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: $1,466 in Mexico City versus $3,151 in Schaffhausen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,325 in Mexico City versus $4,931 in Schaffhausen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,184 in Mexico City versus $6,712 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 9% above, Schaffhausen 135% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.30 MX$231

$31.31 CHF 24.55

-57.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$932

$125 CHF 98.1

-57.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$15.86 CHF 12.43

-40.61%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.3

$5.43 CHF 4.26

-33.89%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$5.42 CHF 4.25

-70.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.49

$4.42 CHF 3.47

-74.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$8.20 CHF 6.43

-60.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.65 MX$80.6

$7.59 CHF 5.95

-38.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.90 CHF 1.49

-13.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.65 MX$46.00

$3.79 CHF 2.97

-30.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.99

$3.55 CHF 2.79

-44.79%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.08

$7.66 CHF 6.01

-66.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.97 MX$173

$29.66 CHF 23.25

-66.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 MX$145

$35.28 CHF 27.66

-76.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.83 MX$205

$51.8 CHF 40.59

-77.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$49.62

$3.77 CHF 2.95

-24.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MX$30.05

$2.24 CHF 1.76

-22.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.50

$2.87 CHF 2.25

-30.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.51

$6.02 CHF 4.72

-65.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$2.46 CHF 1.93

-16.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 MX$39.54

$2.44 CHF 1.92

-6.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 MX$25.05

$2.67 CHF 2.10

-45.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.83

$1.28 CHF 1.01

-14.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$11.29 CHF 8.85

-62.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 MX$254

$13.90 CHF 10.90

5.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.58

$1.36 CHF 1.07

29.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 MX$61.8

$2.75 CHF 2.15

29.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.67

$3.79 CHF 2.97

-89.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.73 MX$325

$85.1 CHF 66.7

-78.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.09

$10.08 CHF 7.91

-86.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.26

$4.11 CHF 3.22

-92.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.41 MX$93.8

$62.3 CHF 48.83

-91.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.22

$2.15 CHF 1.69

-37.67%

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

$18.9K MX$326.7K

$40.9K CHF 32.0K

-53.86%

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

$23.2K MX$402.0K

$42.5K CHF 33.3K

-45.40%

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

$40.30 MX$698

$242 CHF 190

-83.37%

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

$27.15 MX$471

$28.69 CHF 22.49

-5.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$510

$43.53 CHF 34.13

-32.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.7 MX$914

$109 CHF 85.7

-51.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.17 MX$454

$47.51 CHF 37.25

-44.92%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$107

$22.50 CHF 17.64

-72.53%

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

$441 MX$7,637

$3,325 CHF 2,607

-86.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.4K

$43.6K CHF 34.1K

-75.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.2 MX$992

$112 CHF 87.9

-48.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.04 MX$781

$68.3 CHF 53.5

-34.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,793

$130 CHF 102

-20.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,884

$158 CHF 124

-31.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.3K

$1,214 CHF 952

-17.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 MX$11.0K

$1,221 CHF 957

-48.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,141 MX$37.1K

$2,754 CHF 2,159

-22.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,253 MX$21.7K

$2,163 CHF 1,696

-42.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,745 MX$64.9K

$8,567 CHF 6,717

-56.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,381 MX$41.3K

$6,910 CHF 5,417

-65.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,079 MX$18.7K

$9,437 CHF 7,398

-88.56%

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 20, 2026

Last update for Schaffhausen: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $1,214 in Schaffhausen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Schaffhausen pays 774% 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 in Mexico City vs $125 in Schaffhausen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 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 115% in total monthly costs ($1,466 vs $3,151 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Schaffhausen earns 774% 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 $1,214 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 354% less than in Schaffhausen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $441 in Mexico City versus $3,325 in Schaffhausen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,466 in Mexico City versus $3,151 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 115% less than in Schaffhausen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.