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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,332 in Suwon versus $1,677 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Suwon versus $2,608 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,920 in Suwon versus $3,540 in Mexico City.

Living in Suwon costs roughly 21% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Suwon is 3% below, Mexico City is 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.89 ₩7,910

$12.14 MX$206

-51.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.08 ₩40.4K

$53.9 MX$916

-44.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.56 ₩10.1K

$11.09 MX$188

-31.83%

Cappuccino

$3.41 ₩4,573

$4.10 MX$69.6

-16.83%

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

$1.60 ₩2,147

$1.68 MX$28.57

-4.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 ₩824

$1.39 MX$23.58

-56.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.79 ₩5,085

$3.33 MX$56.6

13.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 ₩6,514

$5.88 MX$99.9

-17.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.58 ₩3,462

$1.85 MX$31.45

39.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 ₩3,402

$3.17 MX$53.9

-19.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.22 ₩4,323

$2.07 MX$35.18

55.56%

Eggs

$3.23 ₩4,338

$2.93 MX$49.74

10.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.06 ₩14.8K

$12.59 MX$214

-12.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.23 ₩15.1K

$10.11 MX$172

11.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.27 ₩15.1K

$16.09 MX$273

-29.96%

Apples (1kg)

$6.23 ₩8,361

$3.39 MX$57.6

83.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.96 ₩3,969

$2.08 MX$35.31

42.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.31 ₩7,126

$2.12 MX$36.02

150.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.24 ₩5,686

$2.41 MX$41.01

75.93%

Potato (1kg)

$3.54 ₩4,746

$2.13 MX$36.17

66.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 ₩3,490

$2.01 MX$34.07

29.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.94 ₩6,623

$1.55 MX$26.25

218.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 ₩1,726

$1.36 MX$23.19

-5.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.82 ₩5,122

$5.77 MX$98.0

-33.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.58 ₩18.2K

$17.74 MX$301

-23.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 ₩3,303

$2.07 MX$35.16

18.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ₩4,850

$4.61 MX$78.4

-21.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.26 ₩1,692

$0.37 MX$6.21

240.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.58 ₩62.5K

$21.18 MX$360

119.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.88 ₩3,869

$2.05 MX$34.89

40.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 ₩806

$0.58 MX$9.80

3.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.03 ₩12.1K

$6.07 MX$103

48.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ₩1,735

$1.55 MX$26.38

-16.77%

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

$27.6K ₩37.0M

$22.9K MX$388.6K

20.57%

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

$25.0K ₩33.6M

$27.2K MX$462.7K

-8.10%

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

$187 ₩250.7K

$67.4 MX$1,145

177.14%

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

$17.88 ₩24.0K

$30.62 MX$520

-41.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.82 ₩23.9K

$37.24 MX$633

-52.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.04 ₩59.1K

$61.5 MX$1,044

-28.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.71 ₩15.7K

$27.12 MX$461

-56.82%

Cinema Ticket

$11.32 ₩15.2K

$7.11 MX$121

59.21%

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

$678 ₩910.2K

$456 MX$7,750

48.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K ₩23.4M

$13.7K MX$232.6K

27.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.49 ₩50.3K

$74.2 MX$1,260

-49.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$108 ₩144.6K

$57.0 MX$969

89.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.5 ₩99.9K

$115 MX$1,961

-35.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.3 ₩78.3K

$122 MX$2,064

-52.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ₩577.5K

$1,148 MX$19.5K

-62.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$345 ₩462.6K

$709 MX$12.1K

-51.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,156 ₩1.6M

$2,577 MX$43.8K

-55.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$786 ₩1.1M

$1,295 MX$22.0K

-39.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.7K ₩17.0M

$4,005 MX$68.0K

216.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,124 ₩9.6M

$2,130 MX$36.2K

234.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,511 ₩3.4M

$1,082 MX$18.4K

132.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

11.3

-42.48%

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

Last update for Suwon: September 7, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $430 in Suwon and $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Suwon pays 132% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $30.00 in Suwon vs $54.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $389 vs $345, 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

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

Suwon and Mexico City differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($1,332 vs $1,677 including rent). Suwon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 132% higher in Suwon, 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: $430 in Suwon versus $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Suwon runs roughly 120% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $678 in Suwon versus $456 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,332 in Suwon versus $1,677 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Suwon but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Suwon 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, Suwon 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 Suwon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.