Megacity Showdown: Seoul, Tokyo, & Mexico City Compared

TL;DR

From ancient pyramids to hyper-modern transit, discover the true cost, culture, and opportunities in Seoul, Tokyo, and Mexico City. A must-listen for any global founder or traveler. #VentureStep #GlobalTech #TravelGuide

INTRODUCTION

For entrepreneurs and professionals with a global mindset, choosing a city for travel, work, or expansion is a critical decision. Beyond the tourist trails lie the real-world logistics of daily life: cost, transportation, safety, and the subtle cultural nuances that define an experience. Each megacity, a bustling hub of over 10 million people, offers a unique ecosystem of challenges and opportunities that can shape both personal growth and professional ventures.

In this episode of Venture Step, host Dalton Anderson steps away from the usual discussions on AGI and tech trends to share his first-hand experiences from a year of immersive travel. 1He spent one month in Mexico City, followed by two weeks each in Tokyo and Seoul, providing a rare opportunity for a direct comparison between these three titans of culture and commerce. 2This isn't a typical travelogue; it's a practical breakdown for anyone considering a similar journey. 3

Dalton provides a comprehensive analysis covering everything from the comparative costs of housing and food to the intricacies of their world-class (and sometimes confusing) public transit systems. ⁴⁴⁴He shares candid stories about navigating local healthcare systems, finding community through pickup sports, and soaking in the unique cultural atmosphere of each destination, offering invaluable insights for founders, investors, and tech professionals looking to understand the world on a deeper level. ⁵

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Cost of Living Varies Dramatically: Mexico City offers the most affordable housing and food, while Tokyo presents a paradox of expensive lodging but incredibly cheap, high-quality meals thanks to the low value of the yen. ^6666666
• Transit Requires Local Knowledge: Seoul and Tokyo boast immaculate and efficient train systems, but navigating them requires local apps like Naver in Seoul and transit cards like the Suica or T-Money. ⁷⁷⁷⁷⁷Mexico City’s best options are a combination of buses and its extensive City Bike system. ⁸⁸⁸⁸
• Healthcare Access is a Critical Factor: Dalton's travels included unplanned medical visits, revealing Mexico City's uniquely efficient pharmacy-based doctor system and the significant challenges a foreigner can face navigating Tokyo's hospital system without a local advocate. ⁹⁹⁹⁹⁹⁹
• Sports are a Universal Language: Integrating into local life is easiest through shared activities. Mexico City’s Sport 12 app makes finding pickup soccer games simple, while Tokyo’s Meetup app offers access to everything from soccer on a rooftop to volleyball in a stadium. ^1010101010
• Each City Has a Distinct Social Fabric: Mexico City is defined by its vibrant, hospitable people, though shadowed by governmental issues. ¹¹¹¹¹¹Seoul and Tokyo are exceptionally safe and orderly, with a strong emphasis on social etiquette and respect in public spaces. ^12121212

FULL CONVERSATION

Dalton: Welcome to Venture Step Podcasts, where we discuss entrepreneurship, industry trends, and the occasional book review. ¹³Today, we're getting global. ¹⁴We're going to talk about some travels that I've had over the last year or so. ¹⁵I spent one month in Mexico City, two weeks in Tokyo, and then two weeks in Seoul. ¹⁶So I thought it'd be cool to do a comparison of the cities. ¹⁷I'm going to talk about food, culture, things to do, and cost comparisons. ¹⁸

A Tale of Three Megacities

Dalton: Megacities are characterized by their population. Tokyo, Seoul, and Mexico City have a lot of people, like 20 million people. ¹⁹In the surrounding areas of Tokyo and Mexico City, it's upwards of 30-plus million. ²⁰There's some unique challenges with having that many people, especially in Mexico City with the elevation, cars, and transportation. ²¹In Tokyo, it's just difficult to get around in an older city. ²² You have to understand my perspective. I have never really been in cities very much. ²³So I went from no city ever to just these massive, complex, intertwined cities. ²⁴

Cost of Living: Housing vs. Food

Dalton: Okay, so the first thing we want to touch on is the cost. I would say that Mexico City is the most reasonable. ²⁵ The food is very reasonable. Housing is reasonably priced. ²⁶I stayed in La Condesa, which is a very nice, historical district. ²⁷It was definitely reasonably priced. ²⁸But I was staying in an older building that didn't have heat, which I don't suggest you do because it gets super cold at night. ²⁹

My place didn't have AC, but it was during the winter time, so it didn't really matter. But yeah, no heat was tough. It was tough.

