Cost of Living Comparison Between Moline, IL and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Moline, IL and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,188 in Moline, IL versus $1,677 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,219 in Moline, IL versus $2,608 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,249 in Moline, IL versus $3,540 in Mexico City.

Living in Moline, IL is roughly 31% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Moline, IL 59% above, Mexico City 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.63 $19.63

$12.14 MX$206

61.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.9 $67.9

$53.9 MX$914

25.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.46 $8.46

$11.09 MX$188

-23.72%

Cappuccino

$4.92 $4.92

$4.10 MX$69.5

20.00%

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

$3.16 $3.16

$1.68 MX$28.53

88.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.39 MX$23.55

6.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.33 MX$56.5

21.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.11 $4.11

$5.88 MX$99.7

-30.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.85 MX$31.41

-45.95%

White Bread (500g)

$3.68 $3.68

$3.17 MX$53.8

16.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$2.07 MX$35.13

122.71%

Eggs

$3.48 $3.48

$2.93 MX$49.67

18.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.19 $15.19

$12.59 MX$214

20.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.69 $11.69

$10.11 MX$172

15.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.49 $15.49

$16.09 MX$273

-3.73%

Apples (1kg)

$4.86 $4.86

$3.39 MX$57.5

43.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 $1.60

$2.08 MX$35.26

-23.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$2.12 MX$35.97

89.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.93 $4.93

$2.41 MX$40.95

104.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$2.13 MX$36.11

29.11%

Onion (1kg)

$3.06 $3.06

$2.01 MX$34.02

52.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.55 MX$26.21

40.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.36 MX$23.15

78.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.65 $10.65

$5.77 MX$97.8

84.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.09 $15.09

$17.74 MX$301

-14.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.07 MX$35.11

-17.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$4.61 MX$78.3

-61.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 $1.06

$0.37 MX$6.21

186.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.14 $32.14

$21.18 MX$359

51.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 $3.89

$2.05 MX$34.84

89.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 $1.94

$0.58 MX$9.79

234.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.20 $44.20

$6.07 MX$103

628.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.55 MX$26.34

-35.48%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$22.9K MX$388.1K

57.56%

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

$23.9K $23.9K

$27.2K MX$462.0K

-12.21%

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

$215 $215

$67.4 MX$1,144

218.63%

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

$51.6 $51.6

$30.62 MX$520

68.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$82.4 $82.4

$37.24 MX$632

121.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.2 $50.2

$61.5 MX$1,043

-18.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.86 $38.86

$27.12 MX$460

43.29%

Cinema Ticket

$14.86 $14.86

$7.11 MX$121

109.00%

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

$1,706 $1,706

$456 MX$7,739

274.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K $23.8K

$13.7K MX$232.3K

73.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.2 $64.2

$74.2 MX$1,259

-13.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 $50.8

$57.0 MX$967

-10.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.0 $90.0

$115 MX$1,958

-22.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.7 $79.7

$122 MX$2,061

-34.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$990 $990

$1,148 MX$19.5K

-13.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$907 $907

$709 MX$12.0K

27.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,413 $1,413

$2,577 MX$43.7K

-45.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,341 $1,341

$1,295 MX$22.0K

3.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,358 $1,358

$4,005 MX$67.9K

-66.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,335 $1,335

$2,130 MX$36.1K

-37.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.56

11.3

-50.80%

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

Last update for Moline, IL: September 7, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $990 in Moline, IL and $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $68.0 in Moline, IL vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $399 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

Moline, IL vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Moline, IL and Mexico City differ by about 31% in total monthly costs ($2,188 vs $1,677 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,282 in Moline, IL and $2,515 in Mexico City to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $990 in Moline, IL versus $1,148 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 52% less than in Moline, IL. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,706 in Moline, IL versus $456 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,677 in Mexico City versus $2,188 in Moline, IL, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Moline, IL. 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.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Moline, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.