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: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $544 in Molo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $882 in Molo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,220 in Molo.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 205% more expensive than in Molo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Molo is 60% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$4.55 KES 589

161.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$886

$35.29 KES 4,566

46.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$196

$6.03 KES 781

89.22%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.6

$2.75 KES 356

45.09%

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

$1.66 MX$28.48

$0.58 KES 75.6

186.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.77

$0.64 KES 82.5

107.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.6

$2.27 KES 293

52.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$101

$2.65 KES 343

122.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.21

$0.94 KES 122

100.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$55.9

$0.58 KES 74.4

460.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.10

$1.86 KES 241

16.13%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.72

$1.70 KES 220

70.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$10.67 KES 1,380

20.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$6.33 KES 819

58.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$272

$6.11 KES 791

159.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.6

$3.31 KES 428

-0.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.44

$1.07 KES 138

87.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.76

$2.06 KES 267

6.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.44

$1.13 KES 146

108.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.27

$1.14 KES 148

79.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.64

$1.09 KES 141

74.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.67 KES 87.3

140.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$23.98

$0.74 KES 95.8

89.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$93.8

$3.44 KES 445

58.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$303

$11.61 KES 1,503

52.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.28

$2.32 KES 300

-11.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.4

$2.74 KES 354

70.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$357

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$35.99

$1.52 KES 197

38.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.60

$1.51 KES 195

-62.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$99.8

$2.92 KES 378

98.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.56

$1.57 KES 204

2.55%

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

$22.8K MX$392.1K

$21.7K KES 2.8M

5.40%

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

$26.8K MX$459.2K

$20.5K KES 2.7M

30.57%

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

$65.2 MX$1,119

$62.5 KES 8,082

4.35%

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

$30.09 MX$517

$15.75 KES 2,038

91.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$638

$35.67 KES 4,616

4.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,026

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$456

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$7.90 KES 1,022

-10.89%

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

$465 MX$7,976

$246 KES 31.8K

88.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$227.8K

$11.4K KES 1.5M

15.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,303

$27.81 KES 3,599

172.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$960

$28.43 KES 3,679

96.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,920

$68.9 KES 8,909

62.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,068

$58.0 KES 7,498

107.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$18.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$35.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.8K

$386 KES 49.9K

169.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

14.71

-23.18%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Molo: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Mexico City pays 169% 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 $35.00 in Molo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $206 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 205% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $544 including rent). Molo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 169% 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 $465 in Mexico City versus $246 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 $35.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $544 in Molo versus $1,660 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 205% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.