Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Jeju

For one person, living is cheaper in Jeju: $1,118 a month against $1,608 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Mexico City, Mexico
Jeju, South Korea
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,608
/mo nomad
Jeju
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,118
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Jeju

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mexico City and in Jeju actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,608 per month in Mexico City vs $1,118 in Jeju, rent included.

  • Mexico City $1,608
  • Jeju $1,118

A couple spends around $2,549 per month in Mexico City vs $1,917 in Jeju, rent included.

  • Mexico City $2,549
  • Jeju $1,917

A family of three spends $3,490 per month in Mexico City vs $2,715 in Jeju, rent included.

  • Mexico City $3,490
  • Jeju $2,715

Mexico City costs about 44% more than Jeju, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Mexico City sits 18% above the global median, while Jeju is 18% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Jeju
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.62 MX$199
$7.33 ₩9,784
44.88%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.35 MX$908
$51.9 ₩69.2K
-6.79%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.35 MX$194
$5.61 ₩7,495
84.49%
Cappuccino
$3.69 MX$69.3
$5.87 ₩7,834
-37.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.67 MX$31.29
$2.19 ₩2,924
-23.74%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.76
$2.06 ₩2,753
-38.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.19 MX$59.9
$3.93 ₩5,245
-18.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.31 MX$99.6
$3.07 ₩4,102
72.96%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Jeju
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 MX$32.38
$2.26 ₩3,017
-23.89%
White Bread (500g)
$3.04 MX$57.1
$2.31 ₩3,079
31.60%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.44
$2.31 ₩3,085
-16.02%
Eggs
$2.89 MX$54.2
$2.62 ₩3,498
10.31%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.97 MX$206
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.25 MX$174
-
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.13 MX$284
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$3.05 MX$57.2
-
-
Banana (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.45
$2.20 ₩2,940
-11.82%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.03 MX$38.02
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$2.31 MX$43.46
-
-
Potato (1kg)
$2.04 MX$38.21
$2.97 ₩3,960
-31.31%
Onion (1kg)
$1.80 MX$33.79
$1.87 ₩2,496
-3.74%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.48 MX$27.77
$2.28 ₩3,038
-35.09%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.80
$0.47 ₩624
170.21%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.30 MX$99.6
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$16.10 MX$302
$11.48 ₩15.3K
40.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.98 MX$37.23
$1.85 ₩2,465
7.03%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.25 MX$79.8
$1.72 ₩2,295
147.09%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Jeju
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.31 MX$5.73
$0.99 ₩1,321
-68.69%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.73 MX$371
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.84 MX$34.50
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.53 MX$10.02
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.30 MX$99.4
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.51 MX$28.36
$1.37 ₩1,835
10.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.8K MX$408.4K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.0K MX$450.3K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Jeju
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$63.0 MX$1,182
$214 ₩285.7K
-70.57%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.39 MX$514
$54.0 ₩72.0K
-49.24%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.67 MX$670
$19.65 ₩26.2K
81.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Jeju
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.9 MX$1,107
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.64 MX$444
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.40 MX$120
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Jeju
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$432 MX$8,103
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.4K MX$214.5K
$25.3K ₩33.8M
-54.85%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Jeju
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$68.2 MX$1,281
$52.7 ₩70.3K
29.52%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.1 MX$997
$29.78 ₩39.8K
78.41%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$108 MX$2,023
$66.6 ₩88.9K
61.90%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$117 MX$2,202
$90.8 ₩121.2K
29.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Jeju
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,113 MX$20.9K
$461 ₩615.2K
141.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$710 MX$13.3K
$388 ₩518.2K
83.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,588 MX$48.6K
$1,372 ₩1.8M
88.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,406 MX$26.4K
$1,192 ₩1.6M
17.92%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,631 MX$68.2K
$10.8K ₩14.4M
-66.26%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,135 MX$40.1K
$6,659 ₩8.9M
-67.94%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Jeju
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$946 MX$17.8K
$1,883 ₩2.5M
-49.76%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.35
0
-

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 25, 2026

Last update for Jeju: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
$710
Jeju
–
Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
$320
Jeju
–
Eating Out
Mexico City
$199
Jeju
–
Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
$156
Jeju
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
$126
Jeju
–
Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
$72
Jeju
–
Getting Around
Mexico City
$25
Jeju
–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,113 in Mexico City versus $461 in Jeju. 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 99% higher in Jeju, 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 $48 in Mexico City versus $52 in Jeju. Groceries tell a different story – $320 in Mexico City vs $142 in Jeju – so Jeju wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🇰🇷 Jeju
🕒 Local time
13:20 1:20 PM
04:20 4:20 AM
15 h ahead of Mexico City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,209,944 Capital
469,279
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

KRW, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 18.77 MXN (100 MXN = 5.33 USD). 1 EUR = 20.96 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

South Korean Won exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 1,335 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.49 USD). 1 EUR = 1,491 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.71 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mexico City Jeju 12,390 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mexico City
  • Jeju

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Jeju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Jeju cheaper than Mexico City?
Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 44%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,412 per month in Mexico City and $1,677 in Jeju. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Jeju, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $461 there versus $1,113 in Mexico City.
How do food prices compare in Mexico City and in Jeju?
Groceries cost about 126% more in Mexico City, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is eating out cheaper in Mexico City or in Jeju?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $48 in Mexico City and $52 in Jeju. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Mexico City or in Jeju?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jeju, where all-in costs run around $1,118, than in Mexico City at $1,608. In Jeju it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Mexico City or in Jeju?
It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,118 in Jeju to $1,608 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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