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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $733 in Ongjin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $1,149 in Ongjin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $1,564 in Ongjin.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 125% more expensive than in Ongjin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 20% above, Ongjin is 47% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$205

$2.93 $2.93

313.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$883

$23.17 $23.17

125.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$184

$7.89 $7.89

38.15%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.5

$1.18 $1.18

243.22%

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

$1.72 MX$29.00

$1.00 $1.00

72.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.29

$1.01 $1.01

36.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.6

$6.95 $6.95

-50.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.2

$2.36 $2.36

146.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.33

$0.95 $0.95

94.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.5

$1.67 $1.67

92.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.25

$2.26 $2.26

-7.52%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.18

$3.27 $3.27

-11.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$211

$4.61 $4.61

170.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$2.26 $2.26

347.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$269

$5.87 $5.87

170.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.0

$7.08 $7.08

-53.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.95

$4.73 $4.73

-54.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.03

$2.36 $2.36

-7.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.37

$2.26 $2.26

8.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.00

$3.54 $3.54

-38.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.20

$3.59 $3.59

-47.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.31

$2.30 $2.30

-29.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.82

$0.48 $0.48

181.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$91.7

$4.72 $4.72

15.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$297

$7.94 $7.94

121.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.96

$1.15 $1.15

80.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.2

$2.36 $2.36

101.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.75

$1.07 $1.07

-68.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$365

$40.70 $40.70

-46.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.49

$1.60 $1.60

27.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.77

$2.34 $2.34

-75.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

$41.75 $41.75

-85.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.31

$0.74 $0.74

118.92%

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

$22.8K MX$385.6K

$23.1K $23.1K

-1.45%

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

$26.7K MX$450.7K

$28.6K $28.6K

-6.68%

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

$65.2 MX$1,103

$34.48 $34.48

89.21%

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

$29.87 MX$505

$11.80 $11.80

153.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$618

$45.72 $45.72

-20.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,031

$43.88 $43.88

39.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

$14.82 $14.82

80.16%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$7.92 $7.92

-13.51%

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

$453 MX$7,664

$112 $112

303.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$226.0K

$2,151 $2,151

521.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,267

$22.93 $22.93

226.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$935

$29.35 $29.35

88.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,920

$64.0 $64.0

77.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,073

$87.2 $87.2

40.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.2K

$94.3 $94.3

1102.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.0K

$92.4 $92.4

670.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.5K

$2,279 $2,279

12.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.2K

$141 $141

826.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.5K

$1,773 $1,773

125.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

$1,462 $1,462

43.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

$219 $219

378.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

7.11

58.93%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Last update for Ongjin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,134 in Mexico City and $94.3 in Ongjin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 379% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $23.00 in Ongjin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $235 per month, with Ongjin cheaper across the board.

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 Ongjin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Ongjin differ by about 125% in total monthly costs ($1,646 vs $733 including rent). Ongjin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 379% higher in Mexico City, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,134 in Mexico City versus $94.3 in Ongjin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ongjin runs roughly 89% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $453 in Mexico City versus $112 in Ongjin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $733 in Ongjin versus $1,646 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ongjin but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Ongjin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Ongjin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ongjin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 125% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.