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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $516 in Molo versus $1,447 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $847 in Molo versus $2,310 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,178 in Molo versus $3,174 in Mexico City.

Living in Molo costs roughly 64% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Molo is 62% below, Mexico City is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.37 KES 696

$12.98 MX$223

-58.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.20 KES 4,953

$52.6 MX$903

-27.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.68 KES 866

$9.43 MX$162

-29.16%

Cappuccino

$2.43 KES 316

$3.57 MX$61.3

-31.93%

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

$0.72 KES 93.3

$1.61 MX$27.55

-55.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 KES 64.7

$1.15 MX$19.81

-56.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 KES 310

$3.15 MX$54.0

-24.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 KES 371

$4.86 MX$83.4

-41.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 KES 122

$1.70 MX$29.17

-44.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 KES 68.5

$2.64 MX$45.23

-79.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 KES 213

$1.90 MX$32.67

-13.68%

Eggs

$1.68 KES 218

$2.54 MX$43.62

-33.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.60 KES 1,504

$10.08 MX$173

15.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.68 KES 866

$8.29 MX$142

-19.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.77 KES 749

$11.57 MX$199

-50.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.06 KES 397

$3.03 MX$52.0

0.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 KES 136

$1.71 MX$29.35

-38.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 KES 273

$2.05 MX$35.16

2.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 KES 132

$2.06 MX$35.36

-50.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 KES 140

$2.06 MX$35.43

-47.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 KES 144

$2.17 MX$37.25

-48.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 KES 83.0

$1.40 MX$24.08

-54.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 KES 96.9

$1.12 MX$19.26

-33.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.02 KES 392

$4.29 MX$73.7

-29.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.46 KES 1,486

$15.41 MX$265

-25.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 KES 283

$1.67 MX$28.74

30.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 KES 356

$3.69 MX$63.3

-25.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 KES 205

$1.38 MX$23.70

14.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 KES 204

$0.28 MX$4.74

464.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 KES 378

$5.42 MX$92.9

-46.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 KES 203

$1.28 MX$21.98

21.88%

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

$21.3K KES 2.8M

$19.0K MX$325.8K

12.29%

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

$19.7K KES 2.6M

$23.5K MX$402.7K

-15.97%

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

$34.50 KES 4,474

$41.02 MX$704

-15.89%

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

$16.63 KES 2,156

$26.92 MX$462

-38.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.70 KES 5,018

$29.69 MX$510

30.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

Cinema Ticket

$6.37 KES 826

$6.18 MX$106

3.07%

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

$206 KES 26.8K

$427 MX$7,331

-51.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,045 KES 1.0M

$10.7K MX$183.6K

-24.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.33 KES 2,376

$56.8 MX$975

-67.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.45 KES 3,170

$44.83 MX$769

-45.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.5 KES 8,625

$105 MX$1,794

-36.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.6 KES 7,205

$106 MX$1,819

-47.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$388 KES 50.3K

$1,107 MX$19.0K

-64.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.84

11.34

30.86%

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

Last update for Molo: June 8, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Mexico City pays 185% 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: $38.00 in Molo vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $288 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

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

Molo and Mexico City differ by about 181% in total monthly costs ($516 vs $1,447 including rent). Molo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mexico City earns 185% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $206 in Molo versus $427 in Mexico City. 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 $38.00 versus $53.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $516 in Molo versus $1,447 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 181% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.