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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $509 in Molo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $843 in Molo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $1,176 in Molo.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 189% more expensive than in Molo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Molo is 62% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$5.51 KES 713

138.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$39.20 KES 5,067

36.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$6.87 KES 888

35.81%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$2.45 KES 316

51.02%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$0.72 KES 92.7

122.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.54 KES 69.5

107.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$2.27 KES 294

38.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$2.87 KES 370

68.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$0.92 KES 119

79.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$0.57 KES 73.8

375.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$1.59 KES 206

20.13%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$1.68 KES 217

54.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$11.53 KES 1,490

-14.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$6.85 KES 885

23.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$5.46 KES 706

118.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$3.14 KES 406

-6.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$1.07 KES 138

62.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$2.14 KES 276

-4.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$1.06 KES 137

94.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$1.03 KES 133

108.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$1.12 KES 145

101.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$0.65 KES 83.4

113.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$0.81 KES 105

38.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$3.04 KES 393

38.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$11.71 KES 1,514

49.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$2.22 KES 287

-22.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$2.68 KES 346

35.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$1.50 KES 194

-8.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$1.51 KES 195

-81.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$2.83 KES 366

86.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$1.59 KES 206

-14.47%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$21.7K KES 2.8M

-11.91%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$20.2K KES 2.6M

16.87%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$34.40 KES 4,447

17.82%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$17.11 KES 2,211

60.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$39.29 KES 5,078

-22.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$6.28 KES 812

-1.43%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$202 KES 26.1K

110.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$7,932 KES 1.0M

35.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$18.28 KES 2,363

218.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$24.43 KES 3,157

82.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$66.2 KES 8,560

56.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$57.0 KES 7,361

90.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$390 KES 50.4K

169.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

14.84

-23.58%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for Molo: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Mexico City pays 170% 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 $39.00 in Molo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $207 per month, with Molo 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 Molo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Molo differ by about 189% in total monthly costs ($1,472 vs $509 including rent). Molo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 170% higher in Mexico City, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $425 in Mexico City versus $202 in Molo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Molo – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $509 in Molo versus $1,472 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Molo but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Molo 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.

Expats usually find Molo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 189% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.