Cost of Living Comparison Between Rolla, MO and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Rolla, MO and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,335 in Rolla, MO versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,119 in Rolla, MO versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,903 in Rolla, MO versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Rolla, MO costs roughly 8% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Rolla, MO 0% above, Mexico City 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.12 $15.12

$13.07 MX$228

15.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.49 $45.49

$53.8 MX$936

-15.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.39 $8.39

$9.68 MX$169

-13.33%

Cappuccino

$3.88 $3.88

$3.74 MX$65.1

3.74%

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

$2.02 $2.02

$1.62 MX$28.13

24.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.16 MX$20.23

5.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.92 $3.92

$3.23 MX$56.2

21.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.53 $5.53

$4.74 MX$82.5

16.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.65 MX$28.68

-41.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.99 $2.99

$2.75 MX$47.95

8.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.87 MX$32.63

10.70%

Eggs

$1.42 $1.42

$2.50 MX$43.54

-43.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.36 $9.36

$10.20 MX$178

-8.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.02 $9.02

$8.25 MX$144

9.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.40 $11.40

$11.82 MX$206

-3.55%

Apples (1kg)

$4.60 $4.60

$3.01 MX$52.4

52.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.81 MX$31.54

-29.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.00 MX$34.81

58.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 $3.91

$2.00 MX$34.74

95.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$2.08 MX$36.30

-20.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.27 MX$39.56

9.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.46 MX$25.36

36.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.08 MX$18.74

64.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.12 $5.12

$4.35 MX$75.7

17.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.13 $5.13

$16.99 MX$296

-69.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.73 MX$30.18

-0.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 $3.52

$3.58 MX$62.3

-1.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.39 MX$6.74

400.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 $3.06

$1.33 MX$23.08

130.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$0.28 MX$4.87

442.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.42 $35.42

$5.25 MX$91.5

574.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.70 $0.70

$1.34 MX$23.27

-47.76%

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

$30.4K $30.4K

$19.4K MX$338.0K

56.42%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$23.8K MX$415.0K

9.14%

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

$124 $124

$40.69 MX$709

204.92%

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

$68.4 $68.4

$26.87 MX$468

154.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.9 $73.9

$30.51 MX$531

142.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.93 $24.93

$52.8 MX$919

-52.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.88 $9.88

$26.65 MX$464

-62.93%

Cinema Ticket

$8.88 $8.88

$6.51 MX$113

36.41%

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

$780 $780

$428 MX$7,454

82.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K $23.4K

$10.5K MX$182.8K

123.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.3 $52.3

$57.3 MX$997

-8.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.71 $33.71

$45.50 MX$792

-25.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.2 $68.2

$104 MX$1,812

-34.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 $101

$108 MX$1,878

-6.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$501 $501

$1,003 MX$17.5K

-50.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$351 $351

$623 MX$10.8K

-43.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$931 $931

$2,109 MX$36.7K

-55.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 $789

$1,218 MX$21.2K

-35.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,439 $2,439

$3,885 MX$67.6K

-37.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,567 $2,567

$2,033 MX$35.4K

26.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,586 $4,586

$1,038 MX$18.1K

341.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.65

11.34

-41.36%

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

Last update for Rolla, MO: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $501 in Rolla, MO and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rolla, MO pays 342% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Rolla, MO vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $292 per month, with Rolla, MO 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

Rolla, MO vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rolla, MO and Mexico City differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($1,335 vs $1,456 including rent). Rolla, MO is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 342% higher in Rolla, MO, 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: $501 in Rolla, MO versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $780 in Rolla, MO versus $428 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 Rolla, MO – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,335 in Rolla, MO versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rolla, MO but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Rolla, MO 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 Rolla, MO gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.