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: $544 in Molo versus $1,660 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $882 in Molo versus $2,565 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,220 in Molo versus $3,470 in Mexico City.

Living in Molo costs roughly 67% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Molo is 60% below, Mexico City is 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 KES 589

$11.92 MX$205

-61.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.29 KES 4,566

$51.6 MX$886

-31.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.03 KES 781

$11.41 MX$196

-47.15%

Cappuccino

$2.75 KES 356

$3.99 MX$68.6

-31.08%

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

$0.58 KES 75.6

$1.66 MX$28.48

-65.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 KES 82.5

$1.33 MX$22.77

-51.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 KES 293

$3.47 MX$59.6

-34.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 KES 343

$5.90 MX$101

-55.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 KES 122

$1.88 MX$32.21

-50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 KES 74.4

$3.25 MX$55.9

-82.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 KES 241

$2.16 MX$37.10

-13.89%

Eggs

$1.70 KES 220

$2.90 MX$49.72

-41.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.67 KES 1,380

$12.86 MX$221

-17.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 KES 819

$10.05 MX$173

-37.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.11 KES 791

$15.86 MX$272

-61.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 KES 428

$3.29 MX$56.6

0.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 KES 138

$2.01 MX$34.44

-46.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.06 KES 267

$2.20 MX$37.76

-6.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 KES 146

$2.36 MX$40.44

-52.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 KES 148

$2.05 MX$35.27

-44.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 KES 141

$1.90 MX$32.64

-42.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 KES 87.3

$1.61 MX$27.55

-58.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 KES 95.8

$1.40 MX$23.98

-47.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 KES 445

$5.46 MX$93.8

-37.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.61 KES 1,503

$17.65 MX$303

-34.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 KES 300

$2.06 MX$35.28

12.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 KES 354

$4.68 MX$80.4

-41.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$357

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 KES 197

$2.10 MX$35.99

-27.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 KES 195

$0.56 MX$9.60

169.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 KES 378

$5.81 MX$99.8

-49.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 KES 204

$1.61 MX$27.56

-2.48%

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

$21.7K KES 2.8M

$22.8K MX$392.1K

-5.12%

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

$20.5K KES 2.7M

$26.8K MX$459.2K

-23.41%

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

$62.5 KES 8,082

$65.2 MX$1,119

-4.17%

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

$15.75 KES 2,038

$30.09 MX$517

-47.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.67 KES 4,616

$37.18 MX$638

-4.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,026

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$456

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 KES 1,022

$7.04 MX$121

12.22%

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

$246 KES 31.8K

$465 MX$7,976

-47.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K KES 1.5M

$13.3K MX$227.8K

-13.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.81 KES 3,599

$75.9 MX$1,303

-63.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.43 KES 3,679

$56.0 MX$960

-49.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.9 KES 8,909

$112 MX$1,920

-38.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.0 KES 7,498

$121 MX$2,068

-51.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$18.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.2K

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)

$386 KES 49.9K

$1,037 MX$17.8K

-62.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.71

11.3

30.18%

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

Last update for Molo: September 14, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Mexico City pays 169% 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: $35.00 in Molo vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $345 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 205% in total monthly costs ($544 vs $1,660 including rent). Molo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 169% lower in Mexico City. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $246 in Molo versus $465 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 $35.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $544 in Molo versus $1,660 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 205% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.