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: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $3,169 in Olten.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $4,940 in Olten.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $6,712 in Olten.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 48% less than in Olten, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 20% above, Olten 131% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$205

$34.18 CHF 27.65

-64.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$883

$123 CHF 99.9

-57.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$184

$17.95 CHF 14.52

-39.28%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.5

$6.59 CHF 5.33

-38.54%

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

$1.72 MX$28.99

$5.56 CHF 4.50

-69.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.28

$5.52 CHF 4.46

-75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.6

$9.34 CHF 7.56

-62.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.2

$7.56 CHF 6.12

-23.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.32

$2.27 CHF 1.83

-18.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.5

$3.99 CHF 3.22

-19.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.24

$3.89 CHF 3.15

-46.27%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.16

$8.76 CHF 7.09

-66.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$211

$25.96 CHF 21.00

-51.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$27.37 CHF 22.14

-63.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$269

$47.48 CHF 38.42

-66.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.0

$4.25 CHF 3.44

-22.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.94

$2.83 CHF 2.29

-24.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.02

$3.07 CHF 2.48

-28.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.36

$4.86 CHF 3.93

-49.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$36.99

$2.68 CHF 2.17

-18.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.19

$2.22 CHF 1.80

-14.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.30

$2.49 CHF 2.01

-34.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.81

$1.30 CHF 1.05

3.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$91.7

$11.06 CHF 8.95

-50.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$297

$13.74 CHF 11.12

28.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.95

$2.74 CHF 2.22

-24.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.2

$3.16 CHF 2.55

50.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.74

$5.41 CHF 4.37

-93.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$365

$109 CHF 88.6

-80.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.48

$8.24 CHF 6.67

-75.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.77

$4.80 CHF 3.88

-87.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

$90.3 CHF 73.0

-93.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.30

$2.28 CHF 1.85

-28.95%

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

$22.8K MX$385.5K

$40.6K CHF 32.9K

-43.85%

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

$26.7K MX$450.6K

$39.9K CHF 32.3K

-33.16%

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

$65.2 MX$1,102

$287 CHF 233

-77.30%

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

$29.87 MX$505

$34.09 CHF 27.58

-12.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$618

$49.15 CHF 39.76

-25.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,031

$82.9 CHF 67.1

-26.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$21.24 CHF 17.18

-67.75%

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

$453 MX$7,662

$3,643 CHF 2,947

-87.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$226.0K

$42.8K CHF 34.6K

-68.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,267

$143 CHF 115

-47.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$934

$60.4 CHF 48.88

-8.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,920

$168 CHF 136

-32.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,073

$219 CHF 178

-44.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.2K

$1,260 CHF 1,020

-10.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.0K

$1,058 CHF 856

-32.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.4K

$1,984 CHF 1,605

29.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.2K

$1,954 CHF 1,581

-32.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

$4,404 CHF 3,563

-76.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

2.07

445.89%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Last update for Olten: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,134 in Mexico City and $1,260 in Olten. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Olten pays 321% 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 $123 in Olten for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $631 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 93% in total monthly costs ($1,646 vs $3,169 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 321% lower in Olten. 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: $1,134 in Mexico City versus $1,260 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 407% less than in Olten. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $453 in Mexico City versus $3,643 in Olten. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,646 in Mexico City versus $3,169 in Olten, a $3,000 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 93% less than in Olten. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.