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 $2,992 per month in Aarau vs $1,472 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,743 per month in Aarau vs $2,359 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,494 per month in Aarau vs $3,245 in Mexico City, rent included.

Aarau costs about 103% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Aarau and Mexico City sit above the global median – Aarau by 125%, Mexico City by 11%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.96 CHF 24.18

$13.14 MX$227

128.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 CHF 87.9

$53.5 MX$926

103.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.11 CHF 15.42

$9.33 MX$161

104.82%

Cappuccino

$6.32 CHF 5.10

$3.70 MX$64.0

70.81%

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

$3.44 CHF 2.77

$1.60 MX$27.76

115.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.79 CHF 3.87

$1.12 MX$19.34

327.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.03 CHF 6.48

$3.14 MX$54.3

155.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.53 CHF 6.07

$4.85 MX$83.9

55.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.09 CHF 1.68

$1.65 MX$28.61

26.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 CHF 2.69

$2.71 MX$46.96

23.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.54 CHF 2.05

$1.91 MX$33.03

32.98%

Eggs

$7.00 CHF 5.65

$2.59 MX$44.81

170.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.56 CHF 23.86

$9.81 MX$170

201.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$36.28 CHF 29.28

$8.43 MX$146

330.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.45 CHF 35.07

$11.93 MX$206

264.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 CHF 2.32

$2.95 MX$51.1

-2.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 CHF 1.74

$1.74 MX$30.10

24.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.85 CHF 2.30

$2.04 MX$35.38

39.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.67 CHF 4.58

$2.06 MX$35.64

175.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.32 CHF 1.87

$2.15 MX$37.20

7.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.08 CHF 1.68

$2.26 MX$39.02

-7.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 CHF 2.08

$1.39 MX$23.97

85.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 CHF 1.18

$1.12 MX$19.31

30.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.26 CHF 8.28

$4.22 MX$73.0

143.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.25 CHF 8.27

$17.51 MX$303

-41.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 CHF 1.81

$1.71 MX$29.58

30.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 CHF 1.76

$3.63 MX$62.8

-39.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.24 CHF 3.42

$0.35 MX$6.10

1111.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$146 CHF 118

$19.32 MX$334

654.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.69 CHF 7.02

$1.38 MX$23.80

529.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.46 CHF 4.41

$0.28 MX$4.77

1850.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$88.1 CHF 71.1

$5.28 MX$91.3

1567.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.79

$1.36 MX$23.50

62.50%

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

$39.9K CHF 32.2K

$19.1K MX$330.5K

108.72%

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

$42.1K CHF 34.0K

$23.6K MX$408.4K

78.24%

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

$248 CHF 200

$40.53 MX$701

511.05%

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

$42.84 CHF 34.57

$27.38 MX$474

56.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.4 CHF 47.16

$30.38 MX$526

92.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.9 CHF 54.0

$52.2 MX$903

28.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.17 CHF 33.23

$26.48 MX$458

55.48%

Cinema Ticket

$23.13 CHF 18.67

$6.19 MX$107

273.67%

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

$3,170 CHF 2,558

$425 MX$7,355

645.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.3K CHF 20.4K

$10.7K MX$185.7K

135.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.2 CHF 74.4

$58.3 MX$1,009

58.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.6 CHF 44.06

$44.57 MX$771

22.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 CHF 90.5

$103 MX$1,791

8.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$173 CHF 140

$109 MX$1,881

59.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,280 CHF 1,033

$1,014 MX$17.5K

26.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 CHF 829

$623 MX$10.8K

64.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,430 CHF 1,961

$2,119 MX$36.7K

14.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,081 CHF 1,679

$1,223 MX$21.2K

70.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.3K CHF 8,315

$3,792 MX$65.6K

171.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.0K CHF 9,704

$2,110 MX$36.5K

469.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,998 CHF 5,647

$1,052 MX$18.2K

565.12%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,280 in Aarau versus $1,014 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 565% 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 $109 in Aarau versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $635 vs $293 – 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 103% 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 $4,488 per month in Aarau and $2,208 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 655% less in Mexico City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $3,170 per month in Aarau and $425 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 $1,472, than in Aarau at $2,992. 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 $1,472 versus $2,992 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.