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 $3,096 per month in Biel vs $1,484 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,763 per month in Biel vs $2,381 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,429 per month in Biel vs $3,278 in Mexico City, rent included.

Biel costs about 109% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Biel and Mexico City sit above the global median – Biel by 131%, Mexico City by 11%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.71 CHF 19.54

$12.98 MX$227

90.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$113 CHF 89.3

$53.1 MX$929

112.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.03 CHF 12.68

$9.72 MX$170

64.92%

Cappuccino

$6.33 CHF 5.01

$3.75 MX$65.6

68.80%

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

$5.32 CHF 4.21

$1.57 MX$27.46

238.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 CHF 4.00

$1.13 MX$19.76

347.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.79 CHF 6.16

$3.18 MX$55.7

144.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.87 CHF 5.43

$4.66 MX$81.6

47.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CHF 1.78

$1.62 MX$28.37

38.89%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 CHF 2.94

$2.71 MX$47.36

37.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.28 CHF 3.38

$1.88 MX$32.89

127.66%

Eggs

$7.51 CHF 5.94

$2.51 MX$43.90

199.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.27 CHF 23.95

$10.08 MX$176

200.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$35.98 CHF 28.46

$8.29 MX$145

334.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$50.9 CHF 40.22

$11.94 MX$209

325.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 CHF 2.59

$2.86 MX$50.1

14.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 CHF 1.83

$1.75 MX$30.62

32.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.98 CHF 2.36

$2.08 MX$36.48

43.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 CHF 3.44

$1.97 MX$34.46

120.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 1.97

$2.16 MX$37.79

15.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 CHF 1.89

$2.18 MX$38.16

9.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 CHF 2.11

$1.39 MX$24.34

92.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 CHF 0.70

$1.12 MX$19.69

-20.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.12 CHF 8.80

$4.20 MX$73.5

164.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.63 CHF 9.99

$14.25 MX$249

-11.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 CHF 1.90

$1.76 MX$30.85

36.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 CHF 2.63

$3.68 MX$64.5

-9.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.47 CHF 3.53

$0.39 MX$6.74

1046.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 CHF 86.3

$18.66 MX$327

484.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.54 CHF 9.92

$1.39 MX$24.26

802.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.05 CHF 3.20

$0.30 MX$5.32

1250.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$82.4 CHF 65.2

$5.42 MX$94.9

1420.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.70

$1.35 MX$23.63

59.26%

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

$31.3K CHF 24.8K

$18.9K MX$330.5K

65.92%

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

$28.5K CHF 22.5K

$23.2K MX$405.2K

23.07%

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

$244 CHF 193

$40.82 MX$714

497.97%

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

$36.50 CHF 28.87

$27.50 MX$481

32.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.6 CHF 43.97

$30.38 MX$532

82.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$114 CHF 90.3

$53.4 MX$935

113.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$73.2 CHF 57.9

$26.30 MX$460

178.14%

Cinema Ticket

$21.76 CHF 17.21

$6.27 MX$110

247.05%

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

$2,865 CHF 2,266

$436 MX$7,632

556.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.2K CHF 33.4K

$10.5K MX$183.2K

303.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$141 CHF 111

$56.8 MX$993

148.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.49 CHF 35.98

$44.79 MX$784

1.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 CHF 104

$103 MX$1,799

27.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 CHF 126

$108 MX$1,888

47.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,298 CHF 1,027

$1,000 MX$17.5K

29.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 CHF 890

$620 MX$10.9K

81.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,273 CHF 1,798

$2,137 MX$37.4K

6.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,871 CHF 1,480

$1,235 MX$21.6K

51.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,986 CHF 7,899

$3,865 MX$67.6K

158.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,438 CHF 6,674

$2,332 MX$40.8K

261.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,974 CHF 6,307

$1,067 MX$18.7K

647.17%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,298 in Biel 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.

Salaries run about 647% 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 $113 in Biel versus $53.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $672 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

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

Yes – Biel is pricier by about 109%, 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 $4,644 per month in Biel 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.

Public transport costs about 485% less in Mexico City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,865 per month in Biel and $436 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 $1,484, than in Biel at $3,096. 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.