Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Seoul

For one person, living is cheaper in Mexico City: $1,561 a month against $1,822 in Seoul, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

77

Cost of Living Index in Mexico City
Learn more

Mexico City Living Index
87

Cost of Living Index in Seoul
Learn more

Seoul Living Index

Jump to prices

Mexico City

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,561

/mo nomad

Seoul

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,822

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Seoul actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,561 in Mexico City versus $1,822 in Seoul.

Mexico City $1,561
Seoul $1,822

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,440 in Mexico City versus $2,847 in Seoul.

Mexico City $2,440
Seoul $2,847

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,319 in Mexico City versus $3,872 in Seoul.

Mexico City $3,319
Seoul $3,872

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 14% less than in Seoul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 16% above, Seoul 36% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.12 MX$202

$9.10 ₩12.2K

22.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.99 MX$891

$67.0 ₩90.0K

-26.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.23 MX$204

$7.42 ₩9,964

51.35%

Cappuccino

$3.76 MX$68.4

$4.08 ₩5,482

-7.84%

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

$1.65 MX$30.05

$1.60 ₩2,146

3.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 MX$23.27

$0.80 ₩1,081

60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 MX$59.2

$3.65 ₩4,898

-10.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.66 MX$103

$5.94 ₩7,974

-4.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MX$32.92

$2.05 ₩2,748

-11.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.94 MX$53.5

$3.08 ₩4,139

-4.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 MX$37.27

$4.21 ₩5,659

-51.31%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$53.2

$3.57 ₩4,795

-17.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.95 MX$217

$17.95 ₩24.1K

-33.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.51 MX$173

$10.64 ₩14.3K

-10.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.84 MX$270

$26.44 ₩35.5K

-43.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 MX$57.2

$7.42 ₩9,969

-57.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$36.65

$3.53 ₩4,743

-43.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$37.75

$5.87 ₩7,884

-64.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.22 MX$40.35

$6.37 ₩8,554

-65.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$37.47

$3.75 ₩5,040

-45.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 MX$34.14

$2.49 ₩3,345

-24.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 MX$26.93

$2.92 ₩3,920

-49.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$24.47

$1.15 ₩1,545

17.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.41 MX$98.4

$3.29 ₩4,418

64.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.86 MX$307

$18.49 ₩24.8K

-8.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 MX$36.09

$2.28 ₩3,064

-13.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 MX$78.7

$3.28 ₩4,408

31.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$6.27

$1.14 ₩1,529

-70.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.23 MX$368

$45.47 ₩61.1K

-55.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$38.11

$3.48 ₩4,674

-39.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MX$9.65

$0.60 ₩805

-11.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.41 MX$98.3

$8.70 ₩11.7K

-37.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MX$27.65

$1.50 ₩2,008

1.33%

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

$21.7K MX$395.3K

$29.1K ₩39.1M

-25.37%

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

$24.8K MX$451.4K

$28.2K ₩37.9M

-11.99%

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

$63.0 MX$1,145

$209 ₩280.5K

-69.85%

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

$28.88 MX$525

$35.13 ₩47.2K

-17.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.93 MX$617

$21.18 ₩28.4K

60.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 MX$1,015

$57.3 ₩77.0K

-2.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.90 MX$453

$15.89 ₩21.3K

56.70%

Cinema Ticket

$6.77 MX$123

$11.33 ₩15.2K

-40.25%

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

$428 MX$7,781

$1,902 ₩2.6M

-77.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K MX$216.0K

$22.5K ₩30.2M

-47.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.0 MX$1,274

$58.9 ₩79.1K

18.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.7 MX$977

$32.12 ₩43.1K

67.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 MX$1,997

$70.1 ₩94.2K

56.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 MX$2,096

$82.5 ₩110.8K

39.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 MX$19.3K

$885 ₩1.2M

20.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$671 MX$12.2K

$624 ₩837.5K

7.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,379 MX$43.3K

$2,494 ₩3.3M

-4.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 MX$22.9K

$1,275 ₩1.7M

-1.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,716 MX$67.6K

$29.8K ₩40.1M

-87.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,976 MX$35.9K

$11.8K ₩15.9M

-83.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$997 MX$18.1K

$3,649 ₩4.9M

-72.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

4.08

176.96%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 6, 2026

Last update for Seoul: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Mexico City

$671 42.4%

Seoul

$624 34.7% 7% $47

Groceries & Markets

Mexico City

$327 20.7%

Seoul

$479 26.7% 46.6% $152

Eating Out

Mexico City

$207 13.1%

Seoul

$184 10.2% 11.3% $23

Clothing & Footwear

Mexico City

$157 9.9%

Seoul

$110 6.1% 30.1% $47

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mexico City

$126 8%

Seoul

$265 14.8% 111% $139

Sport & Entertainment

Mexico City

$69 4.4%

Seoul

$80 4.5% 15.4% $11

Getting Around

Mexico City

$26 1.7%

Seoul

$57 3.1% 114% $30

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Mexico City and $885 in Seoul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 266% 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: $49.00 in Mexico City vs $67.0 in Seoul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $327 vs $479 per month, with Mexico City cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Mexico City

🇰🇷 Seoul

🕒 Local time

00:42 12:42 AM

15:42 3:42 PM

15 h ahead of Mexico City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,209,944 Capital

9,509,458 Capital

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

South Korean Won KRW ₩

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.5 USD

100 MXN = 4.9 EUR

10,000 KRW = 7.45 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.64 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KRW, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 18.19 MXN (100 MXN = 5.5 USD). 1 EUR = 20.4 MXN (100 MXN = 4.9 EUR).

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1,343 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.45 USD). 1 EUR = 1,506 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.64 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Mexico City Seoul 12,050 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Mexico City
Seoul

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 Seoul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Seoul differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($1,561 vs $1,822 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 266% lower in Seoul. 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: $1,062 in Mexico City versus $885 in Seoul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 125% less than in Seoul. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $1,902 in Seoul. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,561 in Mexico City versus $1,822 in Seoul, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Seoul. 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 Seoul 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 17% less than in Seoul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.