Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Aachen and Mexico City

For one person, living is cheaper in Mexico City: $1,567 a month against $1,948 in Aachen, rent and utilities included – about $4,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Aachen
🇩🇪 Germany
$1,948
/mo nomad
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,567
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Aachen and in Mexico City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,948 per month in Aachen vs $1,567 in Mexico City, rent included.

  • Aachen $1,948
  • Mexico City $1,567

A couple spends around $2,888 per month in Aachen vs $2,450 in Mexico City, rent included.

  • Aachen $2,888
  • Mexico City $2,450

A family of three spends $3,828 per month in Aachen vs $3,333 in Mexico City, rent included.

  • Aachen $3,828
  • Mexico City $3,333

Aachen costs about 24% more than Mexico City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Aachen and Mexico City sit above the global median – Aachen by 44%, Mexico City by 16%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Aachen
Mexico City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.53 €13.82
$10.75 MX$199
44.47%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$60.7 €54.0
$50.3 MX$929
20.80%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.13 €9.90
$11.10 MX$205
0.27%
Cappuccino
$3.61 €3.21
$3.68 MX$68.1
-1.90%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.73 €2.43
$1.65 MX$30.42
65.45%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.03 €2.69
$1.30 MX$24.08
133.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.01 €4.45
$3.32 MX$61.3
50.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.42 €4.82
$5.54 MX$102
-2.17%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Aachen
Mexico City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.20 €1.07
$1.77 MX$32.68
-32.20%
White Bread (500g)
$1.93 €1.72
$3.05 MX$56.4
-36.72%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.61 €3.21
$2.01 MX$37.20
79.60%
Eggs
$3.44 €3.06
$2.77 MX$51.1
24.19%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.83 €13.19
$11.91 MX$220
24.52%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.24 €10.00
$9.33 MX$172
20.47%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.37 €18.12
$15.02 MX$278
35.62%
Apples (1kg)
$3.30 €2.94
$3.08 MX$56.8
7.14%
Banana (1kg)
$2.21 €1.97
$1.95 MX$35.97
13.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.04 €1.82
$2.03 MX$37.54
0.49%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.47 €3.09
$2.21 MX$40.92
57.01%
Potato (1kg)
$1.54 €1.37
$2.02 MX$37.41
-23.76%
Onion (1kg)
$1.43 €1.27
$1.82 MX$33.67
-21.43%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.45 €1.29
$1.52 MX$28.07
-4.61%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.25 €1.12
$1.28 MX$23.65
-2.34%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.26 €9.13
$5.27 MX$97.4
94.69%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.58 €5.85
$16.12 MX$298
-59.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.12 €1.00
$1.95 MX$36.05
-42.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.64 €1.46
$4.25 MX$78.6
-61.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Aachen
Mexico City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.82 €3.40
$0.31 MX$5.82
1132.26%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$69.3 €61.7
$19.85 MX$367
249.17%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.56 €4.95
$2.00 MX$36.93
178.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.50 €2.22
$0.53 MX$9.86
371.70%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$36.79 €32.73
$5.62 MX$104
554.63%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.23 €1.99
$1.52 MX$28.07
46.71%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.6K €29.0K
$21.0K MX$388.7K
54.93%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.0K €33.8K
$25.2K MX$465.3K
51.06%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Aachen
Mexico City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$378 €337
$62.5 MX$1,155
505.42%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.10 €15.21
$28.77 MX$532
-40.56%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$48.02 €42.72
$34.45 MX$637
39.39%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Aachen
Mexico City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.74 €32.68
$57.1 MX$1,055
-35.66%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.06 €24.96
$24.81 MX$458
13.10%
Cinema Ticket
$15.90 €14.14
$6.67 MX$123
138.38%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Aachen
Mexico City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$724 €644
$431 MX$7,964
68.03%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$19.0K €16.9K
$11.7K MX$216.9K
62.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Aachen
Mexico City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$93.8 €83.4
$70.8 MX$1,308
32.43%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.55 €36.96
$51.8 MX$958
-19.83%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$82.8 €73.6
$109 MX$2,011
-23.96%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$134 €119
$112 MX$2,076
18.89%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Aachen
Mexico City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$823 €732
$1,051 MX$19.4K
-21.73%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$588 €523
$665 MX$12.3K
-11.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,509 €1,343
$2,346 MX$43.3K
-35.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,043 €928
$1,227 MX$22.7K
-14.93%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,530 €4,029
$3,554 MX$65.7K
27.47%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,431 €3,052
$1,977 MX$36.5K
73.55%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Aachen
Mexico City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,524 €3,134
$975 MX$18.0K
261.54%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.96
11.3
-64.96%

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

Last update for Aachen: October 10, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Aachen
$588
Mexico City
$665 13% $77
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Aachen
$443
Mexico City
$126 71.7% $318
Groceries & Markets
Aachen
$327
Mexico City
$323 1.3% $4.4
Eating Out
Aachen
$260
Mexico City
$203 21.9% $57
Clothing & Footwear
Aachen
$158
Mexico City
$155 2.2% $3.5
Getting Around
Aachen
$103
Mexico City
$26 74.9% $77
Sport & Entertainment
Aachen
$69
Mexico City
$70 2.8% $1.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $823 in Aachen versus $1,051 in Mexico City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 262% higher in Aachen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Aachen versus $50.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $327 vs $323 – making Mexico City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇩🇪 Aachen
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🕒 Local time
15:42 3:42 PM
07:42 7:42 AM
8 h behind Aachen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
241,683
9,209,944 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Aachen Mexico City 9,360 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Aachen
  • Mexico City

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
Aachen vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Aachen and in Mexico City compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,948 in Aachen, $1,567 in Mexico City – roughly 24% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.
What salary covers living expenses in Aachen compared to Mexico City?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,922 per month in Aachen and $2,351 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Aachen and Mexico City?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Mexico City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Aachen and $50.0 in Mexico City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Aachen or Mexico City?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,948 in Aachen and $1,567 in Mexico City. That's a gap of about 24%.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,567, than in Aachen at $1,948. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Aachen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Aachen and Mexico City?
It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,567 in Mexico City to $1,948 in Aachen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Aachen or Mexico City safer for residents?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
How do I decide between Aachen and Mexico City?
If budget matters most, go with Mexico City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Aachen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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