Cost of Living Comparison Between Machakos and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Machakos and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $453 in Machakos versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $752 in Machakos versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,051 in Machakos versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Machakos costs roughly 65% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Machakos 66% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.34 KES 302

$11.94 MX$209

-80.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.88 KES 5,018

$42.75 MX$748

-9.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.85 KES 884

$10.59 MX$185

-35.32%

Cappuccino

$1.99 KES 257

$3.62 MX$63.4

-45.03%

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

$0.74 KES 95.7

$1.47 MX$25.69

-49.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 KES 64.9

$0.94 MX$16.51

-46.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.91 KES 247

$3.09 MX$54.1

-38.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 KES 348

$4.46 MX$78.0

-39.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.38 KES 48.71

$1.43 MX$24.94

-73.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.45 KES 57.8

$1.88 MX$32.97

-76.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 KES 104

$1.63 MX$28.50

-50.31%

Eggs

$1.35 KES 175

$2.64 MX$46.26

-48.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.65 KES 1,504

$8.21 MX$144

41.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.69 KES 864

$8.29 MX$145

-19.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.57 KES 590

$11.10 MX$194

-58.83%

Apples (1kg)

$1.53 KES 197

$2.65 MX$46.40

-42.26%

Banana (1kg)

$0.73 KES 94.5

$1.50 MX$26.26

-51.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.41 KES 52.4

$1.99 MX$34.79

-79.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.37 KES 48.38

$2.08 MX$36.33

-82.21%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 KES 101

$1.79 MX$31.29

-56.42%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 KES 97.4

$2.18 MX$38.09

-65.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 KES 84.0

$1.08 MX$18.84

-39.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 KES 52.8

$1.04 MX$18.15

-60.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.01 KES 388

$3.97 MX$69.5

-24.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.72 KES 1,512

$10.20 MX$179

14.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 KES 255

$1.73 MX$30.22

14.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 KES 353

$2.50 MX$43.71

9.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 KES 97.1

$3.14 MX$55.0

-76.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 KES 104

$2.40 MX$42.04

-66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 KES 383

$3.09 MX$54.0

-3.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 KES 187

$1.27 MX$22.28

14.17%

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

$21.9K KES 2.8M

$30.9K MX$540.4K

-28.94%

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

$20.2K KES 2.6M

$23.3K MX$408.0K

-13.43%

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

$33.86 KES 4,370

$82.0 MX$1,435

-58.71%

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

$7.93 KES 1,023

$22.45 MX$393

-64.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.71 KES 1,511

$29.66 MX$519

-60.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$6.05 KES 781

$4.97 MX$87.0

21.73%

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

$45.51 KES 5,874

$198 MX$3,462

-76.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,077 KES 1.0M

$5,273 MX$92.3K

53.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.55 KES 1,491

$36.34 MX$636

-68.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.37 KES 3,145

$40.05 MX$701

-39.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.4 KES 8,570

$79.9 MX$1,398

-16.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.37 KES 4,952

$88.9 MX$1,555

-56.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$92.4 KES 11.9K

$963 MX$16.9K

-90.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$69.9 KES 9,021

$465 MX$8,133

-84.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$154 KES 19.8K

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-90.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 KES 14.8K

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-90.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$389 KES 50.2K

$720 MX$12.6K

-46.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.84

11.42

29.95%

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

Last update for Machakos: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $92.4 in Machakos and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 85% 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: $39.00 in Machakos vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $165 vs $251 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 Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Machakos wins on cost – living expenses run 184% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Machakos the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 85% 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: $92.4 in Machakos versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 52% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $453 per month in Machakos versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 184% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $453 in Machakos versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Machakos but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. 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 $453 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Machakos hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Machakos and Playa del Carmen 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 184% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.