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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,419 in Riehen versus $1,447 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,381 in Riehen versus $2,310 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,342 in Riehen versus $3,174 in Mexico City.

Living in Riehen is roughly 136% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Riehen 154% above, Mexico City 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.19 CHF 24.76

$12.98 MX$223

140.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$141 CHF 112

$52.6 MX$903

168.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.20 CHF 14.45

$9.43 MX$162

93.00%

Cappuccino

$6.05 CHF 4.81

$3.57 MX$61.3

69.47%

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

$5.18 CHF 4.11

$1.61 MX$27.55

221.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.71 CHF 3.74

$1.15 MX$19.81

309.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.25 CHF 6.55

$3.15 MX$54.0

161.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.51 CHF 5.96

$4.86 MX$83.4

54.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.76

$1.70 MX$29.17

30.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.51 CHF 2.79

$2.64 MX$45.23

32.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.04 CHF 3.21

$1.90 MX$32.67

112.63%

Eggs

$7.62 CHF 6.05

$2.54 MX$43.62

200.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.58 CHF 22.69

$10.08 MX$173

183.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.92 CHF 26.14

$8.29 MX$142

297.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$47.89 CHF 38.02

$11.57 MX$199

313.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 CHF 2.90

$3.03 MX$52.0

20.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 CHF 1.76

$1.71 MX$29.35

29.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 CHF 2.38

$2.05 MX$35.16

46.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.23 CHF 4.94

$2.06 MX$35.36

202.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.41 CHF 1.91

$2.06 MX$35.43

16.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.42 CHF 1.92

$2.17 MX$37.25

11.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.55 CHF 2.02

$1.40 MX$24.08

82.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CHF 1.10

$1.12 MX$19.26

24.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.89 CHF 8.65

$4.29 MX$73.7

153.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.04 CHF 9.55

$15.41 MX$265

-21.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 CHF 1.88

$1.67 MX$28.74

41.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 CHF 2.58

$3.69 MX$63.3

-11.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.01 CHF 3.18

$0.38 MX$6.55

955.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.2 CHF 77.1

$19.06 MX$327

409.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.00 CHF 6.35

$1.38 MX$23.70

479.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.17 CHF 3.31

$0.28 MX$4.74

1389.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$81.4 CHF 64.6

$5.42 MX$92.9

1401.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.78

$1.28 MX$21.98

75.00%

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

$40.8K CHF 32.4K

$19.0K MX$325.8K

114.74%

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

$40.7K CHF 32.3K

$23.5K MX$402.7K

73.49%

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

$261 CHF 207

$41.02 MX$704

535.13%

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

$48.97 CHF 38.88

$26.92 MX$462

81.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.6 CHF 45.71

$29.69 MX$510

93.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.5 CHF 68.7

$52.3 MX$898

65.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.55 CHF 20.29

$26.23 MX$450

-2.59%

Cinema Ticket

$22.95 CHF 18.22

$6.18 MX$106

271.36%

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

$2,930 CHF 2,326

$427 MX$7,331

586.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.8K CHF 27.6K

$10.7K MX$183.6K

225.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$137 CHF 109

$56.8 MX$975

141.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.6 CHF 54.5

$44.83 MX$769

53.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$151 CHF 120

$105 MX$1,794

44.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$188 CHF 149

$106 MX$1,819

77.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,731 CHF 1,375

$995 MX$17.1K

74.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,448 CHF 1,150

$621 MX$10.7K

133.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,782 CHF 2,209

$2,126 MX$36.5K

30.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,493 CHF 1,979

$1,254 MX$21.5K

98.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.1K CHF 11.2K

$3,903 MX$67.0K

260.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.9K CHF 8,643

$2,096 MX$36.0K

419.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,996 CHF 7,142

$1,107 MX$19.0K

712.47%

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 Riehen: June 9, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,731 in Riehen and $995 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riehen pays 712% 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: $141 in Riehen vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $654 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

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

Riehen and Mexico City differ by about 136% in total monthly costs ($3,419 vs $1,447 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Riehen pays 712% 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: $1,731 in Riehen 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 410% less than in Riehen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,930 in Riehen 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 $3,419 in Riehen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Riehen. 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, Riehen 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 136% less than in Riehen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.