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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $3,458 in Lachen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $5,285 in Lachen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $7,113 in Lachen.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 52% less than in Lachen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 21% above, Lachen 153% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$31.20 CHF 25.64

-61.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$889

$124 CHF 102

-58.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$16.49 CHF 13.55

-30.81%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.8

$6.38 CHF 5.24

-37.46%

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

$1.66 MX$28.57

$5.85 CHF 4.81

-71.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.84

$5.30 CHF 4.36

-74.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.8

$8.62 CHF 7.08

-59.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$9.76 CHF 8.02

-39.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.31

$2.27 CHF 1.87

-17.18%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.0

$3.35 CHF 2.75

-2.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.21

$4.36 CHF 3.58

-50.46%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.87

$7.83 CHF 6.43

-62.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$27.28 CHF 22.42

-52.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$26.78 CHF 22.01

-62.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$41.44 CHF 34.05

-61.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.7

$3.68 CHF 3.02

-10.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.55

$2.18 CHF 1.79

-7.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$2.67 CHF 2.19

-17.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.57

$4.80 CHF 3.95

-50.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.38

$2.03 CHF 1.66

0.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.75

$2.33 CHF 1.92

-18.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.64

$2.40 CHF 1.97

-32.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.05

$1.46 CHF 1.20

-4.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.1

$11.03 CHF 9.07

-50.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$13.50 CHF 11.09

30.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.39

$2.23 CHF 1.83

-7.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.7

$2.83 CHF 2.32

65.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.83

$4.64 CHF 3.81

-92.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$358

$103 CHF 84.5

-79.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.11

$7.92 CHF 6.51

-73.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.63

$4.89 CHF 4.02

-88.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$88.2 CHF 72.4

-93.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$2.27 CHF 1.87

-29.07%

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

$22.8K MX$393.3K

$42.9K CHF 35.3K

-46.80%

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

$26.8K MX$460.6K

$40.6K CHF 33.4K

-34.12%

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

$65.2 MX$1,122

$242 CHF 199

-73.07%

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

$30.09 MX$518

$32.30 CHF 26.54

-6.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$640

$67.0 CHF 55.1

-44.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,029

$93.7 CHF 77.0

-36.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$457

$47.12 CHF 38.72

-43.65%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$22.43 CHF 18.44

-68.61%

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

$465 MX$8,001

$2,859 CHF 2,349

-83.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.6K

$45.1K CHF 37.1K

-70.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,307

$140 CHF 115

-45.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$963

$91.1 CHF 74.9

-38.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,926

$151 CHF 124

-26.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,075

$174 CHF 143

-30.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$1,709 CHF 1,405

-35.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$1,497 CHF 1,230

-51.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$2,971 CHF 2,441

-14.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$2,630 CHF 2,161

-50.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.7K

$16.3K CHF 13.4K

-75.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$12.2K CHF 10.0K

-82.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$10.0K CHF 8,232

-89.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

1.72

556.98%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Lachen: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $1,709 in Lachen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lachen pays 866% 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 $124 in Lachen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $593 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 Lachen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City wins on cost – living expenses run 108% lower than in Lachen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mexico City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 866% lower in Lachen. 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: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $1,709 in Lachen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 394% less than in Lachen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $465 in Mexico City versus $2,859 in Lachen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,660 in Mexico City versus $3,458 in Lachen, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Lachen. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Mexico City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,660 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mexico City hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Lachen 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 108% less than in Lachen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.