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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $3,820 in Uster.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $5,621 in Uster.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $7,423 in Uster.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 62% less than in Uster, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 10% above, Uster 185% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$30.20 CHF 23.81

-56.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$149 CHF 117

-63.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$18.43 CHF 14.53

-48.89%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$6.16 CHF 4.86

-42.37%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$5.67 CHF 4.47

-71.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$5.14 CHF 4.05

-78.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$9.59 CHF 7.56

-67.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$7.04 CHF 5.55

-34.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$2.22 CHF 1.75

-23.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$2.93 CHF 2.31

-7.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$3.70 CHF 2.92

-48.38%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$7.43 CHF 5.86

-65.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$29.01 CHF 22.87

-65.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$32.95 CHF 25.98

-75.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$49.25 CHF 38.83

-76.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$3.53 CHF 2.78

-15.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$1.84 CHF 1.45

-1.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$3.12 CHF 2.46

-35.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$5.23 CHF 4.13

-61.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$2.57 CHF 2.03

-17.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$2.31 CHF 1.82

-1.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$2.38 CHF 1.88

-41.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$1.39 CHF 1.10

-18.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$10.99 CHF 8.67

-61.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$11.65 CHF 9.19

33.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$2.61 CHF 2.06

-32.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$2.40 CHF 1.89

50.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$3.39 CHF 2.68

-88.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$99.3 CHF 78.3

-80.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$6.76 CHF 5.33

-79.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$4.19 CHF 3.30

-93.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$79.2 CHF 62.5

-93.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$2.33 CHF 1.84

-44.21%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$41.0K CHF 32.3K

-54.45%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$38.7K CHF 30.5K

-40.23%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$334 CHF 263

-87.77%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$35.59 CHF 28.06

-24.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$59.4 CHF 46.83

-49.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$74.4 CHF 58.6

-30.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$61.1 CHF 48.21

-56.10%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$24.99 CHF 19.70

-74.79%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$3,119 CHF 2,459

-86.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$39.3K CHF 31.0K

-73.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$147 CHF 116

-61.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$62.6 CHF 49.36

-29.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$147 CHF 116

-30.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$204 CHF 161

-48.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$2,084 CHF 1,643

-50.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$1,804 CHF 1,423

-65.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$2,969 CHF 2,341

-28.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$2,481 CHF 1,956

-49.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$7,179 CHF 5,660

-84.47%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Uster: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $2,084 in Uster. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Uster pays 544% 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 $149 in Uster for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $643 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 Uster: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Uster differ by about 160% in total monthly costs ($1,467 vs $3,820 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Uster earns 544% 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: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $2,084 in Uster. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 418% less than in Uster. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $3,119 in Uster. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,467 in Mexico City versus $3,820 in Uster, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Uster. 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 Uster 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 160% less than in Uster. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.