Dalton: Food is super reasonable in Mexico City. There's a lot of street vendors that you can get food for like a couple of bucks. 30Street tacos are like $2. 31

Dalton: Seoul has very reasonable housing, I would say. The price of housing wasn't that difficult to get something reasonable but nice. 32I stayed in Gangnam, an area known for luxury, shopping, and food, but it's also centralized enough where you can get anywhere easily with the different train stations. 33

Dalton: Tokyo is expensive. The food is cheap, but the housing is expensive. 34The place that I booked was in Shinjuku. 35It was expensive, and I felt like I got scammed for my Airbnb. 36It was showing a patio, a spacious washer-dryer, and a refrigerator; it had none of that, just a mini-fridge and a desk. 37373737The curtains were towels, so they didn't really block out the sun that well. 38But the food is so cheap, and the Japanese yen is at an all-time low. 39

The food is so cheap and the Japanese yen is an all time low. You can get the best food you ever have in your life for like $5. 40

An Unplanned Test of Local Healthcare

Dalton: I had to seek medical attention in Mexico City twice and also in Tokyo. ⁴¹In Mexico City, they have private and public healthcare. ⁴²I used the public system because I was just sick. ⁴³

There is a unique system that I quite like where each pharmacy has a doctor tied to the pharmacy. ⁴⁴⁴⁴ So when you're sick, you can just go to the pharmacy. There's going to be a doctor. The visit is free, but it's customary to tip the doctor. ^45454545

Dalton: The service is great. You can get your medicine within three minutes. It's super cheap, not expensive, and quick. 46I had a great experience. 47

Dalton: In Tokyo, I was playing sports and sprained my ankle—a third-degree sprain. ^48484848I thought I broke it because I couldn't put any weight on it, so I had to go to the hospital. ⁴⁹I went to four different hospitals and was turned away each time. ⁵⁰They just said, "We don't want you here. We're not going to help you, go somewhere else." ⁵¹ This whole situation sucked. Honestly, it was horrible because my leg was killing me. ⁵²There was a huge language barrier. ⁵³ The only reason I was able to see a doctor is this man saw what was happening. He knew English very well, stuck by, helped translate, and made calls to different hospitals for me. ^54545454Without him, I don't think I would have been able to go to the hospital. ⁵⁵

Navigating the Urban Sprawl: Transit Systems Compared

Dalton: Public transportation in Mexico City is great. I would take the bus—there's an inner-circuit and outer-circuit bus route. ^56565656And I would also use their biking system. ⁵⁷ Biking is huge. I biked everywhere in Mexico City. ⁵⁸A lot of the main streets and areas have a protected lane for bikes. ⁵⁹The locals were confused about the train system, so they told me to just do the bike and the bus, and that's what I did. ^60606060

Dalton: In Seoul, there's less reliance on bikes. Their train and bus systems are phenomenal. 61616161You can get anywhere you want throughout the city with a train. 62 The only caveat for navigation is you have to download an app called Naver; Google Maps doesn't really work there. 63A lot of stuff in Korea is homegrown. 64 Also, when you get to the airport, go to the first ATM you see. You'll need cash for the T-Money transit cards, and if you wait, the ATM is a 30-minute walk to the other side of the airport. 656565656565656565

Dalton: Tokyo was much easier. When you land, there's a section with ATMs right next to where you get your transportation card, the Suica card. 66The stations in both Seoul and Tokyo are immaculate. 67They're so clean, there's no litter. 68 There's also a huge emphasis on social etiquette. People keep to themselves; they're very quiet. 69

