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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $2,941 in Olten.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $4,458 in Olten.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $5,975 in Olten.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 50% less than in Olten, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 10% above, Olten 119% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$30.87 CHF 24.36

-57.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$931

$105 CHF 82.9

-48.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$17.57 CHF 13.86

-46.39%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.3

$5.47 CHF 4.31

-35.10%

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

$1.62 MX$27.95

$5.34 CHF 4.22

-69.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.25

$4.62 CHF 3.65

-75.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$53.9

$6.88 CHF 5.43

-54.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.0

$6.29 CHF 4.97

-26.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.40

$2.09 CHF 1.65

-18.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$46.97

$3.40 CHF 2.68

-20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.04

$4.12 CHF 3.26

-53.64%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.82

$7.54 CHF 5.95

-66.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$173

$21.64 CHF 17.07

-53.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$25.89 CHF 20.43

-68.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$40.22 CHF 31.74

-71.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$4.04 CHF 3.19

-26.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.21

$2.40 CHF 1.90

-24.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.79

$2.97 CHF 2.35

-32.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.16

$5.05 CHF 3.99

-59.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.71

$2.75 CHF 2.17

-22.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.21

$2.37 CHF 1.87

-4.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.20

$2.46 CHF 1.94

-43.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.53

$1.52 CHF 1.20

-25.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.8

$10.95 CHF 8.64

-61.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$15.42 CHF 12.17

0.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.36

$2.15 CHF 1.70

-18.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.1

$2.42 CHF 1.91

48.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$3.93 CHF 3.10

-90.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$331

$100 CHF 79.0

-80.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.77

$7.53 CHF 5.94

-81.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$4.14 CHF 3.27

-93.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.1

$61.5 CHF 48.53

-91.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.53

$2.28 CHF 1.80

-42.98%

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

$18.7K MX$322.9K

$40.7K CHF 32.1K

-54.04%

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

$23.1K MX$399.7K

$39.3K CHF 31.0K

-41.16%

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

$40.86 MX$706

$260 CHF 205

-84.29%

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

$26.81 MX$463

$33.65 CHF 26.56

-20.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$57.7 CHF 45.54

-48.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$899

$61.3 CHF 48.36

-15.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$18.65 CHF 14.72

43.91%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$24.88 CHF 19.64

-74.68%

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

$436 MX$7,536

$3,433 CHF 2,709

-87.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.0K

$39.9K CHF 31.5K

-73.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$979

$141 CHF 111

-59.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$767

$61.2 CHF 48.33

-27.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,779

$150 CHF 118

-31.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,823

$198 CHF 156

-46.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$1,248 CHF 985

-18.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$1,063 CHF 839

-40.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$1,987 CHF 1,568

7.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$1,708 CHF 1,348

-27.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$4,351 CHF 3,433

-74.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

2.09

442.58%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Olten: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $1,248 in Olten. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Olten pays 290% 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 $105 in Olten for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $576 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 Olten: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Olten differ by about 100% in total monthly costs ($1,467 vs $2,941 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Olten earns 290% 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: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $1,248 in Olten. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 422% less than in Olten. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $3,433 in Olten. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,467 in Mexico City versus $2,941 in Olten, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Olten. 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 Olten 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 100% less than in Olten. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.