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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,476 per month in Altstätten vs $1,677 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,340 per month in Altstätten vs $2,608 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,204 per month in Altstätten vs $3,540 in Mexico City, rent included.

Altstätten costs about 107% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Altstätten and Mexico City sit above the global median – Altstätten by 152%, Mexico City by 22%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.42 CHF 24.82

$12.14 MX$206

150.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$123 CHF 100

$53.9 MX$914

127.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.73 CHF 15.28

$11.09 MX$188

68.89%

Cappuccino

$6.06 CHF 4.95

$4.10 MX$69.5

47.80%

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

$5.37 CHF 4.38

$1.68 MX$28.53

219.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.84 CHF 3.95

$1.39 MX$23.55

248.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.99 CHF 7.34

$3.33 MX$56.5

169.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.54 CHF 6.16

$5.88 MX$99.7

28.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.80

$1.85 MX$31.41

19.46%

White Bread (500g)

$3.84 CHF 3.13

$3.17 MX$53.8

21.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 CHF 3.05

$2.07 MX$35.13

80.68%

Eggs

$7.88 CHF 6.43

$2.93 MX$49.67

168.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.34 CHF 21.50

$12.59 MX$214

109.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$27.99 CHF 22.84

$10.11 MX$172

176.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.69 CHF 34.02

$16.09 MX$273

159.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.51 CHF 2.86

$3.39 MX$57.5

3.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 CHF 1.64

$2.08 MX$35.26

-3.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 CHF 2.28

$2.12 MX$35.97

31.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 CHF 4.06

$2.41 MX$40.95

106.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 CHF 1.55

$2.13 MX$36.11

-10.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 CHF 1.82

$2.01 MX$34.02

10.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 CHF 1.86

$1.55 MX$26.21

46.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 CHF 1.08

$1.36 MX$23.15

-2.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.11 CHF 9.06

$5.77 MX$97.8

92.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.26 CHF 10.82

$17.74 MX$301

-25.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 CHF 2.23

$2.07 MX$35.11

32.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 CHF 2.61

$4.61 MX$78.3

-30.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.06 CHF 3.31

$0.37 MX$6.21

997.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 CHF 87.1

$21.18 MX$359

403.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.72 CHF 7.11

$2.05 MX$34.84

325.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.20 CHF 3.43

$0.58 MX$9.79

624.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$88.8 CHF 72.5

$6.07 MX$103

1363.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 CHF 1.61

$1.55 MX$26.34

27.74%

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

$46.8K CHF 38.2K

$22.9K MX$388.1K

104.76%

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

$34.3K CHF 28.0K

$27.2K MX$462.0K

25.77%

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

$315 CHF 257

$67.4 MX$1,144

366.73%

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

$30.15 CHF 24.60

$30.62 MX$520

-1.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.1 CHF 54.0

$37.24 MX$632

77.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$100 CHF 82.0

$61.5 MX$1,043

63.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.16 CHF 37.67

$27.12 MX$460

70.21%

Cinema Ticket

$23.47 CHF 19.15

$7.11 MX$121

230.10%

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

$3,112 CHF 2,540

$456 MX$7,739

582.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K CHF 25.0K

$13.7K MX$232.3K

123.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$135 CHF 110

$74.2 MX$1,259

82.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.7 CHF 43.83

$57.0 MX$967

-5.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$174 CHF 142

$115 MX$1,958

50.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$212 CHF 173

$122 MX$2,061

74.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,979 CHF 1,615

$1,148 MX$19.5K

72.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,405 CHF 1,146

$709 MX$12.0K

98.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 CHF 2,419

$2,577 MX$43.7K

15.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,428 CHF 1,981

$1,295 MX$22.0K

87.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.9K CHF 12.2K

$4,005 MX$67.9K

272.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.1K CHF 9,031

$2,130 MX$36.1K

419.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.07

11.3

-81.68%

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

Last update for Altstätten: September 6, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,979 in Altstätten versus $1,148 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $123 in Altstätten versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $598 vs $345 – 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

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

Yes – Altstätten is pricier by about 107%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,214 per month in Altstätten and $2,515 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,476 in Altstätten and $1,677 in Mexico City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 404% less in Mexico City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,677, than in Altstätten at $3,476. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Altstätten it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mexico City – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Altstätten makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.