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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $1,999 in Modena.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $3,154 in Modena.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $4,309 in Modena.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 26% less than in Modena, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 11% above, Modena 50% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$22.79 €19.74

-42.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$80.5 €69.7

-33.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$11.58 €10.03

-19.43%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$1.99 €1.72

85.93%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$3.04 €2.63

-47.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$1.35 €1.17

-17.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$5.77 €4.99

-45.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$5.63 €4.87

-13.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$1.44 €1.24

14.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$2.85 €2.46

-4.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$2.52 €2.18

-24.21%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$4.78 €4.14

-45.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$20.00 €17.32

-50.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$15.25 €13.20

-44.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$22.28 €19.30

-46.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.75 €2.38

7.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$2.77 €2.40

-37.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$3.78 €3.28

-46.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$3.88 €3.36

-46.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$2.69 €2.33

-20.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$1.82 €1.58

24.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$1.53 €1.33

-9.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$0.62 €0.54

80.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$7.05 €6.10

-40.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$9.16 €7.93

91.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$1.74 €1.50

-1.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$2.65 €2.30

36.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$2.28 €1.98

-84.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

$37.73 €32.68

-48.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$6.86 €5.94

-79.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$1.13 €0.98

-75.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$34.05 €29.49

-84.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$2.12 €1.83

-35.85%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$28.0K €24.2K

-31.68%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$36.9K €32.0K

-36.11%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$267 €231

-84.80%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$12.87 €11.15

112.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$30.48 €26.40

-0.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$66.9 €57.9

-21.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

$23.10 €20.01

14.63%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$10.83 €9.38

-42.84%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$715 €619

-40.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$11.4K €9,903

-6.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$98.9 €85.6

-41.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$42.69 €36.97

4.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$103 €89.5

0.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$129 €112

-15.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$859 €744

17.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$679 €588

-8.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$1,648 €1,428

28.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$1,280 €1,108

-4.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

$3,686 €3,192

2.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

$2,183 €1,891

-3.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$2,055 €1,780

-48.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

4.24

167.45%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for Modena: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $859 in Modena. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Modena pays 95% 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 $80.0 in Modena for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $398 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 Modena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Modena differ by about 36% in total monthly costs ($1,472 vs $1,999 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 95% lower in Modena. 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: $1,014 in Mexico City versus $859 in Modena. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 95% less than in Modena. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $425 in Mexico City versus $715 in Modena. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,472 in Mexico City versus $1,999 in Modena, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Modena. 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 Modena 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 36% less than in Modena. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.