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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,060 in Montreux versus $1,447 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,759 in Montreux versus $2,310 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,458 in Montreux versus $3,174 in Mexico City.

Living in Montreux is roughly 181% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreux 202% above, Mexico City 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.37 CHF 24.11

$12.98 MX$223

133.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$147 CHF 117

$52.6 MX$903

179.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.19 CHF 15.23

$9.43 MX$162

103.50%

Cappuccino

$5.87 CHF 4.66

$3.57 MX$61.3

64.43%

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

$5.36 CHF 4.25

$1.61 MX$27.55

232.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.96 CHF 3.94

$1.15 MX$19.81

331.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.95 CHF 7.90

$3.15 MX$54.0

215.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.47 CHF 6.72

$4.86 MX$83.4

74.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.70

$1.70 MX$29.17

26.47%

White Bread (500g)

$3.92 CHF 3.11

$2.64 MX$45.23

48.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.41 CHF 3.50

$1.90 MX$32.67

132.11%

Eggs

$7.35 CHF 5.83

$2.54 MX$43.62

189.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.80 CHF 22.86

$10.08 MX$173

185.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.13 CHF 22.34

$8.29 MX$142

239.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.47 CHF 34.51

$11.57 MX$199

275.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 CHF 3.16

$3.03 MX$52.0

31.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 CHF 1.73

$1.71 MX$29.35

27.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.85 CHF 2.26

$2.05 MX$35.16

39.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.34 CHF 5.03

$2.06 MX$35.36

207.77%

Potato (1kg)

$3.12 CHF 2.47

$2.06 MX$35.43

51.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.41 CHF 1.91

$2.17 MX$37.25

11.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 CHF 1.98

$1.40 MX$24.08

77.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 CHF 1.25

$1.12 MX$19.26

40.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.05 CHF 8.77

$4.29 MX$73.7

157.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.61 CHF 10.81

$15.41 MX$265

-11.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 CHF 1.62

$1.67 MX$28.74

22.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 CHF 2.49

$3.69 MX$63.3

-14.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.22 CHF 3.35

$0.38 MX$6.55

1010.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.6 CHF 72.7

$19.06 MX$327

380.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.67 CHF 6.09

$1.38 MX$23.70

455.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.08 CHF 3.24

$0.28 MX$4.74

1357.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$66.3 CHF 52.6

$5.42 MX$92.9

1122.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.73

$1.28 MX$21.98

70.31%

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

$39.9K CHF 31.6K

$19.0K MX$325.8K

110.00%

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

$41.4K CHF 32.9K

$23.5K MX$402.7K

76.62%

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

$308 CHF 245

$41.02 MX$704

651.34%

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

$50.1 CHF 39.74

$26.92 MX$462

85.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.2 CHF 46.99

$29.69 MX$510

99.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.9 CHF 62.6

$52.3 MX$898

50.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.46 CHF 28.94

$26.23 MX$450

39.00%

Cinema Ticket

$22.70 CHF 18.02

$6.18 MX$106

267.31%

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

$2,546 CHF 2,022

$427 MX$7,331

496.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.0K CHF 27.0K

$10.7K MX$183.6K

217.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 CHF 84.8

$56.8 MX$975

88.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.2 CHF 55.0

$44.83 MX$769

54.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$174 CHF 139

$105 MX$1,794

66.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$185 CHF 147

$106 MX$1,819

74.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,230 CHF 1,770

$995 MX$17.1K

124.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,986 CHF 1,577

$621 MX$10.7K

219.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,387 CHF 2,689

$2,126 MX$36.5K

59.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,723 CHF 2,162

$1,254 MX$21.5K

117.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.7K CHF 13.3K

$3,903 MX$67.0K

328.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.8K CHF 9,340

$2,096 MX$36.0K

461.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,482 CHF 6,734

$1,107 MX$19.0K

666.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

11.34

-77.95%

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

Last update for Montreux: June 7, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,230 in Montreux and $995 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montreux pays 666% 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: $147 in Montreux vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $628 vs $288 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

Montreux vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreux and Mexico City differ by about 181% in total monthly costs ($4,060 vs $1,447 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Montreux pays 666% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,230 in Montreux versus $995 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 381% less than in Montreux. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,546 in Montreux versus $427 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,447 in Mexico City versus $4,060 in Montreux, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Montreux. 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, Montreux and Mexico City 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 181% less than in Montreux. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.