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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $3,131 in Buchs.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $4,705 in Buchs.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $6,279 in Buchs.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 47% less than in Buchs, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 20% above, Buchs 128% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$204

$24.41 CHF 19.75

-50.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$881

$87.8 CHF 71.0

-40.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$184

$15.70 CHF 12.70

-30.57%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.4

$4.65 CHF 3.77

-12.90%

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

$1.72 MX$28.95

$3.99 CHF 3.23

-56.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.25

$3.26 CHF 2.64

-57.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.5

$6.22 CHF 5.03

-44.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.1

$5.59 CHF 4.52

3.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.28

$2.06 CHF 1.66

-10.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.4

$4.03 CHF 3.26

-20.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.20

$4.70 CHF 3.80

-55.53%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.10

$7.49 CHF 6.06

-61.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$211

$33.16 CHF 26.83

-62.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$18.51 CHF 14.97

-45.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$268

$33.43 CHF 27.05

-52.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.0

$3.50 CHF 2.83

-5.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.90

$2.29 CHF 1.86

-6.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$36.97

$3.23 CHF 2.61

-32.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.31

$6.98 CHF 5.65

-64.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$36.95

$1.81 CHF 1.46

20.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.15

$2.69 CHF 2.17

-29.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.26

$2.61 CHF 2.11

-37.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.78

$1.24 CHF 1.00

8.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$91.6

$11.24 CHF 9.09

-51.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$297

$13.38 CHF 10.83

31.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.90

$3.16 CHF 2.56

-34.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.1

$4.00 CHF 3.24

18.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.74

$5.16 CHF 4.18

-93.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$364

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.44

$5.56 CHF 4.50

-63.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.75

$3.45 CHF 2.79

-83.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

$60.9 CHF 49.28

-90.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.27

$2.29 CHF 1.86

-29.26%

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

$22.8K MX$385.0K

$43.4K CHF 35.1K

-47.48%

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

$26.7K MX$450.0K

$40.6K CHF 32.9K

-34.39%

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

$65.2 MX$1,101

$183 CHF 148

-64.40%

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

$29.87 MX$504

$32.10 CHF 25.97

-6.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$617

$69.1 CHF 55.9

-47.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,030

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$15.71 CHF 12.71

-56.40%

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

$453 MX$7,652

$620 CHF 501

-26.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$225.7K

$20.9K CHF 16.9K

-35.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,265

$111 CHF 89.5

-32.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$933

$24.98 CHF 20.21

121.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,917

$99.0 CHF 80.1

14.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,070

$175 CHF 141

-29.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.1K

$1,827 CHF 1,478

-37.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.0K

$1,623 CHF 1,313

-56.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.4K

$2,796 CHF 2,262

-8.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.1K

$2,828 CHF 2,288

-53.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

$8,717 CHF 7,052

-87.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

1.93

485.49%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Last update for Buchs: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,134 in Mexico City and $1,827 in Buchs. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buchs pays 733% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $88.0 in Buchs for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $568 per month, with Mexico City cheaper across the board.

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 Buchs: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Buchs differ by about 90% in total monthly costs ($1,646 vs $3,131 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 733% lower in Buchs. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,134 in Mexico City versus $1,827 in Buchs. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $453 in Mexico City versus $620 in Buchs. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $52.0 versus $88.0 in Buchs. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,646 in Mexico City versus $3,131 in Buchs, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Buchs. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Buchs are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 90% less than in Buchs. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.