. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Icheon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mexico City – 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 Mexico City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Icheon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.