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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,120 per month in Biel vs $1,448 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,725 per month in Biel vs $2,354 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,330 per month in Biel vs $3,260 in Mexico City, rent included.

Biel costs about 115% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Biel and Mexico City sit above the global median – Biel by 134%, Mexico City by 9%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.31 CHF 19.28

$12.96 MX$223

87.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 CHF 86.6

$52.3 MX$900

108.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.01 CHF 12.70

$9.69 MX$167

65.22%

Cappuccino

$6.15 CHF 4.88

$3.75 MX$64.6

64.00%

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

$5.31 CHF 4.21

$1.56 MX$26.91

240.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.87 CHF 3.87

$1.16 MX$19.93

319.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.65 CHF 6.06

$3.24 MX$55.8

136.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.88 CHF 5.46

$4.90 MX$84.3

40.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.73

$1.70 MX$29.29

28.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.77 CHF 2.99

$2.67 MX$45.90

41.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.26 CHF 3.38

$1.89 MX$32.49

125.40%

Eggs

$7.54 CHF 5.98

$2.52 MX$43.37

199.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.72 CHF 24.37

$10.02 MX$172

206.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$34.92 CHF 27.69

$8.53 MX$147

309.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$51.7 CHF 41.01

$11.94 MX$205

333.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 CHF 2.66

$2.97 MX$51.1

13.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 CHF 1.78

$1.79 MX$30.88

25.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 CHF 2.38

$2.00 MX$34.40

50.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.11 CHF 3.26

$1.96 MX$33.74

109.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.48 CHF 1.97

$2.16 MX$37.21

14.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 1.97

$2.27 MX$39.04

9.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CHF 2.07

$1.40 MX$24.14

85.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 CHF 0.71

$1.11 MX$19.18

-18.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.11 CHF 8.81

$4.20 MX$72.2

164.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.56 CHF 10.76

$16.54 MX$285

-18.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 CHF 1.83

$1.68 MX$28.94

36.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 CHF 2.64

$3.59 MX$61.8

-7.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.42 CHF 3.50

$0.39 MX$6.65

1033.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 CHF 87.3

$19.19 MX$330

473.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.54 CHF 9.94

$1.38 MX$23.77

808.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.23 CHF 3.36

$0.30 MX$5.19

1310.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$84.5 CHF 67.0

$5.39 MX$92.7

1467.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 CHF 1.70

$1.29 MX$22.13

65.89%

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

$31.1K CHF 24.7K

$18.9K MX$325.1K

64.55%

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

$28.6K CHF 22.6K

$23.8K MX$409.5K

19.99%

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

$245 CHF 194

$39.86 MX$686

514.63%

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

$35.79 CHF 28.38

$27.83 MX$479

28.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.0 CHF 44.44

$29.77 MX$512

88.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$113 CHF 90.0

$52.0 MX$894

118.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$73.6 CHF 58.4

$26.22 MX$451

180.59%

Cinema Ticket

$22.57 CHF 17.90

$6.27 MX$108

259.97%

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

$2,933 CHF 2,326

$433 MX$7,443

578.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.6K CHF 33.8K

$10.5K MX$181.3K

304.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$139 CHF 110

$57.0 MX$981

143.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 CHF 37.24

$45.33 MX$780

3.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 CHF 105

$102 MX$1,753

29.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 CHF 127

$109 MX$1,867

47.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,289 CHF 1,022

$994 MX$17.1K

29.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,155 CHF 916

$617 MX$10.6K

87.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,303 CHF 1,826

$2,086 MX$35.9K

10.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,821 CHF 1,444

$1,256 MX$21.6K

45.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.2K CHF 8,071

$3,936 MX$67.7K

158.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,232 CHF 6,529

$2,089 MX$35.9K

294.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,807 CHF 6,191

$1,131 MX$19.5K

589.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.88

11.34

-83.42%

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

Last update for Biel: June 16, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,289 in Biel versus $994 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.

Salaries run about 590% higher in Biel, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $109 in Biel versus $52.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $670 vs $292 – 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

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

Yes – Biel is pricier by about 115%, 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 $4,679 per month in Biel and $2,173 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.

Public transport costs about 473% less in Mexico City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,933 per month in Biel and $433 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,448, than in Biel at $3,120. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Biel 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, Biel makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.