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 $1,668 per month in Mexico City vs $2,860 in Aarau, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,613 per month in Mexico City vs $4,644 in Aarau, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,557 per month in Mexico City vs $6,429 in Aarau, rent included.

Mexico City is about 42% cheaper than Aarau, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mexico City and Aarau sit above the global median – Mexico City by 24%, Aarau by 112%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.03 MX$213

$30.42 CHF 25.24

-60.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.8 MX$937

$107 CHF 89.0

-50.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.69 MX$207

$18.44 CHF 15.30

-36.61%

Cappuccino

$3.87 MX$68.7

$5.98 CHF 4.96

-35.28%

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

$1.75 MX$31.05

$5.16 CHF 4.28

-66.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$24.74

$4.97 CHF 4.13

-72.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 MX$59.6

$5.99 CHF 4.97

-43.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 MX$102

$6.72 CHF 5.57

-14.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MX$32.04

$2.13 CHF 1.77

-15.02%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 MX$54.7

$3.86 CHF 3.21

-20.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 MX$37.78

$2.69 CHF 2.23

-20.82%

Eggs

$2.98 MX$52.8

$7.19 CHF 5.97

-58.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.53 MX$222

$31.36 CHF 26.02

-60.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 MX$182

$30.21 CHF 25.07

-66.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 MX$282

$41.94 CHF 34.80

-62.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$60.1

$2.88 CHF 2.39

17.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 MX$37.37

$1.79 CHF 1.48

17.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$37.73

$2.50 CHF 2.08

-14.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 MX$43.77

$5.66 CHF 4.70

-56.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 MX$36.16

$1.76 CHF 1.46

15.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$35.72

$1.97 CHF 1.63

2.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 MX$28.25

$2.27 CHF 1.89

-29.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$23.58

$1.19 CHF 0.99

11.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.49 MX$97.4

$11.08 CHF 9.19

-50.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 MX$311

$10.37 CHF 8.60

68.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 MX$35.74

$2.62 CHF 2.18

-23.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$84.1

$2.86 CHF 2.37

65.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.96

$5.24 CHF 4.35

-93.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.07 MX$374

$148 CHF 123

-85.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$36.41

$7.08 CHF 5.87

-71.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 MX$10.79

$3.31 CHF 2.75

-81.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 MX$101

$60.7 CHF 50.4

-90.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 MX$28.20

$2.25 CHF 1.87

-29.33%

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

$22.9K MX$406.1K

$43.3K CHF 36.0K

-47.19%

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

$26.4K MX$467.9K

$40.2K CHF 33.4K

-34.43%

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

$64.2 MX$1,140

$119 CHF 99.1

-46.22%

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

$29.42 MX$522

$32.11 CHF 26.64

-8.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.83 MX$653

$56.7 CHF 47.05

-35.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.7 MX$1,042

$99.3 CHF 82.4

-40.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.54 MX$471

$60.6 CHF 50.3

-56.22%

Cinema Ticket

$6.95 MX$123

$21.74 CHF 18.04

-68.03%

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

$463 MX$8,210

$3,162 CHF 2,623

-85.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$237.1K

$24.3K CHF 20.2K

-45.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.4 MX$1,338

$91.7 CHF 76.0

-17.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.2 MX$962

$73.0 CHF 60.6

-25.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MX$1,972

$109 CHF 90.5

1.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,167

$170 CHF 141

-28.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,133 MX$20.1K

$1,256 CHF 1,042

-9.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 MX$12.4K

$1,024 CHF 849

-31.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,442 MX$43.3K

$2,329 CHF 1,933

4.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 MX$23.1K

$2,148 CHF 1,782

-39.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,910 MX$69.4K

$10.3K CHF 8,513

-61.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,069 MX$36.7K

$12.3K CHF 10.2K

-83.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.7K

$7,007 CHF 5,814

-84.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

2.31

389.18%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 21, 2026

Last update for Aarau: September 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,133 in Mexico City versus $1,256 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 566% 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 $53.0 in Mexico City versus $107 in Aarau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $343 vs $606 – 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 72% 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 $2,502 per month in Mexico City and $4,290 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 601% less in Mexico City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $463 per month in Mexico City and $3,162 in Aarau. 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 $1,668, than in Aarau at $2,860. 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 $1,668 versus $2,860 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.