Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Altstätten and Mexico City

For one person, living is cheaper in Mexico City: $1,674 a month against $3,740 in Altstätten, rent and utilities included – about $24,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Altstätten, Switzerland
Mexico City, Mexico
Altstätten
🇨🇭 Switzerland
$3,740
/mo nomad
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,674
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Altstätten and in Mexico City

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Altstätten and in Mexico City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,740 per month in Altstätten vs $1,674 in Mexico City, rent included.

  • Altstätten $3,740
  • Mexico City $1,674

A couple spends around $5,258 per month in Altstätten vs $2,606 in Mexico City, rent included.

  • Altstätten $5,258
  • Mexico City $2,606

A family of three spends $6,776 per month in Altstätten vs $3,537 in Mexico City, rent included.

  • Altstätten $6,776
  • Mexico City $3,537

Altstätten costs about 123% more than Mexico City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Altstätten and Mexico City sit above the global median – Altstätten by 177%, Mexico City by 24%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Altstätten
Mexico City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$30.38 CHF 24.85
$10.59 MX$197
186.87%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$121 CHF 99.1
$52.0 MX$964
133.06%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$18.27 CHF 14.95
$10.73 MX$199
70.27%
Cappuccino
$6.23 CHF 5.10
$3.80 MX$70.5
63.95%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.40 CHF 4.42
$1.61 MX$29.93
235.40%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.96 CHF 4.06
$1.21 MX$22.49
309.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.25 CHF 7.56
$3.18 MX$59.0
190.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.50 CHF 6.13
$5.44 MX$101
37.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Altstätten
Mexico City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.19 CHF 1.79
$1.72 MX$31.88
27.33%
White Bread (500g)
$3.63 CHF 2.97
$2.97 MX$55.1
22.22%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.69 CHF 3.02
$1.93 MX$35.74
91.19%
Eggs
$7.92 CHF 6.48
$2.77 MX$51.5
185.92%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$26.62 CHF 21.77
$11.67 MX$217
128.11%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$28.09 CHF 22.98
$9.48 MX$176
196.31%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$40.58 CHF 33.19
$15.37 MX$285
164.02%
Apples (1kg)
$3.50 CHF 2.86
$3.10 MX$57.6
12.90%
Banana (1kg)
$2.05 CHF 1.68
$1.96 MX$36.39
4.59%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.73 CHF 2.24
$1.98 MX$36.78
37.88%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.81 CHF 3.94
$2.34 MX$43.34
105.56%
Potato (1kg)
$1.80 CHF 1.48
$2.02 MX$37.56
-10.89%
Onion (1kg)
$2.24 CHF 1.83
$1.82 MX$33.86
23.08%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.43 CHF 1.99
$1.54 MX$28.66
57.79%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.26 CHF 1.03
$1.31 MX$24.35
-3.82%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.83 CHF 8.86
$5.35 MX$99.3
102.43%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.24 CHF 10.01
$16.19 MX$300
-24.40%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.82 CHF 2.31
$1.96 MX$36.36
43.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.09 CHF 2.53
$4.35 MX$80.8
-28.97%
🚌 Getting Around
Altstätten
Mexico City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.32 CHF 3.53
$0.30 MX$5.66
1340.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$99.1 CHF 81.0
$19.49 MX$362
408.26%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$7.50 CHF 6.13
$1.92 MX$35.58
290.63%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$4.18 CHF 3.42
$0.47 MX$8.77
789.36%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$72.6 CHF 59.4
$5.41 MX$100
1242.14%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.35 CHF 1.92
$1.48 MX$27.53
58.78%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$42.1K CHF 34.4K
$21.4K MX$396.6K
96.94%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.9K CHF 31.8K
$23.8K MX$440.9K
63.85%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Altstätten
Mexico City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$256 CHF 209
$62.0 MX$1,151
312.60%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$30.76 CHF 25.16
$28.47 MX$528
8.04%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$58.5 CHF 47.85
$34.11 MX$633
71.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Altstätten
Mexico City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$75.6 CHF 61.9
$58.4 MX$1,084
29.54%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$43.38 CHF 35.48
$24.50 MX$455
77.06%
Cinema Ticket
$20.89 CHF 17.09
$6.59 MX$122
217.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Altstätten
Mexico City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,539 CHF 2,077
$434 MX$8,059
484.76%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$34.3K CHF 28.1K
$14.0K MX$260.5K
144.67%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Altstätten
Mexico City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$134 CHF 110
$68.4 MX$1,269
96.59%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$71.0 CHF 58.0
$54.8 MX$1,017
29.49%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$165 CHF 135
$111 MX$2,057
49.17%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$193 CHF 158
$116 MX$2,153
66.56%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Altstätten
Mexico City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,720 CHF 1,407
$1,179 MX$21.9K
45.86%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,812 CHF 1,482
$771 MX$14.3K
135.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,810 CHF 2,298
$2,570 MX$47.7K
9.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,294 CHF 1,877
$1,420 MX$26.3K
61.63%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$15.8K CHF 12.9K
$3,586 MX$66.5K
341.21%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$11.8K CHF 9,616
$2,064 MX$38.3K
469.60%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Altstätten
Mexico City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,003 MX$18.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.03
11.35
-82.11%

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

Last update for Altstätten: November 1, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Altstätten
$1.8K
Mexico City
$771 57.5% $1K
Groceries & Markets
Altstätten
$591
Mexico City
$324 45.3% $267
Eating Out
Altstätten
$475
Mexico City
$201 57.8% $275
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Altstätten
$345
Mexico City
$125 63.9% $220
Clothing & Footwear
Altstätten
$254
Mexico City
$158 37.9% $96
Getting Around
Altstätten
$145
Mexico City
$25 82.7% $120
Sport & Entertainment
Altstätten
$117
Mexico City
$72 39.1% $46

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,720 in Altstätten versus $1,179 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 $121 in Altstätten versus $52 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $591 vs $324 – making Mexico City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇭 Altstätten
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🕒 Local time
21:11 9:11 PM
14:11 2:11 PM
7 h behind Altstätten
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
11,145
9,209,944 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to CHF – Swiss Franc Converter

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 0.818 CHF (1 CHF = 1.22 USD). 1 EUR = 0.918 CHF (1 CHF = 1.09 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 18.56 MXN (100 MXN = 5.39 USD). 1 EUR = 20.83 MXN (100 MXN = 4.8 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Altstätten Mexico City 9,750 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Altstätten
  • Mexico City

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Mexico City cheaper than Altstätten?
Yes – Altstätten is pricier by about 123%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,610 per month in Altstätten and $2,510 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Mexico City, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,179 there versus $1,720 in Altstätten.
What are total monthly expenses in Altstätten and in Mexico City?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,740 in Altstätten and $1,674 in Mexico City. That makes Mexico City about 55% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 80% less in Mexico City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $3,000 a realistic budget for living in Altstätten or in Mexico City?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,674, than in Altstätten at $3,740. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Altstätten it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Altstätten or Mexico City more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
For expats, Mexico City is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 55% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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