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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $3,942 in Montreux.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $5,723 in Montreux.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $7,504 in Montreux.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 62% less than in Montreux, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 11% above, Montreux 194% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$31.13 CHF 24.63

-58.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$150 CHF 119

-64.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$19.35 CHF 15.31

-49.77%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$6.06 CHF 4.80

-38.12%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$5.30 CHF 4.19

-70.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$4.68 CHF 3.71

-75.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$10.01 CHF 7.92

-68.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$8.68 CHF 6.86

-46.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$2.18 CHF 1.72

-25.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$3.71 CHF 2.93

-26.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$4.52 CHF 3.57

-58.41%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$7.34 CHF 5.80

-65.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$28.27 CHF 22.36

-64.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$28.39 CHF 22.46

-70.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$44.32 CHF 35.06

-73.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$3.90 CHF 3.08

-26.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$2.09 CHF 1.65

-16.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$2.80 CHF 2.21

-25.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$6.61 CHF 5.23

-70.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$3.22 CHF 2.55

-32.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$2.45 CHF 1.94

-11.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$2.49 CHF 1.97

-44.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$1.55 CHF 1.23

-27.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$11.05 CHF 8.74

-61.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$15.09 CHF 11.93

-5.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$2.00 CHF 1.59

-12.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$3.12 CHF 2.47

17.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$4.24 CHF 3.36

-90.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$90.8 CHF 71.8

-79.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$7.73 CHF 6.11

-82.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$4.19 CHF 3.31

-92.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$66.6 CHF 52.7

-91.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$2.15 CHF 1.70

-37.21%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$39.9K CHF 31.6K

-52.67%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$41.2K CHF 32.6K

-43.78%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$307 CHF 242

-86.68%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$51.3 CHF 40.55

-46.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$58.8 CHF 46.49

-48.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$79.3 CHF 62.8

-32.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$36.43 CHF 28.81

-27.81%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$22.74 CHF 17.99

-72.43%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$2,555 CHF 2,021

-82.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$33.7K CHF 26.6K

-68.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$110 CHF 86.7

-48.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$68.8 CHF 54.4

-34.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$176 CHF 139

-41.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$185 CHF 146

-41.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$2,223 CHF 1,759

-55.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$1,972 CHF 1,560

-68.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$3,387 CHF 2,679

-36.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$2,798 CHF 2,213

-55.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

$16.5K CHF 13.0K

-76.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

$9,018 CHF 7,133

-74.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$8,340 CHF 6,597

-87.20%

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 Montreux: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $2,223 in Montreux. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montreux pays 681% 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: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $150 in Montreux for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $632 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 Montreux: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Montreux differ by about 166% in total monthly costs ($1,484 vs $3,942 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Montreux earns 681% less. 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: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $2,223 in Montreux. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 387% less than in Montreux. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $2,555 in Montreux. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,484 in Mexico City versus $3,942 in Montreux, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Montreux. 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 Montreux 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 166% less than in Montreux. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.