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: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $3,815 in Uster.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $5,625 in Uster.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $7,435 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 9% above, Uster 186% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$31.40 CHF 25.39

-58.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$147 CHF 119

-63.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$18.66 CHF 15.09

-48.12%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$6.26 CHF 5.06

-40.26%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$5.66 CHF 4.58

-71.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$5.34 CHF 4.32

-78.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$10.07 CHF 8.14

-67.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

$7.16 CHF 5.79

-33.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

$2.21 CHF 1.78

-25.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$3.00 CHF 2.43

-8.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$3.52 CHF 2.85

-46.88%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$7.39 CHF 5.97

-66.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

$29.48 CHF 23.83

-65.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$33.29 CHF 26.92

-75.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$49.60 CHF 40.10

-76.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

$3.72 CHF 3.01

-19.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

$1.92 CHF 1.55

-5.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

$3.08 CHF 2.49

-35.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$5.08 CHF 4.10

-60.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

$2.58 CHF 2.09

-19.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

$2.29 CHF 1.85

-0.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

$2.33 CHF 1.88

-37.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$1.44 CHF 1.16

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

$10.66 CHF 8.62

-59.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

$12.93 CHF 10.46

31.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

$2.75 CHF 2.22

-37.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

$2.40 CHF 1.94

49.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

$3.41 CHF 2.76

-88.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

$100 CHF 81.2

-81.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

$6.62 CHF 5.35

-79.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

$4.31 CHF 3.49

-93.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

$79.1 CHF 63.9

-93.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

$2.22 CHF 1.79

-39.64%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

$40.9K CHF 33.1K

-52.57%

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

$39.4K CHF 31.8K

-39.48%

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

$40.69 MX$714

$326 CHF 264

-87.53%

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

$26.87 MX$471

$36.40 CHF 29.43

-26.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$57.8 CHF 46.75

-47.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

$74.2 CHF 60.0

-28.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

$62.5 CHF 50.5

-57.35%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$24.97 CHF 20.19

-73.93%

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

$428 MX$7,508

$3,114 CHF 2,518

-86.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

$39.7K CHF 32.1K

-73.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

$147 CHF 118

-60.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

$60.3 CHF 48.74

-24.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

$151 CHF 122

-31.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

$203 CHF 164

-46.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

$2,084 CHF 1,685

-51.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$1,760 CHF 1,423

-64.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

$3,011 CHF 2,434

-29.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

$2,482 CHF 2,007

-50.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

$14.4K CHF 11.7K

-73.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

$14.0K CHF 11.3K

-85.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

$7,035 CHF 5,687

-85.25%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Uster: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $2,084 in Uster. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Uster pays 578% 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 $147 in Uster for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $650 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 162% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $3,815 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 578% lower in Uster. 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: $1,003 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 437% less than in Uster. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $3,114 in Uster. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,456 in Mexico City versus $3,815 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 162% less than in Uster. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.