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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $1,661 in Seongnam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $2,454 in Seongnam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $3,248 in Seongnam.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 13% less than in Seongnam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 8% above, Seongnam 24% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$5.82 ₩8,835

123.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$42.89 ₩65.1K

22.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$4.46 ₩6,768

111.43%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$3.88 ₩5,891

-7.99%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$1.52 ₩2,301

5.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.79 ₩1,192

45.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$2.55 ₩3,870

23.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$3.64 ₩5,532

33.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$2.24 ₩3,398

-24.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$2.12 ₩3,224

24.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$3.23 ₩4,904

-41.18%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$3.07 ₩4,666

-17.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$9.42 ₩14.3K

7.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$7.38 ₩11.2K

12.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$34.03 ₩51.7K

-66.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$7.91 ₩12.0K

-61.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$3.46 ₩5,261

-50.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$5.51 ₩8,371

-62.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$6.43 ₩9,770

-67.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$3.59 ₩5,456

-42.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$2.96 ₩4,491

-26.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$2.56 ₩3,882

-45.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.95 ₩1,435

17.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$3.22 ₩4,889

33.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$16.20 ₩24.6K

-4.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.82 ₩2,771

-8.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$1.89 ₩2,863

95.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$1.05 ₩1,594

-63.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$3.58 ₩5,440

-61.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.54 ₩812

-48.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$8.69 ₩13.2K

-37.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.20 ₩1,818

6.67%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$27.2K ₩41.3M

-30.20%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$24.9K ₩37.8M

-5.73%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$165 ₩250.4K

-75.12%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$34.89 ₩53.0K

-22.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$22.27 ₩33.8K

33.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$46.97 ₩71.3K

11.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$11.11 ₩16.9K

-44.37%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$410 ₩622.1K

4.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$23.3K ₩35.4M

-54.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$59.4 ₩90.2K

-4.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$46.64 ₩70.8K

-3.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$78.3 ₩118.9K

33.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$116 ₩175.6K

-8.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$440 ₩668.1K

126.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$660 ₩1.0M

-5.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$1,085 ₩1.6M

95.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$1,026 ₩1.6M

22.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$13.6K ₩20.6M

-71.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$5,955 ₩9.0M

-64.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$4,328 ₩6.6M

-74.42%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Seongnam: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $440 in Seongnam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seongnam pays 291% 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: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $43.00 in Seongnam. Groceries flip the comparison at $288 vs $434, with Mexico City cheaper for home cooking.

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 Seongnam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Seongnam differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $1,661 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Seongnam earns 291% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $995 in Mexico City versus $440 in Seongnam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $410 in Seongnam. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $53.0 versus $43.00 in Seongnam. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,447 in Mexico City versus $1,661 in Seongnam, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Seongnam. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City 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 Seongnam 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 Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Seongnam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.