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 $1,448 per month in Mexico City vs $3,489 in Altstätten, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,354 per month in Mexico City vs $5,424 in Altstätten, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,260 per month in Mexico City vs $7,360 in Altstätten, rent included.

Mexico City is about 58% cheaper than Altstätten, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mexico City and Altstätten sit above the global median – Mexico City by 9%, Altstätten by 162%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.96 MX$223

$30.86 CHF 24.48

-58.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.3 MX$900

$141 CHF 112

-62.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.69 MX$167

$18.54 CHF 14.71

-47.73%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$64.6

$6.03 CHF 4.79

-37.81%

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

$1.56 MX$26.91

$5.25 CHF 4.16

-70.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$19.93

$4.71 CHF 3.74

-75.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 MX$55.8

$8.22 CHF 6.52

-60.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 MX$84.3

$7.33 CHF 5.81

-33.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.29

$2.26 CHF 1.80

-24.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 MX$45.90

$3.62 CHF 2.87

-26.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.49

$4.10 CHF 3.25

-53.90%

Eggs

$2.52 MX$43.37

$7.26 CHF 5.75

-65.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 MX$172

$29.00 CHF 23.00

-65.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.53 MX$147

$33.00 CHF 26.17

-74.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$205

$46.77 CHF 37.09

-74.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.1

$3.65 CHF 2.89

-18.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 MX$30.88

$2.31 CHF 1.83

-22.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.40

$2.88 CHF 2.28

-30.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.74

$6.13 CHF 4.86

-68.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.21

$2.43 CHF 1.93

-11.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.04

$2.45 CHF 1.94

-7.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.14

$2.60 CHF 2.06

-46.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.18

$1.37 CHF 1.09

-18.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$72.2

$11.24 CHF 8.92

-62.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.54 MX$285

$13.76 CHF 10.91

20.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.94

$2.35 CHF 1.86

-28.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 MX$61.8

$3.31 CHF 2.63

8.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.65

$3.85 CHF 3.06

-89.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.19 MX$330

$100 CHF 79.6

-80.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.77

$8.10 CHF 6.42

-82.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.19

$4.26 CHF 3.38

-92.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.7

$79.8 CHF 63.3

-93.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 MX$22.13

$2.24 CHF 1.78

-42.41%

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

$18.9K MX$325.1K

$40.0K CHF 31.7K

-52.73%

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

$23.8K MX$409.5K

$41.3K CHF 32.8K

-42.43%

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

$39.86 MX$686

$262 CHF 208

-84.77%

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

$27.83 MX$479

$47.58 CHF 37.74

-41.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.77 MX$512

$59.2 CHF 46.91

-49.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$894

$88.0 CHF 69.8

-40.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.22 MX$451

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$108

$23.23 CHF 18.42

-73.01%

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

$433 MX$7,443

$2,873 CHF 2,279

-84.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$181.3K

$35.0K CHF 27.7K

-69.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 MX$981

$139 CHF 110

-59.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.33 MX$780

$68.2 CHF 54.1

-33.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 MX$1,753

$151 CHF 120

-32.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,867

$189 CHF 150

-42.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 MX$17.1K

$1,707 CHF 1,354

-41.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 MX$10.6K

$1,472 CHF 1,168

-58.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,086 MX$35.9K

$2,885 CHF 2,288

-27.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 MX$21.6K

$2,487 CHF 1,972

-49.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,936 MX$67.7K

$19.1K CHF 15.2K

-79.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,089 MX$35.9K

$11.7K CHF 9,248

-82.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,131 MX$19.5K

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 Altstätten: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $994 in Mexico City versus $1,707 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 $52.0 in Mexico City versus $141 in Altstätten. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $656 – 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 141%, 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 $2,173 per month in Mexico City and $5,233 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 $1,448 in Mexico City and $3,489 in Altstätten. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 423% 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 $1,448, than in Altstätten at $3,489. 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.