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: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $3,715 in Uster.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $5,466 in Uster.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $7,216 in Uster.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 56% less than in Uster, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 20% above, Uster 170% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$206

$30.82 CHF 25.06

-60.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$887

$125 CHF 101

-58.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$185

$18.34 CHF 14.91

-40.57%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.8

$6.30 CHF 5.12

-35.71%

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

$1.72 MX$29.13

$5.60 CHF 4.55

-69.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.40

$4.86 CHF 3.95

-71.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.9

$8.75 CHF 7.11

-60.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.7

$6.86 CHF 5.58

-15.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.48

$2.23 CHF 1.82

-17.04%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.7

$3.39 CHF 2.76

-5.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.42

$4.50 CHF 3.66

-53.56%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.41

$7.71 CHF 6.27

-62.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$212

$33.08 CHF 26.89

-62.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$29.96 CHF 24.36

-66.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$270

$43.94 CHF 35.72

-63.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.3

$3.73 CHF 3.03

-11.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.12

$2.13 CHF 1.73

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.20

$2.92 CHF 2.38

-25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.57

$4.73 CHF 3.84

-48.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.18

$2.03 CHF 1.65

7.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.35

$2.32 CHF 1.88

-18.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.44

$2.40 CHF 1.95

-32.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.92

$1.39 CHF 1.13

-2.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$92.1

$11.02 CHF 8.96

-50.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$299

$13.64 CHF 11.09

28.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.12

$3.22 CHF 2.62

-35.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.6

$2.83 CHF 2.30

67.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.77

$4.50 CHF 3.66

-92.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$366

$101 CHF 82.0

-78.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.65

$5.73 CHF 4.66

-64.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.82

$3.54 CHF 2.88

-83.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

$63.3 CHF 51.5

-90.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.44

$2.32 CHF 1.88

-30.17%

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

$22.8K MX$387.4K

$43.2K CHF 35.1K

-47.14%

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

$26.7K MX$452.8K

$40.4K CHF 32.9K

-34.03%

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

$65.2 MX$1,108

$207 CHF 168

-68.46%

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

$29.87 MX$507

$33.27 CHF 27.05

-10.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$621

$66.4 CHF 53.9

-44.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,036

$76.2 CHF 62.0

-19.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$453

$46.53 CHF 37.83

-42.62%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$22.02 CHF 17.90

-68.89%

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

$453 MX$7,700

$1,851 CHF 1,505

-75.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$227.1K

$33.8K CHF 27.5K

-60.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,273

$171 CHF 139

-56.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$939

$89.5 CHF 72.8

-38.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,929

$154 CHF 125

-26.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,083

$181 CHF 147

-32.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.3K

$1,834 CHF 1,491

-38.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.1K

$1,830 CHF 1,488

-61.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.7K

$3,057 CHF 2,485

-15.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.3K

$2,481 CHF 2,017

-47.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.8K

$16.7K CHF 13.6K

-76.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.6K

$12.6K CHF 10.2K

-83.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.8K

$6,920 CHF 5,626

-84.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

1.72

556.98%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Last update for Uster: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,134 in Mexico City and $1,834 in Uster. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Uster pays 561% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $125 in Uster for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $639 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 126% in total monthly costs ($1,646 vs $3,715 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 561% 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: $1,134 in Mexico City versus $1,834 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 368% less than in Uster. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $453 in Mexico City versus $1,851 in Uster. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,646 in Mexico City versus $3,715 in Uster, a $3,000 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 126% less than in Uster. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.