Things to Do in Mexico City: Culture and History

Dalton: I highly suggest you go to Chapultepec Park. It is the largest urban park in Latin America. It has several museums, a zoo, workout areas—it's a cornerstone of the culture. ^70707070It's also double the size of Central Park, just to put that in perspective. ⁷¹

Dalton: Inside the park is the Castillo de Chapultepec, the king's castle and former residence. ⁷²It's on top of a massive hill, and be ready to walk when you go. ⁷³It has a beautiful view of the city and how big the park is. ⁷⁴

Dalton: Also, check out the Palacio de Bellas Artes, the Palace of Fine Art. ⁷⁵The outside of the building is amazing, and the inside is the same level of beauty. ⁷⁶

Dalton: Lastly, the Pyramid of the Sun. ⁷⁷I did a hot air balloon tour over the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon. ⁷⁸You have to book this two months in advance, and don't cheap out on a vendor. ⁷⁹ It was one of the most surreal things I have done in my life. It's hard to describe how crazy it is with all the other balloons flying in the sky. ⁸⁰

Must-Try Foods in Mexico City

Dalton: Tacos are amazing in Mexico City. The barbacoa, the al pastor, the carne, the pollo—it's great. ⁸¹ Mole is a sauce with a whole bunch of ingredients; it's a delicacy that takes a long time to create. It's a must-try. ^82828282 Tortas were my favorite. It was a thicker bread with tomatoes, avocado, chicken, bacon, and some sauce. ⁸³So, so good. ⁸⁴ Also, listen for the potato guy. You'll hear this really loud whistle from blocks away. He sells slow-cooked sweet potatoes. ^85858585 Must try.

Exploring Seoul: Food and Cafe Culture

Dalton: I hurt my leg, so I didn't get to explore Seoul as much, but the food was incredible. ⁸⁶Bibimbap is a rice bowl with veggies, meat, and a raw egg in the middle that you stir up. ^87878787Kimchi-jjigae is like a Korean chili stew with pork, scallions, onions, and sometimes tofu. ⁸⁸ And Korean fried chicken is so good. It's crazy good. ⁸⁹It’s definitely the best fried chicken I've had in my life. ⁹⁰

Dalton: The cafe culture in Seoul is very strong. There's a cafe everywhere, and they're super nice. 91919191The best teas I've had in my life were in Seoul. 92They also make their own bread for gourmet sandwiches. 93Just an extraordinary cafe culture. 94

Experiencing Tokyo: From Skyscrapers to Sacred Mountains

Dalton: I went to the Tokyo Skytree. You have to book that in advance. ⁹⁵It's beautiful and puts into perspective how massive the city is. ⁹⁶

The scale of it is difficult to comprehend. And you're like, wow, there's so many buildings and it goes on forever. ⁹⁷

Dalton: I also went to the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden. It's beautiful, massive, with lots of gardens, walkways, and small wooden bridges. 98A great spot. 99One thing I wanted to do but couldn't was climb Mount Fuji. 100They close the ability for people to climb in early September, and I just missed it. 101101101101

Tokyo's Culinary Scene: Ramen, Tempura, and More

Dalton: Ramen is everywhere. A lot of times you order with a vending machine that gives you a ticket to hand to the cook. ¹⁰²If you think it's good, it's okay to slurp the ramen; it shows respect. ^103103103103

Dalton: Tempura is a thin, deep-fried batter, typically with vegetables. ¹⁰⁴ The best meal I had was a katsudon tempura. Katsudon is fried pork, and I had tempura vegetables under rice with some sauce. ¹⁰⁵It was the best meal I've ever had for under $10. ¹⁰⁶No other contender. ¹⁰⁷ Also, try Okonomiyaki. It’s a fried cabbage pancake with meats, eggs, and onions. ¹⁰⁸ Definitely second place after the katsudon. So good. ¹⁰⁹

The Universal Language: Connecting Through Sports

Dalton: Language barriers don't have an effect on things like food and sports. ¹¹⁰

Sports is a great way for me to make friends and integrate with the community that I'm temporarily living in. ¹¹¹

