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: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $3,973 in Montreux.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $5,762 in Montreux.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $7,551 in Montreux.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 63% less than in Montreux, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 11% above, Montreux 198% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$31.14 CHF 25.13

-57.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$149 CHF 120

-64.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$18.82 CHF 15.18

-50.43%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$5.90 CHF 4.76

-37.29%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$5.28 CHF 4.26

-69.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$4.75 CHF 3.83

-76.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$9.99 CHF 8.06

-68.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$8.45 CHF 6.82

-42.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$2.14 CHF 1.73

-22.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$3.86 CHF 3.12

-29.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$4.51 CHF 3.64

-57.65%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$7.09 CHF 5.72

-63.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$28.35 CHF 22.87

-65.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$28.10 CHF 22.68

-70.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$43.38 CHF 35.01

-72.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$3.85 CHF 3.11

-23.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$2.07 CHF 1.67

-15.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$2.81 CHF 2.27

-27.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$6.37 CHF 5.14

-67.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$3.18 CHF 2.57

-32.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$2.44 CHF 1.97

-7.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$2.60 CHF 2.10

-46.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$1.51 CHF 1.22

-25.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$10.93 CHF 8.82

-61.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$12.26 CHF 9.89

42.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$2.04 CHF 1.65

-16.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$3.10 CHF 2.50

17.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$4.02 CHF 3.24

-91.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

$92.9 CHF 74.9

-79.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$7.70 CHF 6.22

-82.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$4.06 CHF 3.27

-93.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$67.4 CHF 54.4

-92.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$2.24 CHF 1.81

-39.29%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$39.6K CHF 32.0K

-51.80%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$41.4K CHF 33.4K

-42.94%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$302 CHF 244

-86.60%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$49.69 CHF 40.10

-44.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$59.1 CHF 47.67

-48.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$80.6 CHF 65.1

-35.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

$45.99 CHF 37.11

-42.42%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$23.10 CHF 18.65

-73.20%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$2,610 CHF 2,106

-83.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$34.6K CHF 27.9K

-68.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$110 CHF 88.4

-46.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$68.8 CHF 55.5

-35.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$176 CHF 142

-41.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$185 CHF 149

-41.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$2,174 CHF 1,755

-53.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$1,992 CHF 1,608

-68.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$3,322 CHF 2,681

-36.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$2,799 CHF 2,259

-56.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

$14.4K CHF 11.6K

-73.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

$12.3K CHF 9,964

-82.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$8,185 CHF 6,605

-87.14%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Montreux: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $2,174 in Montreux. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montreux pays 678% 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $149 in Montreux for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $621 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 170% in total monthly costs ($1,472 vs $3,973 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 678% lower in Montreux. 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: $1,014 in Mexico City versus $2,174 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 $425 in Mexico City versus $2,610 in Montreux. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,472 in Mexico City versus $3,973 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 170% less than in Montreux. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.