Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kisumu and Mexico City

For one person, living is cheaper in Kisumu: $644 a month against $1,548 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $10,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

31

Cost of Living Index in Kisumu
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Kisumu Living Index
75

Cost of Living Index in Mexico City
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Mexico City Living Index

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Kisumu

🇰🇪 Kenya

$644

/mo nomad

Mexico City

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,548

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kisumu and in Mexico City

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kisumu and in Mexico City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $643 per month in Kisumu vs $1,567 in Mexico City, rent included.

Kisumu $643
Mexico City $1,567

A couple spends around $972 per month in Kisumu vs $2,450 in Mexico City, rent included.

Kisumu $972
Mexico City $2,450

A family of three spends $1,302 per month in Kisumu vs $3,333 in Mexico City, rent included.

Kisumu $1,302
Mexico City $3,333

Kisumu is about 59% cheaper than Mexico City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Kisumu sits 52% below the global median, while Mexico City is 16% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.65 KES 603

$11.02 MX$204

-57.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.40 KES 3,293

$48.68 MX$900

-47.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.55 KES 849

$10.90 MX$201

-39.91%

Cappuccino

$2.57 KES 334

$3.68 MX$68.1

-30.16%

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

$0.61 KES 79.3

$1.63 MX$30.18

-62.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 KES 78.2

$1.25 MX$23.07

-52.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 KES 257

$3.25 MX$60.1

-39.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 KES 360

$5.53 MX$102

-49.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.52 KES 67.5

$1.70 MX$31.50

-69.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 KES 67.4

$3.02 MX$55.8

-82.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 KES 254

$1.92 MX$35.53

2.08%

Eggs

$1.69 KES 219

$2.73 MX$50.5

-38.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.51 KES 1,363

$11.77 MX$218

-10.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.43 KES 834

$9.53 MX$176

-32.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.07 KES 658

$14.41 MX$266

-64.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 KES 444

$3.02 MX$55.8

13.58%

Banana (1kg)

$0.94 KES 122

$1.89 MX$35.01

-50.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 KES 268

$1.99 MX$36.70

4.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 KES 147

$2.19 MX$40.38

-48.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 KES 138

$1.92 MX$35.43

-44.27%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 KES 124

$1.87 MX$34.49

-48.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 KES 95.9

$1.44 MX$26.62

-48.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 KES 94.8

$1.27 MX$23.39

-42.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.14 KES 407

$5.22 MX$96.4

-39.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.68 KES 996

$16.17 MX$299

-52.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 KES 295

$1.90 MX$35.03

19.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 KES 305

$4.22 MX$78.0

-44.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 KES 104

$0.34 MX$6.30

135.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.09 KES 2,994

$19.65 MX$363

17.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 KES 197

$2.00 MX$36.90

-24.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 KES 195

$0.52 MX$9.67

188.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.88 KES 373

$5.34 MX$98.7

-46.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 KES 208

$1.52 MX$28.13

5.92%

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

$19.7K KES 2.6M

$22.1K MX$408.0K

-10.71%

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

$21.9K KES 2.8M

$24.5K MX$452.9K

-10.62%

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

$55.8 KES 7,240

$61.1 MX$1,129

-8.56%

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

$15.35 KES 1,990

$28.58 MX$528

-46.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.77 KES 4,508

$34.47 MX$637

0.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.41 KES 3,036

$56.4 MX$1,042

-58.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.88 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$7.91 KES 1,025

$6.66 MX$123

18.77%

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

$115 KES 14.9K

$427 MX$7,891

-73.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K KES 1.6M

$11.6K MX$215.0K

6.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.77 KES 1,527

$67.8 MX$1,253

-82.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.06 KES 2,471

$52.0 MX$960

-63.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.63 KES 2,026

$106 MX$1,959

-85.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$15.63 KES 2,026

$113 MX$2,080

-86.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$153 KES 19.8K

$1,025 MX$18.9K

-85.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$138 KES 17.9K

$654 MX$12.1K

-78.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$563 KES 73.0K

$2,308 MX$42.7K

-75.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$212 KES 27.5K

$1,242 MX$22.9K

-82.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$756 KES 98.1K

$3,613 MX$66.8K

-79.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,936 MX$35.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 KES 98.3K

$964 MX$17.8K

-21.34%

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 Kisumu: October 18, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Kisumu

$189 29.4%

Mexico City

$318 20.6% 68.4% $129

Accommodation & Living

Kisumu

$138 21.5%

Mexico City

$654 42.3% 373% $516

Eating Out

Kisumu

$108 16.8%

Mexico City

$204 13.2% 88.7% $96

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kisumu

$106 16.5%

Mexico City

$124 8% 17.1% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Kisumu

$39 6.1%

Mexico City

$70 4.5% 77.6% $30

Getting Around

Kisumu

$35 5.5%

Mexico City

$26 1.7% 27.5% $9.7

Clothing & Footwear

Kisumu

$28 4.3%

Mexico City

$152 9.8% 445% $124

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $151 in Kisumu versus $1,051 in Mexico City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 25% higher in Mexico City, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Kisumu versus $50.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $323 – making Kisumu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇪 Kisumu

🇲🇽 Mexico City

🕒 Local time

13:00 1:00 PM

04:00 4:00 AM

9 h behind Kisumu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,155,574

9,209,944 Capital

💱 Currency

Kenyan Shilling KES Sh

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KES = 7.71 USD

1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to KES – Kenyan Shilling Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇪 Kenyan Shilling (Sh)

Kenyan Shilling exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 130 KES (1,000 KES = 7.71 USD). 1 EUR = 146 KES (1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

USD to KES in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Kisumu Mexico City 14,550 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Kisumu
Mexico City

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Mexico City costs about 144% more than Kisumu, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $964 per month in Kisumu and $2,351 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kisumu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 72% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Kisumu and $50.0 in Mexico City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kisumu, where all-in costs run around $643, than in Mexico City at $1,567. In Kisumu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kisumu costs $643 versus $1,567 in Mexico City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kisumu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.