Dalton: Mexico City has a great fitness and sports culture. ¹¹²On Sundays, they shut down all the main roads for bikes and runners only. ¹¹³There are thousands of people. ¹¹⁴They also had a pickup app called Sport 12. ¹¹⁵It allowed you to sign up and play different sports, mainly soccer. ¹¹⁶They have referees and even rank you so you can play more competitive games. ¹¹⁷ I was ranked as advanced and made Team of the Year for the app. It was a great way for me to meet people. ^118118118118

Dalton: In Tokyo, they have a great pickup culture. I used an app called Meetup for pickup sports. 119119119I played soccer on top of an eight-story mall overlooking the city during sunset. 120I also played volleyball in a massive stadium. 121

An Injury Abroad: A Hard Lesson in Tokyo

Dalton: I mentioned earlier I was playing soccer in Tokyo and got hurt. ¹²²I was passing a guy, he stuck his leg out, and I tried to avoid stepping on him. ¹²³My leg got stuck underneath me, and my ankle just snapped and collapsed from the force. ¹²⁴ Within 30 seconds, I knew I wasn't playing anymore. I couldn't put any weight on it. ^125125125125 It was a bad sprain. Next time I travel, I would only play advanced games. When I'm traveling abroad, I can't get hurt like that because it's expensive and it kind of kills your trip. ^126126126126

Safety, People, and Culture: A Final Comparison

Dalton: The people in Mexico City are the most beautiful people you'll meet. They're vibrant, caring, and hospitable. They love to share their culture and food. ¹²⁷

The people in Mexico are beautiful people, but the government that oversees them has made questionable actions consistently for a long time and have been in bed with the cartels for quite a while. ¹²⁸

Dalton: But within downtown Mexico City, it is very safe. ¹²⁹I wouldn't party alone, especially if you're a woman, but it's safe. ¹³⁰One thing that was eye-opening was the sheer number of missing people posters from a protest. ^131131131131 Thousands of them. It was sad. ^132132132132

Dalton: Seoul is polite, reserved, and crazy safe. ^133133133133You'll see women walking around alone at 4:00 or 5:00 a.m., no problem. ¹³⁴Same thing in Tokyo. ¹³⁵People in Tokyo are super nice, but there's less sharing than in Seoul. ¹³⁶ Unless you really need help, they're not going to talk to you. They will serve you to the best of their ability, but that's it. ^137137137137

Dalton: Every city has unique experiences and challenges. ¹³⁸I would encourage you to explore. ¹³⁹

The grass isn't always greener on the other side. There's cultural and societal issues in every place that you live. 140

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• Sport 12: A community app used in Mexico City for organizing pickup sports like soccer. ¹⁴¹
• Naver: A navigation app required for getting around in Seoul, as Google Maps has limited functionality. ¹⁴²
• T-Money Card: A rechargeable smart card used for paying for public transportation in Seoul and other areas of South Korea. ¹⁴³
• Suica Card: A rechargeable contactless smart card used for public transportation in Tokyo and throughout Japan. ¹⁴⁴
• Meetup: A social app used in Tokyo to find groups for various activities, including pickup sports like soccer and volleyball. ¹⁴⁵

INDEX OF CONCEPTS

Dalton Anderson, Mexico City, Tokyo, Seoul, La Condesa, Roma, Chapultepec Park, Gangnam, Shinjuku, Rio, Las Vegas, New York, Washington D.C., L.A., Dallas, Austin, Atlanta, Miami, Castillo de Chapultepec, Museo Soumaya, Palacio de Bellas Artes, Pyramid of the Sun, Pyramid of the Moon, Tokyo Skytree, Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, Mount Fuji, Golden Angel, Vintros Step Podcasts, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Airbnb, Google Maps, Naver, T-Money, Suica, City Bike, Uber, Sport 12, Meetup, Minecraft, Tacos, Barbacoa, Al Pastor, Mole, Tortas, Chilaquiles, Menudo, Street Corn, Bibimbap, Kimchi-jjigae, Korean Fried Chicken, Ramen, Tempura, Katsudon, Yakitori, Okonomiyaki, Mezcal, AGI, Latin America, Eastern Time, Central Time, Korean War, Onsen, Jobin, Alan R. Williams