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 $3,472 per month in Altstätten vs $1,447 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,343 per month in Altstätten vs $2,310 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,214 per month in Altstätten vs $3,174 in Mexico City, rent included.

Altstätten costs about 140% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Altstätten and Mexico City sit above the global median – Altstätten by 158%, Mexico City by 8%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.06 CHF 24.66

$12.98 MX$223

139.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$144 CHF 114

$52.6 MX$903

173.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.18 CHF 14.44

$9.43 MX$162

92.79%

Cappuccino

$6.09 CHF 4.84

$3.57 MX$61.3

70.59%

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

$5.39 CHF 4.28

$1.61 MX$27.55

234.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.73 CHF 3.76

$1.15 MX$19.81

311.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.33 CHF 6.62

$3.15 MX$54.0

164.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.23 CHF 5.74

$4.86 MX$83.4

48.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.13 CHF 1.69

$1.70 MX$29.17

25.29%

White Bread (500g)

$3.58 CHF 2.84

$2.64 MX$45.23

35.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.14 CHF 3.28

$1.90 MX$32.67

117.89%

Eggs

$7.53 CHF 5.98

$2.54 MX$43.62

196.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.23 CHF 23.21

$10.08 MX$173

189.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.90 CHF 26.12

$8.29 MX$142

296.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$47.54 CHF 37.74

$11.57 MX$199

310.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.76 CHF 2.99

$3.03 MX$52.0

24.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 CHF 1.80

$1.71 MX$29.35

32.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 CHF 2.30

$2.05 MX$35.16

41.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.14 CHF 4.87

$2.06 MX$35.36

198.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.42 CHF 1.92

$2.06 MX$35.43

17.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.45 CHF 1.95

$2.17 MX$37.25

12.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 CHF 2.06

$1.40 MX$24.08

85.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 CHF 1.04

$1.12 MX$19.26

16.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.18 CHF 8.87

$4.29 MX$73.7

160.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.81 CHF 10.96

$15.41 MX$265

-10.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 CHF 1.93

$1.67 MX$28.74

46.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 CHF 2.55

$3.69 MX$63.3

-12.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.95 CHF 3.13

$0.38 MX$6.55

939.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.5 CHF 77.4

$19.06 MX$327

411.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.69 CHF 6.11

$1.38 MX$23.70

457.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.17 CHF 3.31

$0.28 MX$4.74

1389.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$79.5 CHF 63.2

$5.42 MX$92.9

1367.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.74

$1.28 MX$21.98

71.09%

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

$40.6K CHF 32.2K

$19.0K MX$325.8K

113.79%

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

$40.9K CHF 32.4K

$23.5K MX$402.7K

74.14%

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

$256 CHF 203

$41.02 MX$704

523.11%

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

$48.37 CHF 38.40

$26.92 MX$462

79.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 CHF 45.80

$29.69 MX$510

94.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.9 CHF 70.6

$52.3 MX$898

69.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

Cinema Ticket

$22.76 CHF 18.07

$6.18 MX$106

268.28%

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

$2,854 CHF 2,266

$427 MX$7,331

568.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.8K CHF 27.6K

$10.7K MX$183.6K

225.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$139 CHF 111

$56.8 MX$975

145.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.7 CHF 53.0

$44.83 MX$769

48.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 CHF 116

$105 MX$1,794

40.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$189 CHF 150

$106 MX$1,819

77.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,732 CHF 1,375

$995 MX$17.1K

74.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,491 CHF 1,184

$621 MX$10.7K

140.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,863 CHF 2,273

$2,126 MX$36.5K

34.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,432 CHF 1,931

$1,254 MX$21.5K

94.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.9K CHF 11.8K

$3,903 MX$67.0K

281.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.5K CHF 8,351

$2,096 MX$36.0K

401.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

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 Altstätten: June 6, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,732 in Altstätten versus $995 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 $144 in Altstätten versus $53.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $658 vs $288 – 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 140%, 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 $5,208 per month in Altstätten and $2,171 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 $3,472 in Altstätten and $1,447 in Mexico City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 412% less in Mexico City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,447, than in Altstätten at $3,472. 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.