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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,484 per month in Mexico City vs $3,464 in Altstätten, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,381 per month in Mexico City vs $5,384 in Altstätten, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,278 per month in Mexico City vs $7,305 in Altstätten, rent included.

Mexico City is about 57% cheaper than Altstätten, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mexico City and Altstätten sit above the global median – Mexico City by 11%, Altstätten by 159%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$31.40 CHF 24.84

-58.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$141 CHF 112

-62.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$18.85 CHF 14.91

-48.44%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$5.95 CHF 4.71

-36.97%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$5.39 CHF 4.26

-70.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$4.90 CHF 3.87

-76.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$8.17 CHF 6.46

-61.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$7.33 CHF 5.80

-36.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$2.15 CHF 1.70

-24.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$3.60 CHF 2.85

-24.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$4.19 CHF 3.31

-55.13%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$7.62 CHF 6.03

-67.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$28.48 CHF 22.53

-64.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$33.38 CHF 26.40

-75.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$47.18 CHF 37.32

-74.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$3.62 CHF 2.87

-20.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$2.33 CHF 1.84

-24.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$2.85 CHF 2.26

-27.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$6.14 CHF 4.85

-67.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$2.53 CHF 2.00

-14.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$2.41 CHF 1.91

-9.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$2.60 CHF 2.05

-46.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$1.38 CHF 1.09

-18.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$11.06 CHF 8.75

-62.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$13.90 CHF 11.00

2.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$2.33 CHF 1.85

-24.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$3.33 CHF 2.63

10.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$3.97 CHF 3.14

-90.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$99.2 CHF 78.5

-81.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$7.67 CHF 6.07

-81.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$4.27 CHF 3.37

-92.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$79.9 CHF 63.2

-93.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$2.12 CHF 1.68

-36.32%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$40.8K CHF 32.3K

-53.75%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$41.9K CHF 33.1K

-44.69%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$258 CHF 204

-84.15%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$49.33 CHF 39.02

-44.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$59.7 CHF 47.25

-49.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$87.9 CHF 69.6

-39.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$23.00 CHF 18.19

-72.74%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$2,879 CHF 2,277

-84.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$34.1K CHF 27.0K

-69.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$136 CHF 108

-58.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$67.3 CHF 53.3

-33.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$150 CHF 118

-31.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$189 CHF 149

-42.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$1,721 CHF 1,361

-41.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$1,455 CHF 1,151

-57.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$2,850 CHF 2,254

-25.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$2,475 CHF 1,958

-50.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

$15.2K CHF 12.0K

-74.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

$11.9K CHF 9,450

-80.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Altstätten: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,000 in Mexico City versus $1,721 in Altstätten. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Mexico City versus $141 in Altstätten. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 vs $658 – 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 Altstätten: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Altstätten is pricier by about 133%, 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 $2,225 per month in Mexico City and $5,196 in Altstätten. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,484 in Mexico City and $3,464 in Altstätten. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 432% less in Mexico City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,484, than in Altstätten at $3,464. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Altstätten 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, Altstätten makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.