😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,972 in Modena versus $1,484 in Mexico City.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,106 in Modena versus $2,381 in Mexico City.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,240 in Modena versus $3,278 in Mexico City.
😐Living in Modena is roughly 33% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities are pricier than the global median: Modena47% above, Mexico City11% above.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Modena
Mexico City
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.78€19.46
$12.98MX$226
75.50%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.5€67.9
$53.1MX$923
49.86%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.36€9.70
$9.72MX$169
16.87%
Cappuccino
$2.05€1.75
$3.75MX$65.2
-45.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.17€2.70
$1.57MX$27.30
101.91%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.34€1.14
$1.13MX$19.64
18.58%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.67€4.84
$3.18MX$55.3
78.30%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.96€5.09
$4.66MX$81.1
27.90%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Modena
Mexico City
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.41€1.20
$1.62MX$28.21
-12.96%
White Bread(500g)
$2.85€2.43
$2.71MX$47.09
5.17%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.58€2.20
$1.88MX$32.70
37.23%
Eggs
$4.81€4.11
$2.51MX$43.65
91.63%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$20.21€17.26
$10.08MX$175
100.50%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$14.93€12.75
$8.29MX$144
80.10%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$22.34€19.08
$11.94MX$208
87.10%
Apples(1kg)
$2.73€2.33
$2.86MX$49.77
-4.55%
Banana(1kg)
$2.78€2.37
$1.75MX$30.45
58.86%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.71€3.17
$2.08MX$36.27
78.37%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.95€3.38
$1.97MX$34.27
100.51%
Potato(1kg)
$2.81€2.40
$2.16MX$37.58
30.09%
Onion(1kg)
$1.75€1.50
$2.18MX$37.94
-19.72%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.56€1.33
$1.39MX$24.20
12.23%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.58€0.49
$1.12MX$19.57
-48.21%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.89€5.88
$4.20MX$73.1
64.05%
Wine(Bottle)
$9.35€7.98
$14.25MX$248
-34.39%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.64€1.40
$1.76MX$30.68
-6.82%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.63€2.24
$3.68MX$64.1
-28.53%
🚌 Getting Around
Modena
Mexico City
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.29€1.96
$0.39MX$6.71
487.18%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$36.30€31.00
$18.66MX$325
94.53%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$6.88€5.87
$1.39MX$24.12
394.96%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.17€1.00
$0.30MX$5.29
290.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$33.33€28.47
$5.42MX$94.3
514.94%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.05€1.75
$1.35MX$23.50
51.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.5K€23.4K
$18.9KMX$328.6K
45.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.1K€31.7K
$23.2KMX$402.8K
60.24%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Modena
Mexico City
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$261€223
$40.82MX$710
540.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.76€10.89
$27.50MX$479
-53.60%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.36€26.78
$30.38MX$529
3.23%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Modena
Mexico City
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$68.1€58.2
$53.4MX$930
27.46%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.28€19.88
$26.30MX$458
-11.48%
Cinema Ticket
$10.91€9.32
$6.27MX$109
74.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Modena
Mexico City
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$716€612
$436MX$7,588
64.23%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.2K€9,564
$10.5KMX$182.1K
6.99%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Modena
Mexico City
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$99.9€85.3
$56.8MX$988
75.97%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.30€36.13
$44.79MX$779
-5.56%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$102€87.4
$103MX$1,789
-0.47%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$127€108
$108MX$1,878
17.60%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Modena
Mexico City
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$881€752
$1,000MX$17.4K
-11.87%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$682€583
$620MX$10.8K
9.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,642€1,402
$2,137MX$37.2K
-23.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,308€1,117
$1,235MX$21.5K
5.95%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,721€3,178
$3,865MX$67.3K
-3.73%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,252€1,924
$2,332MX$40.6K
-3.42%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Modena
Mexico City
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,128€1,818
$1,067MX$18.6K
99.44%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.24
11.34
-62.61%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Modena: April 26, 2026
Última actualización para Mexico City: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $881 in Modena and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Modena pays 99% 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: $80.0 in Modena vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $397 vs $286 per month, with Mexico City cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Modena vs Mexico City: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
What is the total cost difference between living in Modena and Mexico City?
Modena and Mexico City differ by about 33% in total monthly costs ($1,972 vs $1,484 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Modena or Mexico City?
Modena pays 99% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Modena and Mexico City?
Rent for a central apartment: $881 in Modena versus $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Modena and Mexico City?
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.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Modena and Mexico City?
Childcare runs $716 in Modena versus $436 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,484 in Mexico City versus $1,972 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.
How does quality of life compare between Modena and Mexico City?
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.
Is Modena or Mexico City safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Modena and Mexico City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Modena or Mexico City?
Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Modena. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.