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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,448 per month in Mexico City vs $3,015 in Aarau, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,354 per month in Mexico City vs $4,757 in Aarau, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,260 per month in Mexico City vs $6,499 in Aarau, rent included.

Mexico City is about 52% cheaper than Aarau, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mexico City and Aarau sit above the global median – Mexico City by 9%, Aarau by 126%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.96 MX$223

$29.94 CHF 23.75

-56.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.3 MX$900

$108 CHF 85.3

-51.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.69 MX$167

$19.24 CHF 15.26

-49.64%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$64.6

$6.29 CHF 4.99

-40.38%

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

$1.56 MX$26.91

$3.44 CHF 2.73

-54.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$19.93

$4.90 CHF 3.89

-76.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 MX$55.8

$8.24 CHF 6.54

-60.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 MX$84.3

$7.50 CHF 5.95

-34.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.29

$2.11 CHF 1.67

-19.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 MX$45.90

$3.28 CHF 2.60

-18.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.49

$2.45 CHF 1.94

-22.86%

Eggs

$2.52 MX$43.37

$6.88 CHF 5.46

-63.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 MX$172

$28.84 CHF 22.87

-65.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.53 MX$147

$36.31 CHF 28.80

-76.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$205

$44.34 CHF 35.16

-73.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.1

$2.79 CHF 2.21

6.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 MX$30.88

$2.10 CHF 1.66

-14.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.40

$2.75 CHF 2.18

-27.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.74

$5.88 CHF 4.66

-66.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.21

$2.26 CHF 1.79

-4.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.04

$2.05 CHF 1.63

10.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.14

$2.62 CHF 2.08

-46.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.18

$1.51 CHF 1.20

-26.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$72.2

$10.63 CHF 8.43

-60.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.54 MX$285

$10.63 CHF 8.43

55.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.94

$2.32 CHF 1.84

-27.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 MX$61.8

$2.17 CHF 1.72

65.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.65

$4.20 CHF 3.33

-90.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.19 MX$330

$147 CHF 117

-86.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.77

$8.84 CHF 7.01

-84.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.19

$5.61 CHF 4.45

-94.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.7

$85.7 CHF 67.9

-93.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 MX$22.13

$2.23 CHF 1.77

-42.15%

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

$18.9K MX$325.1K

$41.1K CHF 32.6K

-54.05%

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

$23.8K MX$409.5K

$41.8K CHF 33.2K

-43.13%

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

$39.86 MX$686

$244 CHF 194

-83.67%

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

$27.83 MX$479

$43.49 CHF 34.49

-36.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.77 MX$512

$58.7 CHF 46.58

-49.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$894

$65.9 CHF 52.3

-21.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.22 MX$451

$41.72 CHF 33.09

-37.15%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$108

$23.80 CHF 18.88

-73.66%

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

$433 MX$7,443

$3,257 CHF 2,583

-86.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$181.3K

$24.7K CHF 19.6K

-57.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 MX$981

$92.3 CHF 73.2

-38.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.33 MX$780

$53.6 CHF 42.52

-15.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 MX$1,753

$110 CHF 87.3

-7.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,867

$174 CHF 138

-37.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 MX$17.1K

$1,269 CHF 1,006

-21.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 MX$10.6K

$1,030 CHF 817

-40.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,086 MX$35.9K

$2,448 CHF 1,941

-14.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 MX$21.6K

$2,111 CHF 1,674

-40.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,936 MX$67.7K

$10.4K CHF 8,283

-62.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,089 MX$35.9K

$12.6K CHF 9,976

-83.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,131 MX$19.5K

$7,163 CHF 5,681

-84.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

2.5

353.60%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 14, 2026

Last update for Aarau: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $994 in Mexico City versus $1,269 in Aarau. 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 533% higher in Aarau, 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 $52.0 in Mexico City versus $108 in Aarau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $636 – 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

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

Aarau costs about 108% more than Mexico City, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,173 per month in Mexico City and $4,522 in Aarau. 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 667% less in Mexico City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $433 per month in Mexico City and $3,257 in Aarau. 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 Aarau at $3,015. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Aarau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mexico City costs $1,448 versus $3,015 in Aarau. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Aarau makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.