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: $443 in Machakos versus $1,447 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $754 in Machakos versus $2,310 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,065 in Machakos versus $3,174 in Mexico City.

Living in Machakos costs roughly 69% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Machakos is 67% below, Mexico City is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.34 KES 303

$12.98 MX$223

-81.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.41 KES 4,980

$52.6 MX$903

-26.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.89 KES 893

$9.43 MX$162

-26.94%

Cappuccino

$1.95 KES 252

$3.57 MX$61.3

-45.38%

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

$0.69 KES 90.1

$1.61 MX$27.55

-57.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 KES 65.7

$1.15 MX$19.81

-55.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 KES 243

$3.15 MX$54.0

-40.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 KES 359

$4.86 MX$83.4

-43.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.40 KES 52.4

$1.70 MX$29.17

-76.47%

White Bread (500g)

$0.44 KES 56.9

$2.64 MX$45.23

-83.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 KES 97.9

$1.90 MX$32.67

-60.00%

Eggs

$1.36 KES 176

$2.54 MX$43.62

-46.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.49 KES 1,490

$10.08 MX$173

13.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.77 KES 878

$8.29 MX$142

-18.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.75 KES 615

$11.57 MX$199

-58.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.53 KES 198

$3.03 MX$52.0

-49.50%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 KES 96.9

$1.71 MX$29.35

-56.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.37 KES 48.26

$2.05 MX$35.16

-81.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.38 KES 49.23

$2.06 MX$35.36

-81.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 KES 104

$2.06 MX$35.43

-61.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 KES 101

$2.17 MX$37.25

-64.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 KES 83.7

$1.40 MX$24.08

-53.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 KES 48.81

$1.12 MX$19.26

-66.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.11 KES 404

$4.29 MX$73.7

-27.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.55 KES 1,498

$15.41 MX$265

-25.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 KES 257

$1.67 MX$28.74

18.56%

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)

$0.73 KES 95.2

$1.38 MX$23.70

-47.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 KES 103

$0.28 MX$4.74

185.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 KES 384

$5.42 MX$92.9

-45.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 KES 196

$1.28 MX$21.98

17.97%

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

$22.0K KES 2.8M

$19.0K MX$325.8K

15.72%

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

$19.6K KES 2.5M

$23.5K MX$402.7K

-16.25%

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

$34.62 KES 4,489

$41.02 MX$704

-15.60%

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

$7.56 KES 980

$26.92 MX$462

-71.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.64 KES 1,510

$29.69 MX$510

-60.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 KES 813

$6.18 MX$106

1.46%

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

$46.87 KES 6,077

$427 MX$7,331

-89.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,961 KES 1.0M

$10.7K MX$183.6K

-25.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.72 KES 1,520

$56.8 MX$975

-79.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.84 KES 3,091

$44.83 MX$769

-46.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.5 KES 8,497

$105 MX$1,794

-37.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.27 KES 4,962

$106 MX$1,819

-63.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$93.1 KES 12.1K

$995 MX$17.1K

-90.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$68.7 KES 8,910

$621 MX$10.7K

-88.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$152 KES 19.7K

$2,126 MX$36.5K

-92.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$118 KES 15.3K

$1,254 MX$21.5K

-90.59%

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)

$393 KES 50.9K

$1,107 MX$19.0K

-64.54%

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 Machakos: June 8, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $93.1 in Machakos and $995 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 182% 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 Machakos vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $165 vs $288 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 227% 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, Mexico City earns 182% less. 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: $93.1 in Machakos versus $995 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 75% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $443 per month in Machakos versus $1,447 in Mexico City – a 227% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $443 in Machakos versus $1,447 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 $443 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 227% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.