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: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $2,973 in Olten.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $4,526 in Olten.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $6,078 in Olten.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 51% less than in Olten, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 9% above, Olten 123% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$31.25 CHF 25.31

-58.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$103 CHF 83.2

-47.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$17.04 CHF 13.81

-43.19%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$5.51 CHF 4.46

-32.12%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$5.20 CHF 4.21

-68.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$4.51 CHF 3.65

-74.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$7.27 CHF 5.89

-55.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

$6.26 CHF 5.07

-24.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$2.07 CHF 1.67

-20.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$3.42 CHF 2.77

-19.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$4.08 CHF 3.30

-54.17%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$7.52 CHF 6.09

-66.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$21.94 CHF 17.77

-53.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$25.36 CHF 20.54

-67.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$40.38 CHF 32.70

-70.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$4.22 CHF 3.42

-28.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$2.52 CHF 2.04

-28.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$3.04 CHF 2.46

-34.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$5.04 CHF 4.08

-60.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$2.73 CHF 2.21

-23.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$2.30 CHF 1.86

-1.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$2.56 CHF 2.07

-42.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$1.49 CHF 1.21

-27.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$11.01 CHF 8.92

-60.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$13.29 CHF 10.76

27.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

$2.07 CHF 1.67

-16.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

$2.43 CHF 1.97

47.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$3.86 CHF 3.13

-89.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

$98.2 CHF 79.6

-80.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$7.74 CHF 6.27

-82.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$4.21 CHF 3.41

-93.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$62.7 CHF 50.8

-91.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$2.24 CHF 1.81

-40.18%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$39.7K CHF 32.2K

-51.13%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$40.0K CHF 32.4K

-40.37%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$254 CHF 206

-84.00%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$33.62 CHF 27.24

-20.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$58.1 CHF 47.04

-47.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$62.4 CHF 50.5

-15.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

$18.77 CHF 15.21

41.98%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$25.09 CHF 20.32

-74.05%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$3,456 CHF 2,799

-87.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$39.7K CHF 32.1K

-73.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$139 CHF 113

-58.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$60.7 CHF 49.15

-25.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$146 CHF 118

-28.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$198 CHF 160

-45.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$1,256 CHF 1,017

-20.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$1,048 CHF 849

-40.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$1,956 CHF 1,585

7.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$1,697 CHF 1,374

-28.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

$14.6K CHF 11.8K

-73.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

$12.4K CHF 10.1K

-83.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$4,205 CHF 3,406

-75.32%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Olten: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $1,256 in Olten. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Olten pays 305% 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 $103 in Olten for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $571 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 104% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $2,973 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 305% 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: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $1,256 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 426% less than in Olten. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $3,456 in Olten. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,456 in Mexico City versus $2,973 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 104% less than in Olten. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.