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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $3,419 in Riehen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $5,381 in Riehen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $7,342 in Riehen.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 58% less than in Riehen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 8% above, Riehen 154% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$31.19 CHF 24.76

-58.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$141 CHF 112

-62.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$18.20 CHF 14.45

-48.19%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$6.05 CHF 4.81

-40.99%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$5.18 CHF 4.11

-68.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$4.71 CHF 3.74

-75.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$8.25 CHF 6.55

-61.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$7.51 CHF 5.96

-35.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$2.21 CHF 1.76

-23.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$3.51 CHF 2.79

-24.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$4.04 CHF 3.21

-52.97%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$7.62 CHF 6.05

-66.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$28.58 CHF 22.69

-64.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$32.92 CHF 26.14

-74.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$47.89 CHF 38.02

-75.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$3.66 CHF 2.90

-17.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$2.21 CHF 1.76

-22.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$3.00 CHF 2.38

-31.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$6.23 CHF 4.94

-66.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$2.41 CHF 1.91

-14.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$2.42 CHF 1.92

-10.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$2.55 CHF 2.02

-45.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$1.39 CHF 1.10

-19.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$10.89 CHF 8.65

-60.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$12.04 CHF 9.55

27.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$2.37 CHF 1.88

-29.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$3.25 CHF 2.58

13.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$4.01 CHF 3.18

-90.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$97.2 CHF 77.1

-80.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$8.00 CHF 6.35

-82.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$4.17 CHF 3.31

-93.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$81.4 CHF 64.6

-93.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$2.24 CHF 1.78

-42.86%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$40.8K CHF 32.4K

-53.43%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$40.7K CHF 32.3K

-42.36%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$261 CHF 207

-84.26%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$48.97 CHF 38.88

-45.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$57.6 CHF 45.71

-48.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$86.5 CHF 68.7

-39.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$25.55 CHF 20.29

2.66%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$22.95 CHF 18.22

-73.07%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$2,930 CHF 2,326

-85.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$34.8K CHF 27.6K

-69.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$137 CHF 109

-58.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$68.6 CHF 54.5

-34.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$151 CHF 120

-30.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$188 CHF 149

-43.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$1,731 CHF 1,375

-42.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$1,448 CHF 1,150

-57.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$2,782 CHF 2,209

-23.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$2,493 CHF 1,979

-49.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$14.1K CHF 11.2K

-72.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$10.9K CHF 8,643

-80.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$8,996 CHF 7,142

-87.69%

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 Riehen: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $1,731 in Riehen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riehen pays 712% 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 $141 in Riehen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $654 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 Riehen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Riehen differ by about 136% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $3,419 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Riehen earns 712% 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 $1,731 in Riehen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 410% less than in Riehen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $2,930 in Riehen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,447 in Mexico City versus $3,419 in Riehen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Riehen. 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 Riehen 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 136% less than in Riehen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.