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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $245 in Pyongyang versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $385 in Pyongyang versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $526 in Pyongyang versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Pyongyang costs roughly 83% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Pyongyang is 82% below, Mexico City is 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.41 $23.41

$53.9 MX$932

-56.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

Cappuccino

$1.17 $1.17

$3.55 MX$61.4

-67.04%

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

$2.25 $2.25

$1.62 MX$27.98

38.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.11 MX$19.27

2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.65 $13.65

$3.12 MX$54.0

337.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 $3.43

$4.63 MX$80.1

-25.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.70 MX$29.43

-43.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.72 MX$47.02

-11.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.91 MX$33.07

-51.83%

Eggs

$2.08 $2.08

$2.54 MX$43.86

-18.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

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

$40.86 MX$707

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

$26.81 MX$464

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

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

$436 MX$7,544

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$92.6 $92.6

$1,022 MX$17.7K

-90.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$92.0 $92.0

$631 MX$10.9K

-85.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$139 $139

$1,243 MX$21.5K

-88.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$253 $253

$1,115 MX$19.3K

-77.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

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

Last update for Pyongyang: May 30, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $92.6 in Pyongyang and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 340% 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: $23.00 in Pyongyang vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $46.00 vs $288 per month, with Pyongyang cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated June 2025)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Pyongyang vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pyongyang and Mexico City differ by about 500% in total monthly costs ($245 vs $1,467 including rent). Pyongyang is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mexico City earns 340% 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: $92.6 in Pyongyang versus $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Pyongyang – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $245 per month in Pyongyang versus $1,467 in Mexico City – a 500% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $245 in Pyongyang versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Pyongyang but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Pyongyang 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, Pyongyang and Mexico City 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 Pyongyang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 500% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.