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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,015 per month in Aarau vs $1,448 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,757 per month in Aarau vs $2,354 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,499 per month in Aarau vs $3,260 in Mexico City, rent included.

Aarau costs about 108% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Aarau and Mexico City sit above the global median – Aarau by 126%, Mexico City by 9%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.94 CHF 23.75

$12.96 MX$223

131.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 CHF 85.3

$52.3 MX$900

105.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.24 CHF 15.26

$9.69 MX$167

98.56%

Cappuccino

$6.29 CHF 4.99

$3.75 MX$64.6

67.73%

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

$3.44 CHF 2.73

$1.56 MX$26.91

120.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 CHF 3.89

$1.16 MX$19.93

322.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.24 CHF 6.54

$3.24 MX$55.8

154.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.50 CHF 5.95

$4.90 MX$84.3

53.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 CHF 1.67

$1.70 MX$29.29

24.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.28 CHF 2.60

$2.67 MX$45.90

22.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 CHF 1.94

$1.89 MX$32.49

29.63%

Eggs

$6.88 CHF 5.46

$2.52 MX$43.37

173.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.84 CHF 22.87

$10.02 MX$172

187.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$36.31 CHF 28.80

$8.53 MX$147

325.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$44.34 CHF 35.16

$11.94 MX$205

271.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.79 CHF 2.21

$2.97 MX$51.1

-6.06%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 CHF 1.66

$1.79 MX$30.88

17.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.75 CHF 2.18

$2.00 MX$34.40

37.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.88 CHF 4.66

$1.96 MX$33.74

200.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 CHF 1.79

$2.16 MX$37.21

4.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 CHF 1.63

$2.27 MX$39.04

-9.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.62 CHF 2.08

$1.40 MX$24.14

87.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 CHF 1.20

$1.11 MX$19.18

36.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.63 CHF 8.43

$4.20 MX$72.2

153.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.63 CHF 8.43

$16.54 MX$285

-35.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 CHF 1.84

$1.68 MX$28.94

38.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 CHF 1.72

$3.59 MX$61.8

-39.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.20 CHF 3.33

$0.39 MX$6.65

976.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$147 CHF 117

$19.19 MX$330

667.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.84 CHF 7.01

$1.38 MX$23.77

540.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.61 CHF 4.45

$0.30 MX$5.19

1770.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.7 CHF 67.9

$5.39 MX$92.7

1489.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.23 CHF 1.77

$1.29 MX$22.13

72.87%

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

$41.1K CHF 32.6K

$18.9K MX$325.1K

117.64%

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

$41.8K CHF 33.2K

$23.8K MX$409.5K

75.85%

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

$244 CHF 194

$39.86 MX$686

512.24%

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

$43.49 CHF 34.49

$27.83 MX$479

56.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.7 CHF 46.58

$29.77 MX$512

97.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.9 CHF 52.3

$52.0 MX$894

26.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.72 CHF 33.09

$26.22 MX$451

59.12%

Cinema Ticket

$23.80 CHF 18.88

$6.27 MX$108

279.59%

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

$3,257 CHF 2,583

$433 MX$7,443

653.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.7K CHF 19.6K

$10.5K MX$181.3K

134.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.3 CHF 73.2

$57.0 MX$981

61.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.6 CHF 42.52

$45.33 MX$780

18.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 CHF 87.3

$102 MX$1,753

8.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$174 CHF 138

$109 MX$1,867

60.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,269 CHF 1,006

$994 MX$17.1K

27.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,030 CHF 817

$617 MX$10.6K

66.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,448 CHF 1,941

$2,086 MX$35.9K

17.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,111 CHF 1,674

$1,256 MX$21.6K

68.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.4K CHF 8,283

$3,936 MX$67.7K

165.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.6K CHF 9,976

$2,089 MX$35.9K

502.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,163 CHF 5,681

$1,131 MX$19.5K

533.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

11.34

-77.95%

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

Last update for Aarau: June 14, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,269 in Aarau versus $994 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 533% higher in Aarau, 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 $108 in Aarau versus $52.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $636 vs $292 – making Mexico City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Aarau costs about 108% more than Mexico City, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,522 per month in Aarau and $2,173 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Public transport costs about 667% less in Mexico City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $3,257 per month in Aarau and $433 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,448, than in Aarau at $3,015. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Aarau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mexico City costs $1,448 versus $3,015 in Aarau. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Mexico City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Aarau makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.