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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $526 in Machakos versus $1,660 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $809 in Machakos versus $2,565 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,092 in Machakos versus $3,470 in Mexico City.

Living in Machakos costs roughly 68% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Machakos is 62% below, Mexico City is 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.07 KES 397

$11.92 MX$205

-74.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.14 KES 2,476

$51.6 MX$886

-62.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.36 KES 823

$11.41 MX$196

-44.26%

Cappuccino

$1.96 KES 254

$3.99 MX$68.6

-50.88%

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

$0.60 KES 77.3

$1.66 MX$28.48

-63.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 KES 69.0

$1.33 MX$22.77

-60.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 KES 276

$3.47 MX$59.6

-38.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 KES 355

$5.90 MX$101

-53.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.38 KES 48.67

$1.88 MX$32.21

-79.79%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 KES 61.1

$3.25 MX$55.9

-85.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 KES 94.8

$2.16 MX$37.10

-66.20%

Eggs

$1.38 KES 178

$2.90 MX$49.72

-52.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.68 KES 1,383

$12.86 MX$221

-16.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.50 KES 841

$10.05 MX$173

-35.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.68 KES 606

$15.86 MX$272

-70.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.57 KES 204

$3.29 MX$56.6

-52.28%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 KES 104

$2.01 MX$34.44

-59.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.38 KES 48.89

$2.20 MX$37.76

-82.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.37 KES 48.05

$2.36 MX$40.44

-84.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 KES 104

$2.05 MX$35.27

-60.98%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 KES 101

$1.90 MX$32.64

-58.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 KES 89.0

$1.61 MX$27.55

-57.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 KES 48.70

$1.40 MX$23.98

-72.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 KES 439

$5.46 MX$93.8

-37.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.68 KES 1,512

$17.65 MX$303

-33.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 KES 253

$2.06 MX$35.28

-5.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 KES 366

$4.68 MX$80.4

-39.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$357

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 KES 102

$2.10 MX$35.99

-62.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 KES 102

$0.56 MX$9.60

41.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 KES 370

$5.81 MX$99.8

-50.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 KES 186

$1.61 MX$27.56

-11.18%

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

$21.9K KES 2.8M

$22.8K MX$392.1K

-4.05%

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

$20.5K KES 2.6M

$26.8K MX$459.2K

-23.50%

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

$62.6 KES 8,097

$65.2 MX$1,119

-4.00%

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

$7.54 KES 976

$30.09 MX$517

-74.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.42 KES 1,477

$37.18 MX$638

-69.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.55 KES 4,988

$59.8 MX$1,026

-35.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$456

Cinema Ticket

$7.71 KES 997

$7.04 MX$121

9.52%

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

$46.27 KES 5,988

$465 MX$7,976

-90.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K KES 1.5M

$13.3K MX$227.8K

-14.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.44 KES 1,480

$75.9 MX$1,303

-84.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.85 KES 3,604

$56.0 MX$960

-50.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.0 KES 9,181

$112 MX$1,920

-36.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.84 KES 5,026

$121 MX$2,068

-67.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$92.3 KES 11.9K

$1,103 MX$18.9K

-91.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$70.3 KES 9,094

$721 MX$12.4K

-90.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$154 KES 20.0K

$2,530 MX$43.4K

-93.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 KES 14.8K

$1,293 MX$22.2K

-91.14%

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)

$391 KES 50.6K

$1,037 MX$17.8K

-62.27%

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 Machakos: September 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $92.3 in Machakos and $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 165% 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: $19.00 in Machakos vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $162 vs $345 per month, with Machakos 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

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

Machakos wins on cost – living expenses run 215% lower than in Mexico City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Machakos the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 165% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $92.3 in Machakos versus $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 114% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $526 per month in Machakos versus $1,660 in Mexico City – a 215% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $526 in Machakos versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Machakos but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Machakos the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Machakos delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $526 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Machakos hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Machakos and Mexico City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Machakos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 215% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.