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: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $4,060 in Montreux.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $5,759 in Montreux.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $7,458 in Montreux.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 64% less than in Montreux, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 8% above, Montreux 202% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$30.37 CHF 24.11

-57.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$147 CHF 117

-64.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$19.19 CHF 15.23

-50.86%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$5.87 CHF 4.66

-39.18%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$5.36 CHF 4.25

-69.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$4.96 CHF 3.94

-76.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$9.95 CHF 7.90

-68.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$8.47 CHF 6.72

-42.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$2.15 CHF 1.70

-20.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$3.92 CHF 3.11

-32.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$4.41 CHF 3.50

-56.92%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$7.35 CHF 5.83

-65.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$28.80 CHF 22.86

-65.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$28.13 CHF 22.34

-70.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$43.47 CHF 34.51

-73.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$3.98 CHF 3.16

-23.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$2.18 CHF 1.73

-21.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$2.85 CHF 2.26

-28.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$6.34 CHF 5.03

-67.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$3.12 CHF 2.47

-33.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$2.41 CHF 1.91

-9.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$2.49 CHF 1.98

-43.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$1.57 CHF 1.25

-28.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$11.05 CHF 8.77

-61.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$13.61 CHF 10.81

13.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$2.04 CHF 1.62

-18.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$3.14 CHF 2.49

17.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$4.22 CHF 3.35

-91.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$91.6 CHF 72.7

-79.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$7.67 CHF 6.09

-82.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$4.08 CHF 3.24

-93.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$66.3 CHF 52.6

-91.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$2.18 CHF 1.73

-41.28%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$39.9K CHF 31.6K

-52.38%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$41.4K CHF 32.9K

-43.38%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$308 CHF 245

-86.69%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$50.1 CHF 39.74

-46.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$59.2 CHF 46.99

-49.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$78.9 CHF 62.6

-33.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$36.46 CHF 28.94

-28.06%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$22.70 CHF 18.02

-72.78%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$2,546 CHF 2,022

-83.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$34.0K CHF 27.0K

-68.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$107 CHF 84.8

-46.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$69.2 CHF 55.0

-35.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$174 CHF 139

-40.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$185 CHF 147

-42.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$2,230 CHF 1,770

-55.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$1,986 CHF 1,577

-68.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$3,387 CHF 2,689

-37.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$2,723 CHF 2,162

-53.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$16.7K CHF 13.3K

-76.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$11.8K CHF 9,340

-82.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$8,482 CHF 6,734

-86.95%

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 7, 2026

Last update for Montreux: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $2,230 in Montreux. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montreux pays 666% 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 $147 in Montreux for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $628 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 181% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $4,060 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Montreux earns 666% 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: $995 in Mexico City versus $2,230 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 381% less than in Montreux. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $2,546 in Montreux. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,447 in Mexico City versus $4,060 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 181% less than in Montreux. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.