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 $3,454 per month in Altstätten vs $1,472 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,350 per month in Altstätten vs $2,359 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,246 per month in Altstätten vs $3,245 in Mexico City, rent included.

Altstätten costs about 135% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Altstätten and Mexico City sit above the global median – Altstätten by 159%, Mexico City by 11%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.94 CHF 25.16

$13.14 MX$229

135.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$142 CHF 116

$53.5 MX$934

165.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.68 CHF 15.20

$9.33 MX$163

100.21%

Cappuccino

$6.08 CHF 4.94

$3.70 MX$64.5

64.32%

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

$5.25 CHF 4.27

$1.60 MX$27.98

228.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.87 CHF 3.96

$1.12 MX$19.49

334.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.18 CHF 6.65

$3.14 MX$54.7

160.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.28 CHF 5.93

$4.85 MX$84.5

50.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 CHF 1.77

$1.65 MX$28.84

31.52%

White Bread (500g)

$3.59 CHF 2.92

$2.71 MX$47.34

32.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.08 CHF 3.32

$1.91 MX$33.29

113.61%

Eggs

$7.32 CHF 5.95

$2.59 MX$45.17

182.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.14 CHF 23.70

$9.81 MX$171

197.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.97 CHF 26.82

$8.43 MX$147

291.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$47.40 CHF 38.55

$11.93 MX$208

297.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.81 CHF 3.10

$2.95 MX$51.5

29.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 CHF 1.90

$1.74 MX$30.35

34.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 CHF 2.35

$2.04 MX$35.66

41.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.23 CHF 5.07

$2.06 MX$35.93

202.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 CHF 2.05

$2.15 MX$37.49

17.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 CHF 1.98

$2.26 MX$39.33

7.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 CHF 2.04

$1.39 MX$24.17

80.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 CHF 1.09

$1.12 MX$19.47

19.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.91 CHF 8.88

$4.22 MX$73.6

158.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.89 CHF 10.48

$17.51 MX$305

-26.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 CHF 1.91

$1.71 MX$29.82

37.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 CHF 2.61

$3.63 MX$63.4

-11.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.00 CHF 3.26

$0.35 MX$6.15

1042.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.0 CHF 78.9

$19.32 MX$337

401.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 CHF 6.42

$1.38 MX$24.00

471.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.14 CHF 3.37

$0.28 MX$4.81

1378.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$80.6 CHF 65.6

$5.28 MX$92.0

1426.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.75

$1.36 MX$23.69

58.09%

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

$40.2K CHF 32.7K

$19.1K MX$333.2K

110.50%

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

$42.1K CHF 34.3K

$23.6K MX$411.7K

78.52%

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

$258 CHF 210

$40.53 MX$707

535.63%

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

$49.09 CHF 39.93

$27.38 MX$478

79.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.8 CHF 48.64

$30.38 MX$530

96.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.6 CHF 71.3

$52.2 MX$911

67.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.3 CHF 40.92

$26.48 MX$462

89.99%

Cinema Ticket

$22.51 CHF 18.31

$6.19 MX$108

263.65%

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

$2,948 CHF 2,398

$425 MX$7,414

593.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.8K CHF 28.3K

$10.7K MX$187.2K

224.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$134 CHF 109

$58.3 MX$1,017

130.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.2 CHF 54.7

$44.57 MX$777

50.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$151 CHF 122

$103 MX$1,805

45.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$190 CHF 155

$109 MX$1,897

75.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,689 CHF 1,374

$1,014 MX$17.7K

66.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,489 CHF 1,211

$623 MX$10.9K

139.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,867 CHF 2,332

$2,119 MX$37.0K

35.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,421 CHF 1,970

$1,223 MX$21.3K

97.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.8K CHF 10.4K

$3,792 MX$66.1K

238.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.6K CHF 9,404

$2,110 MX$36.8K

447.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.4K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,689 in Altstätten 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $142 in Altstätten versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $656 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

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

Yes – Altstätten is pricier by about 135%, 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 $5,181 per month in Altstätten 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,454 in Altstätten and $1,472 in Mexico City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 402% 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 $1,472, than in Altstätten at $3,454. 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.