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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,442 in Molde versus $1,660 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,697 in Molde versus $2,565 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,952 in Molde versus $3,470 in Mexico City.

Living in Molde is roughly 47% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Molde 79% above, Mexico City 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.59 NOK 288

$11.92 MX$205

156.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.8 NOK 808

$51.6 MX$886

66.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.94 NOK 150

$11.41 MX$196

39.70%

Cappuccino

$5.17 NOK 48.70

$3.99 MX$68.6

29.57%

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

$3.29 NOK 31.01

$1.66 MX$28.48

98.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 NOK 33.70

$1.33 MX$22.77

169.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.67 NOK 110

$3.47 MX$59.6

236.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.52 NOK 99.2

$5.90 MX$101

78.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.13 NOK 29.46

$1.88 MX$32.21

66.49%

White Bread (500g)

$4.23 NOK 39.85

$3.25 MX$55.9

30.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.11 NOK 38.69

$2.16 MX$37.10

90.28%

Eggs

$5.24 NOK 49.35

$2.90 MX$49.72

80.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.57 NOK 175

$12.86 MX$221

44.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.04 NOK 151

$10.05 MX$173

59.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$272

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 NOK 32.76

$3.29 MX$56.6

5.78%

Banana (1kg)

$3.28 NOK 30.89

$2.01 MX$34.44

63.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.08 NOK 28.97

$2.20 MX$37.76

40.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.93 NOK 46.41

$2.36 MX$40.44

108.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 NOK 24.80

$2.05 MX$35.27

28.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 NOK 22.88

$1.90 MX$32.64

27.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.77 NOK 26.05

$1.61 MX$27.55

72.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$23.98

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.59 NOK 194

$5.46 MX$93.8

277.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.72 NOK 223

$17.65 MX$303

34.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.17 NOK 39.25

$2.06 MX$35.28

102.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.19 NOK 77.1

$4.68 MX$80.4

75.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.20 NOK 48.98

$0.34 MX$5.81

1429.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.8 NOK 798

$20.81 MX$357

307.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$16.35 NOK 154

$2.10 MX$35.99

678.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.60

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$99.8

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 NOK 21.75

$1.61 MX$27.56

43.48%

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

$22.8K MX$392.1K

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

$26.8K MX$459.2K

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

$65.2 MX$1,119

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

$21.65 NOK 204

$30.09 MX$517

-28.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.4 NOK 795

$37.18 MX$638

127.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.7 NOK 563

$59.8 MX$1,026

-0.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$456

Cinema Ticket

$18.95 NOK 178

$7.04 MX$121

169.18%

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

$214 NOK 2,013

$465 MX$7,976

-54.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$227.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$113 NOK 1,060

$75.9 MX$1,303

48.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$960

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 NOK 1,305

$112 MX$1,920

23.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 NOK 1,529

$121 MX$2,068

34.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,288 NOK 12.1K

$1,103 MX$18.9K

16.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$981 NOK 9,241

$721 MX$12.4K

36.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,899 NOK 17.9K

$2,530 MX$43.4K

-24.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 NOK 15.8K

$1,293 MX$22.2K

29.71%

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)

$4,356 NOK 41.0K

$1,037 MX$17.8K

319.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

11.3

-57.52%

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

Last update for Molde: September 14, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,288 in Molde and $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Molde pays 320% 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: $86.0 in Molde vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $429 vs $345 per month, with Mexico City 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

Molde vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Molde and Mexico City differ by about 47% in total monthly costs ($2,442 vs $1,660 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 320% higher in Molde, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,288 in Molde versus $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 307% less than in Molde. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $214 in Molde versus $465 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,660 in Mexico City versus $2,442 in Molde, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Molde. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City 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.

Safety-wise, Molde 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.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Molde. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.