Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Rolla, MO Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Rolla, MO

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $1,335 in Rolla, MO.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $2,119 in Rolla, MO.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $2,903 in Rolla, MO.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 9% more expensive than in Rolla, MO, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 9% above, Rolla, MO 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$15.12 $15.12

-13.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$45.49 $45.49

18.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$8.39 $8.39

15.38%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$3.88 $3.88

-3.61%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$2.02 $2.02

-19.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$1.22 $1.22

-4.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$3.92 $3.92

-17.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

$5.53 $5.53

-14.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$0.97 $0.97

70.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$2.99 $2.99

-8.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$2.07 $2.07

-9.66%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$1.42 $1.42

76.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$9.36 $9.36

8.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$9.02 $9.02

-8.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$11.40 $11.40

3.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$4.60 $4.60

-34.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$1.28 $1.28

41.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$3.17 $3.17

-36.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$3.91 $3.91

-48.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$1.65 $1.65

26.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$2.48 $2.48

-8.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$2.00 $2.00

-27.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$1.78 $1.78

-39.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$5.12 $5.12

-15.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$5.13 $5.13

231.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

$1.72 $1.72

0.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

$3.52 $3.52

1.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$1.95 $1.95

-80.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$3.06 $3.06

-56.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$1.52 $1.52

-81.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$35.42 $35.42

-85.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$0.70 $0.70

91.43%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$30.4K $30.4K

-36.07%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$26.0K $26.0K

-8.38%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$124 $124

-67.20%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$68.4 $68.4

-60.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$73.9 $73.9

-58.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$24.93 $24.93

111.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

$9.88 $9.88

169.74%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$8.88 $8.88

-26.69%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$780 $780

-45.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$23.4K $23.4K

-55.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$52.3 $52.3

9.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$33.71 $33.71

34.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$68.2 $68.2

52.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$101 $101

6.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$501 $501

100.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$351 $351

77.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$931 $931

126.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$789 $789

54.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

$2,439 $2,439

59.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

$2,567 $2,567

-20.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$4,586 $4,586

-77.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

6.65

70.53%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Rolla, MO: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $501 in Rolla, MO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rolla, MO pays 342% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $45.00 in Rolla, MO for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $289 per month, with Rolla, MO 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 Rolla, MO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Rolla, MO differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $1,335 including rent). Rolla, MO is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 342% lower in Rolla, MO. 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: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $501 in Rolla, MO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $780 in Rolla, MO. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Rolla, MO – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,335 in Rolla, MO versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rolla, MO but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Rolla, MO 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 Rolla, MO gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.