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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,481 in Mexico City versus $3,172 in Schaffhausen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,352 in Mexico City versus $4,928 in Schaffhausen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,222 in Mexico City versus $6,685 in Schaffhausen.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 53% less than in Schaffhausen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 11% above, Schaffhausen 137% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.16 MX$229

$31.30 CHF 25.55

-57.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.6 MX$934

$122 CHF 99.4

-56.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.55 MX$167

$16.11 CHF 13.15

-40.72%

Cappuccino

$3.72 MX$64.9

$5.68 CHF 4.63

-34.51%

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

$1.57 MX$27.33

$5.36 CHF 4.37

-70.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.16

$4.37 CHF 3.57

-73.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.5

$7.99 CHF 6.52

-60.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.8

$7.57 CHF 6.18

-38.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.74

$1.96 CHF 1.60

-12.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 MX$45.63

$3.78 CHF 3.09

-30.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.93

$3.69 CHF 3.01

-48.78%

Eggs

$2.60 MX$45.26

$7.84 CHF 6.40

-66.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.91 MX$173

$29.80 CHF 24.32

-66.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.22 MX$143

$35.49 CHF 28.97

-76.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.78 MX$205

$51.0 CHF 41.59

-76.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 MX$52.2

$3.69 CHF 3.01

-18.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 MX$31.38

$2.26 CHF 1.84

-20.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 MX$36.16

$2.88 CHF 2.35

-28.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.30

$6.10 CHF 4.98

-67.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 MX$36.13

$2.49 CHF 2.03

-16.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.92

$2.48 CHF 2.03

-12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.46

$2.67 CHF 2.18

-47.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.74

$1.27 CHF 1.04

-15.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 MX$71.8

$10.94 CHF 8.93

-62.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.42 MX$304

$13.42 CHF 10.95

29.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.22

$1.36 CHF 1.11

23.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 MX$63.6

$2.60 CHF 2.12

40.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.63

$3.95 CHF 3.22

-90.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.71 MX$326

$85.7 CHF 69.9

-78.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.18

$10.05 CHF 8.20

-86.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.28

$4.04 CHF 3.30

-92.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.51 MX$96.1

$61.9 CHF 50.5

-91.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.76

$2.13 CHF 1.74

-38.50%

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

$19.2K MX$334.2K

$39.7K CHF 32.4K

-51.71%

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

$23.7K MX$414.1K

$42.4K CHF 34.6K

-44.04%

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

$41.14 MX$717

$247 CHF 202

-83.35%

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

$27.74 MX$484

$28.70 CHF 23.42

-3.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.13 MX$525

$42.94 CHF 35.05

-29.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 MX$937

$109 CHF 88.6

-50.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.98 MX$453

$47.47 CHF 38.74

-45.27%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 MX$113

$22.34 CHF 18.24

-70.95%

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

$437 MX$7,614

$3,354 CHF 2,738

-86.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.3K

$43.5K CHF 35.5K

-75.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,017

$112 CHF 91.4

-47.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.86 MX$800

$67.7 CHF 55.2

-32.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 MX$1,769

$133 CHF 109

-23.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 MX$1,858

$154 CHF 126

-30.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,005 MX$17.5K

$1,226 CHF 1,001

-18.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$634 MX$11.0K

$1,247 CHF 1,018

-49.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,148 MX$37.5K

$2,660 CHF 2,171

-19.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 MX$21.7K

$2,215 CHF 1,808

-43.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,859 MX$67.3K

$8,226 CHF 6,714

-53.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,085 MX$36.3K

$8,564 CHF 6,990

-75.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,072 MX$18.7K

$7,453 CHF 6,083

-85.61%

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: July 22, 2026

Last update for Schaffhausen: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,005 in Mexico City and $1,226 in Schaffhausen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Schaffhausen pays 595% 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 $122 in Schaffhausen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $675 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 Schaffhausen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Schaffhausen differ by about 114% in total monthly costs ($1,481 vs $3,172 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 595% lower in Schaffhausen. 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: $1,005 in Mexico City versus $1,226 in Schaffhausen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 358% less than in Schaffhausen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $437 in Mexico City versus $3,354 in Schaffhausen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,481 in Mexico City versus $3,172 in Schaffhausen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Schaffhausen. 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 Schaffhausen 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 114% less than in Schaffhausen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.