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: $1,448 in Mexico City versus $505 in Molo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,354 in Mexico City versus $847 in Molo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,260 in Mexico City versus $1,189 in Molo.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 187% more expensive than Molo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Molo is 62% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.96 MX$223

$5.28 KES 683

145.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.3 MX$900

$38.84 KES 5,026

34.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.69 MX$167

$6.86 KES 887

41.25%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$64.6

$2.38 KES 308

57.56%

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

$1.56 MX$26.91

$0.75 KES 97.4

108.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$19.93

$0.50 KES 65.1

132.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 MX$55.8

$2.34 KES 303

38.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 MX$84.3

$2.98 KES 386

64.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.29

$0.86 KES 111

97.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 MX$45.90

$0.53 KES 68.9

403.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.49

$1.66 KES 214

13.86%

Eggs

$2.52 MX$43.37

$1.62 KES 209

55.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 MX$172

$11.71 KES 1,515

-14.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.53 MX$147

$6.78 KES 878

25.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$205

$5.70 KES 738

109.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.1

$3.14 KES 407

-5.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 MX$30.88

$1.05 KES 136

70.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.40

$2.18 KES 282

-8.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.74

$1.01 KES 131

94.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.21

$1.07 KES 139

101.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.04

$1.16 KES 150

95.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.14

$0.69 KES 89.3

102.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.18

$0.81 KES 104

37.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$72.2

$3.03 KES 393

38.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.54 MX$285

$11.83 KES 1,531

39.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.94

$2.20 KES 284

-23.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 MX$61.8

$2.78 KES 360

29.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.65

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.19 MX$330

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.77

$1.58 KES 204

-12.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.19

$1.53 KES 198

-80.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.7

$2.84 KES 367

89.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 MX$22.13

$1.51 KES 196

-14.57%

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

$18.9K MX$325.1K

$21.3K KES 2.8M

-11.45%

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

$23.8K MX$409.5K

$20.1K KES 2.6M

18.52%

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

$39.86 MX$686

$33.87 KES 4,383

17.69%

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

$27.83 MX$479

$16.78 KES 2,172

65.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.77 MX$512

$39.45 KES 5,105

-24.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$894

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.22 MX$451

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$108

$6.31 KES 816

-0.63%

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

$433 MX$7,443

$202 KES 26.1K

114.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$181.3K

$8,085 KES 1.0M

30.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 MX$981

$18.35 KES 2,374

210.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.33 MX$780

$24.47 KES 3,167

85.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 MX$1,753

$66.2 KES 8,566

53.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,867

$56.6 KES 7,320

91.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 MX$17.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 MX$10.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,086 MX$35.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 MX$21.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,936 MX$67.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,089 MX$35.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,131 MX$19.5K

$389 KES 50.3K

191.07%

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Molo: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Mexico City pays 191% 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 $39.00 in Molo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 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 187% in total monthly costs ($1,448 vs $505 including rent). Molo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 191% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $433 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 $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $505 in Molo versus $1,448 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 187% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.