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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,765 in Seoul versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,881 in Seoul versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,997 in Seoul versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Seoul is roughly 21% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seoul 32% above, Mexico City 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.73 ₩12.9K

$13.07 MX$228

-33.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.3 ₩80.2K

$53.8 MX$936

1.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.47 ₩9,546

$9.68 MX$169

-33.16%

Cappuccino

$3.88 ₩5,717

$3.74 MX$65.1

3.74%

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

$1.65 ₩2,435

$1.62 MX$28.13

1.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ₩1,263

$1.16 MX$20.23

-25.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.77 ₩5,562

$3.23 MX$56.2

16.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.72 ₩8,444

$4.74 MX$82.5

20.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ₩3,340

$1.65 MX$28.68

36.97%

White Bread (500g)

$3.42 ₩5,051

$2.75 MX$47.95

24.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.09 ₩4,565

$1.87 MX$32.63

65.24%

Eggs

$3.06 ₩4,509

$2.50 MX$43.54

22.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.51 ₩21.4K

$10.20 MX$178

42.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.76 ₩15.9K

$8.25 MX$144

30.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.54 ₩51.0K

$11.82 MX$206

192.22%

Apples (1kg)

$7.65 ₩11.3K

$3.01 MX$52.4

154.15%

Banana (1kg)

$3.54 ₩5,227

$1.81 MX$31.54

95.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.42 ₩7,995

$2.00 MX$34.81

171.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.49 ₩9,575

$2.00 MX$34.74

224.50%

Potato (1kg)

$3.87 ₩5,705

$2.08 MX$36.30

86.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 ₩4,236

$2.27 MX$39.56

26.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 ₩3,856

$1.46 MX$25.36

78.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 ₩1,943

$1.08 MX$18.74

22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 ₩4,905

$4.35 MX$75.7

-23.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.50 ₩24.3K

$16.99 MX$296

-2.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₩3,517

$1.73 MX$30.18

37.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₩4,973

$3.58 MX$62.3

-5.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 ₩1,587

$0.39 MX$6.74

176.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.87 ₩69.1K

$18.69 MX$325

150.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 ₩5,109

$1.33 MX$23.08

160.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ₩840

$0.28 MX$4.87

103.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.00 ₩13.3K

$5.25 MX$91.5

71.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₩1,846

$1.34 MX$23.27

-6.72%

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

$27.9K ₩41.2M

$19.4K MX$338.0K

43.92%

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

$25.4K ₩37.4M

$23.8K MX$415.0K

6.43%

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

$160 ₩236.5K

$40.69 MX$709

293.88%

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

$34.41 ₩50.8K

$26.87 MX$468

28.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.05 ₩32.5K

$30.51 MX$531

-27.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 ₩85.5K

$52.8 MX$919

9.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.44 ₩34.6K

$26.65 MX$464

-12.05%

Cinema Ticket

$10.93 ₩16.1K

$6.51 MX$113

67.90%

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

$417 ₩615.5K

$428 MX$7,454

-2.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K ₩34.8M

$10.5K MX$182.8K

124.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 ₩87.3K

$57.3 MX$997

3.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.41 ₩71.4K

$45.50 MX$792

6.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 ₩117.8K

$104 MX$1,812

-23.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 ₩169.4K

$108 MX$1,878

6.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 ₩1.4M

$1,003 MX$17.5K

-5.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$588 ₩867.2K

$623 MX$10.8K

-5.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,584 ₩3.8M

$2,109 MX$36.7K

22.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,312 ₩1.9M

$1,218 MX$21.2K

7.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$26.0K ₩38.4M

$3,885 MX$67.6K

569.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.7K ₩15.8M

$2,033 MX$35.4K

426.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,149 ₩4.6M

$1,038 MX$18.1K

203.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

11.34

-63.49%

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

Last update for Seoul: July 14, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $944 in Seoul and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seoul pays 203% 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: $54.0 in Seoul vs $54.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $491 vs $292, 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

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

Seoul and Mexico City differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($1,765 vs $1,456 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 203% higher in Seoul, 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: $944 in Seoul versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 151% less than in Seoul. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $417 in Seoul versus $428 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,456 in Mexico City versus $1,765 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, Seoul 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 Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Seoul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.