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: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $3,496 in Riehen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $5,436 in Riehen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $7,376 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 11% above, Riehen 161% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$31.07 CHF 24.58

-58.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$141 CHF 112

-62.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$18.68 CHF 14.78

-47.97%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$5.82 CHF 4.61

-35.57%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$5.46 CHF 4.32

-71.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$4.78 CHF 3.78

-76.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$8.12 CHF 6.42

-60.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$7.47 CHF 5.91

-37.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$2.27 CHF 1.79

-28.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$3.44 CHF 2.72

-21.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$4.28 CHF 3.38

-56.07%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$7.19 CHF 5.69

-65.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$28.64 CHF 22.65

-64.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$33.60 CHF 26.57

-75.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$47.14 CHF 37.29

-74.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$3.83 CHF 3.03

-25.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$2.21 CHF 1.75

-20.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$2.99 CHF 2.36

-30.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$6.41 CHF 5.07

-69.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$2.47 CHF 1.95

-12.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$2.35 CHF 1.85

-7.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$2.53 CHF 2.00

-45.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$1.32 CHF 1.04

-15.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$11.26 CHF 8.90

-62.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$12.45 CHF 9.85

14.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$2.46 CHF 1.95

-28.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$3.25 CHF 2.57

13.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$4.01 CHF 3.17

-90.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$99.5 CHF 78.7

-81.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$7.65 CHF 6.05

-81.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$4.15 CHF 3.28

-92.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$80.0 CHF 63.3

-93.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$2.23 CHF 1.77

-39.46%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$40.9K CHF 32.4K

-53.86%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$41.9K CHF 33.2K

-44.79%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$264 CHF 209

-84.53%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$49.19 CHF 38.91

-44.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$58.9 CHF 46.58

-48.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$87.9 CHF 69.5

-39.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$25.81 CHF 20.41

1.90%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$22.56 CHF 17.84

-72.21%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$2,898 CHF 2,292

-84.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$34.7K CHF 27.5K

-69.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$136 CHF 108

-58.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$68.2 CHF 53.9

-34.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$151 CHF 120

-32.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$187 CHF 148

-42.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$1,691 CHF 1,338

-40.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$1,493 CHF 1,181

-58.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$2,787 CHF 2,205

-23.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$2,481 CHF 1,962

-50.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

$13.0K CHF 10.3K

-70.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

$9,919 CHF 7,846

-76.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$8,864 CHF 7,011

-87.96%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Riehen: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $1,691 in Riehen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riehen pays 731% 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 $286 vs $656 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 ($1,484 vs $3,496 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Riehen earns 731% 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: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $1,691 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 433% less than in Riehen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $2,898 in Riehen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,484 in Mexico City versus $3,496 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.