🙂A single person spends $1,484 per month in Mexico City vs $1,489 in Jinju, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,381 per month in Mexico City vs $2,360 in Jinju, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,278 per month in Mexico City vs $3,231 in Jinju, rent included.
🙂Mexico City and Jinju have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.
📊Both Mexico City and Jinju sit above the global median – Mexico City by 11%, Jinju by 11%.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Jinju
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.98MX$227
$8.89₩13.2K
46.01%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$53.1MX$929
$56.1₩83.2K
-5.33%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.72MX$170
$6.48₩9,609
50.00%
Cappuccino
$3.75MX$65.6
$3.89₩5,771
-3.60%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.57MX$27.46
$1.75₩2,591
-10.29%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.13MX$19.76
$0.85₩1,258
32.94%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.18MX$55.7
$3.65₩5,419
-12.88%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.66MX$81.6
$5.95₩8,826
-21.68%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Jinju
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.62MX$28.37
$2.19₩3,241
-26.03%
White Bread(500g)
$2.71MX$47.36
$3.38₩5,010
-19.82%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.88MX$32.89
$3.23₩4,787
-41.80%
Eggs
$2.51MX$43.90
$3.04₩4,504
-17.43%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.08MX$176
$14.28₩21.2K
-29.41%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$145
$10.98₩16.3K
-24.50%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.94MX$209
$34.07₩50.5K
-64.95%
Apples(1kg)
$2.86MX$50.1
$7.99₩11.8K
-64.21%
Banana(1kg)
$1.75MX$30.62
$3.63₩5,391
-51.79%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.48
$5.59₩8,294
-62.79%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.97MX$34.46
$6.48₩9,615
-69.60%
Potato(1kg)
$2.16MX$37.79
$4.03₩5,984
-46.40%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$38.16
$2.88₩4,269
-24.31%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.39MX$24.34
$2.53₩3,756
-45.06%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.12MX$19.69
$1.15₩1,708
-2.61%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20MX$73.5
$3.33₩4,943
26.13%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.25MX$249
$19.41₩28.8K
-26.58%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76MX$30.85
$2.47₩3,661
-28.74%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68MX$64.5
$3.31₩4,903
11.18%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Jinju
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.39MX$6.74
$1.07₩1,582
-63.55%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$18.66MX$327
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.39MX$24.26
$3.61₩5,352
-61.50%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.30MX$5.32
$0.53₩784
-43.40%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.42MX$94.9
$9.07₩13.4K
-40.24%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35MX$23.63
$1.21₩1,788
11.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.9KMX$330.5K
$28.0K₩41.5M
-32.46%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.2KMX$405.2K
$25.3K₩37.5M
-8.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Jinju
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$40.82MX$714
$166₩246.5K
-75.44%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.50MX$481
$34.94₩51.8K
-21.29%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.38MX$532
$21.78₩32.3K
39.49%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Jinju
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$53.4MX$935
$47.22₩70.0K
13.15%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.30MX$460
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.27MX$110
$10.90₩16.2K
-42.48%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Jinju
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$436MX$7,632
$410₩608.5K
6.31%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.5KMX$183.2K
$23.2K₩34.5M
-54.94%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Jinju
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.8MX$993
$59.2₩87.8K
-4.06%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.79MX$784
$48.19₩71.5K
-7.06%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$103MX$1,799
$78.5₩116.4K
31.02%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108MX$1,888
$115₩171.1K
-6.47%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Jinju
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,000MX$17.5K
$449₩665.3K
122.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$620MX$10.9K
$374₩554.8K
65.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,137MX$37.4K
$1,059₩1.6M
101.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,235MX$21.6K
$771₩1.1M
60.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,865MX$67.6K
$9,877₩14.7M
-60.87%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,332MX$40.8K
$4,990₩7.4M
-53.26%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Jinju
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,067MX$18.7K
-
-
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: April 27, 2026
Last update for Jinju: April 28, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,000 in Mexico City versus $449 in Jinju. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Mexico City versus $56.0 in Jinju. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 vs $497 – making Mexico City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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 Jinju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,225 per month in Mexico City and $2,233 in Jinju. 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 Mexico City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Mexico City or Jinju?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Mexico City and $56.0 in Jinju. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $436 per month in Mexico City and $410 in Jinju. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for Mexico City or Jinju?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,484, than in Jinju at $1,489. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Jinju it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Mexico City or Jinju more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Mexico City or Jinju?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Mexico City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Jinju makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Mexico City vs other spots: cost of living compared