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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,467 per month in Mexico City vs $1,334 in Jeju, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Mexico City vs $2,290 in Jeju, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Mexico City vs $3,246 in Jeju, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 10% more than Jeju, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mexico City and Jeju sit above the global median – Mexico City by 10%, Jeju by 0%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$6.71 ₩10.2K

96.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$51.2 ₩77.5K

5.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$4.04 ₩6,124

133.17%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$5.21 ₩7,898

-31.86%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$2.42 ₩3,660

-33.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.72 ₩1,087

54.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$3.98 ₩6,034

-21.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$5.71 ₩8,658

-18.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$2.14 ₩3,248

-20.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$2.25 ₩3,404

20.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$2.23 ₩3,379

-14.35%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$2.61 ₩3,952

-2.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$10.53 ₩16.0K

-4.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$8.47 ₩12.8K

-4.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$27.80 ₩42.1K

-58.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$7.66 ₩11.6K

-61.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$3.12 ₩4,735

-41.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$5.68 ₩8,600

-64.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$5.35 ₩8,109

-62.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$3.02 ₩4,576

-29.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$1.89 ₩2,865

20.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$2.17 ₩3,292

-35.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$0.46 ₩695

145.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$3.25 ₩4,925

31.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$16.99 ₩25.7K

-8.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$1.90 ₩2,881

-7.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$1.61 ₩2,442

123.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.86 ₩1,305

-55.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$2.53 ₩3,840

-45.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$0.53 ₩800

-47.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$8.57 ₩13.0K

-36.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$1.26 ₩1,913

3.17%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$28.0K ₩42.4M

-33.27%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$24.8K ₩37.5M

-6.66%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$159 ₩240.9K

-74.30%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$34.67 ₩52.5K

-22.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$19.46 ₩29.5K

53.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$36.23 ₩54.9K

43.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$10.88 ₩16.5K

-42.10%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$367 ₩556.3K

18.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$24.3K ₩36.8M

-57.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$51.3 ₩77.7K

10.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$29.51 ₩44.7K

50.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$66.3 ₩100.5K

55.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$89.4 ₩135.5K

17.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$501 ₩759.2K

103.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$402 ₩609.2K

56.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$1,017 ₩1.5M

110.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$1,149 ₩1.7M

8.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$9,790 ₩14.8M

-60.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$5,331 ₩8.1M

-61.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$1,672 ₩2.5M

-33.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

4.14

173.91%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Jeju: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,022 in Mexico City versus $501 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 50% 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 $54.0 in Mexico City versus $51.0 in Jeju. Groceries tell a different story – $288 in Mexico City vs $401 in Jeju – 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 Jeju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 10%, 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 $2,201 per month in Mexico City and $2,001 in Jeju. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Jeju, 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 $51.0 in Jeju. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 39% 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 Jeju, where all-in costs run around $1,334, than in Mexico City at $1,467. In Jeju it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Jeju – 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 Jeju. 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.