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 $2,916 per month in Biel vs $1,682 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,536 per month in Biel vs $2,599 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,157 per month in Biel vs $3,516 in Mexico City, rent included.

Biel costs about 73% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Biel and Mexico City sit above the global median – Biel by 113%, Mexico City by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.25 CHF 24.99

$11.83 MX$200

164.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 CHF 88.2

$52.2 MX$884

111.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.96 CHF 14.36

$10.87 MX$184

65.23%

Cappuccino

$6.28 CHF 5.02

$4.03 MX$68.2

55.83%

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

$5.10 CHF 4.08

$1.71 MX$28.99

198.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 CHF 3.43

$1.34 MX$22.70

219.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.81 CHF 6.24

$3.39 MX$57.5

130.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.92 CHF 3.93

$5.74 MX$97.3

-14.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.78

$1.89 MX$31.99

17.46%

White Bread (500g)

$4.06 CHF 3.25

$3.17 MX$53.8

28.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.43 CHF 2.74

$2.05 MX$34.74

67.32%

Eggs

$7.24 CHF 5.79

$3.01 MX$51.1

140.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.22 CHF 18.56

$12.61 MX$214

84.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$26.97 CHF 21.56

$9.94 MX$169

171.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$44.39 CHF 35.49

$16.00 MX$271

177.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 CHF 2.58

$3.28 MX$55.6

-1.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 CHF 1.76

$2.06 MX$34.87

6.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 CHF 1.97

$2.09 MX$35.36

18.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.29 CHF 2.63

$2.50 MX$42.44

31.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 CHF 1.20

$2.05 MX$34.76

-26.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 CHF 1.52

$1.87 MX$31.70

1.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 CHF 1.77

$1.57 MX$26.66

40.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 CHF 0.91

$1.39 MX$23.64

-17.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.05 CHF 8.83

$5.38 MX$91.2

105.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.93 CHF 12.74

$17.95 MX$304

-11.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 CHF 0.73

$2.02 MX$34.31

-54.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 CHF 1.47

$4.76 MX$80.7

-61.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.90 CHF 3.92

$0.36 MX$6.13

1261.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.0 CHF 76.0

$20.80 MX$353

356.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.00 CHF 6.40

$2.06 MX$34.92

288.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.59 CHF 3.67

$0.56 MX$9.55

719.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.1 CHF 68.1

$5.82 MX$98.6

1362.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.78

$1.54 MX$26.05

44.16%

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

$43.1K CHF 34.5K

$22.5K MX$380.6K

92.10%

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

$35.0K CHF 28.0K

$26.5K MX$448.7K

32.17%

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

$141 CHF 113

$66.0 MX$1,118

114.48%

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

$36.50 CHF 29.18

$30.98 MX$525

17.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.7 CHF 41.33

$36.20 MX$613

42.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.9 CHF 61.5

$57.5 MX$975

33.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.75 MX$453

Cinema Ticket

$22.20 CHF 17.75

$7.13 MX$121

211.36%

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

$2,665 CHF 2,131

$457 MX$7,738

483.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.5K CHF 30.0K

$13.2K MX$224.5K

183.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 CHF 87.6

$75.8 MX$1,285

44.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.60 CHF 39.66

$54.1 MX$917

-8.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$143 CHF 114

$116 MX$1,974

22.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$222 CHF 177

$122 MX$2,063

82.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 CHF 1,034

$1,147 MX$19.4K

12.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,143 CHF 914

$726 MX$12.3K

57.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,278 CHF 1,822

$2,503 MX$42.4K

-8.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,045 CHF 1,635

$1,331 MX$22.6K

53.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,821 CHF 7,853

$3,895 MX$66.0K

152.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,971 CHF 6,373

$2,149 MX$36.4K

270.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,625 CHF 4,498

$1,069 MX$18.1K

426.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.68

11.35

-85.20%

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

Last update for Biel: August 17, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,293 in Biel versus $1,147 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 426% 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 $110 in Biel versus $52.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $570 vs $344 – 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 73%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,374 per month in Biel and $2,523 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 357% less in Mexico City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,665 per month in Biel and $457 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,682, than in Biel at $2,916. 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.