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 $3,464 per month in Altstätten vs $1,484 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,384 per month in Altstätten vs $2,381 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,305 per month in Altstätten vs $3,278 in Mexico City, rent included.

Altstätten costs about 133% 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

$31.40 CHF 24.81

$12.98 MX$226

141.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$141 CHF 111

$53.1 MX$923

165.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.85 CHF 14.89

$9.72 MX$169

93.93%

Cappuccino

$5.95 CHF 4.70

$3.75 MX$65.2

58.67%

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

$5.39 CHF 4.26

$1.57 MX$27.30

243.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 CHF 3.87

$1.13 MX$19.64

333.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.17 CHF 6.45

$3.18 MX$55.3

156.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.33 CHF 5.79

$4.66 MX$81.1

57.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.70

$1.62 MX$28.21

32.72%

White Bread (500g)

$3.60 CHF 2.85

$2.71 MX$47.09

32.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.19 CHF 3.31

$1.88 MX$32.70

122.87%

Eggs

$7.62 CHF 6.02

$2.51 MX$43.65

203.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.48 CHF 22.50

$10.08 MX$175

182.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.38 CHF 26.37

$8.29 MX$144

302.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$47.18 CHF 37.27

$11.94 MX$208

295.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 CHF 2.86

$2.86 MX$49.77

26.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 CHF 1.84

$1.75 MX$30.45

33.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.85 CHF 2.25

$2.08 MX$36.27

37.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.14 CHF 4.85

$1.97 MX$34.27

211.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 CHF 2.00

$2.16 MX$37.58

17.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.41 CHF 1.90

$2.18 MX$37.94

10.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CHF 2.05

$1.39 MX$24.20

87.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 CHF 1.09

$1.12 MX$19.57

23.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.06 CHF 8.74

$4.20 MX$73.1

163.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.90 CHF 10.98

$14.25 MX$248

-2.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 CHF 1.84

$1.76 MX$30.68

32.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 CHF 2.63

$3.68 MX$64.1

-9.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.97 CHF 3.14

$0.39 MX$6.71

917.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.2 CHF 78.4

$18.66 MX$325

431.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.67 CHF 6.06

$1.39 MX$24.12

451.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.27 CHF 3.37

$0.30 MX$5.29

1323.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$79.9 CHF 63.1

$5.42 MX$94.3

1374.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.12 CHF 1.68

$1.35 MX$23.50

57.04%

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

$40.8K CHF 32.3K

$18.9K MX$328.6K

116.20%

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

$41.9K CHF 33.1K

$23.2K MX$402.8K

80.79%

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

$258 CHF 203

$40.82 MX$710

530.82%

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

$49.33 CHF 38.97

$27.50 MX$479

79.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.7 CHF 47.19

$30.38 MX$529

96.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.9 CHF 69.5

$53.4 MX$930

64.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$23.00 CHF 18.17

$6.27 MX$109

266.83%

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

$2,879 CHF 2,274

$436 MX$7,588

560.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.1K CHF 27.0K

$10.5K MX$182.1K

226.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$136 CHF 108

$56.8 MX$988

140.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.3 CHF 53.2

$44.79 MX$779

50.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$150 CHF 118

$103 MX$1,789

45.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$189 CHF 149

$108 MX$1,878

74.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,721 CHF 1,359

$1,000 MX$17.4K

72.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,455 CHF 1,150

$620 MX$10.8K

134.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,850 CHF 2,251

$2,137 MX$37.2K

33.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,475 CHF 1,955

$1,235 MX$21.5K

100.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$15.2K CHF 12.0K

$3,865 MX$67.3K

292.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.9K CHF 9,438

$2,332 MX$40.6K

412.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.6K

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,721 in Altstätten versus $1,000 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 $141 in Altstätten versus $53.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $658 vs $286 – 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 133%, 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 $5,196 per month in Altstätten and $2,225 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 $3,464 in Altstätten and $1,484 in Mexico City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 432% 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 $1,484, than in Altstätten at $3,464. 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.