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: $442 in Machakos versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $763 in Machakos versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,085 in Machakos versus $2,990 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 67% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.37 KES 307

$11.72 MX$203

-79.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.19 KES 4,936

$41.89 MX$725

-8.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.63 KES 857

$10.51 MX$182

-36.92%

Cappuccino

$1.89 KES 244

$3.59 MX$62.0

-47.35%

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

$0.71 KES 91.6

$1.51 MX$26.10

-52.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 KES 64.4

$0.92 MX$15.83

-45.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 KES 252

$2.96 MX$51.2

-34.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 KES 342

$4.41 MX$76.3

-39.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.41 KES 52.8

$1.40 MX$24.16

-70.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 KES 61.6

$1.88 MX$32.60

-74.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 KES 97.7

$1.56 MX$26.97

-51.28%

Eggs

$1.37 KES 177

$2.61 MX$45.14

-47.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.41 KES 1,475

$8.32 MX$144

37.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.59 KES 851

$8.35 MX$145

-21.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.68 KES 604

$10.86 MX$188

-56.91%

Apples (1kg)

$1.51 KES 195

$2.71 MX$46.93

-44.28%

Banana (1kg)

$0.74 KES 95.6

$1.51 MX$26.04

-50.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.37 KES 48.17

$1.87 MX$32.41

-80.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.38 KES 48.78

$2.19 MX$37.89

-82.65%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 KES 94.9

$1.86 MX$32.14

-60.75%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 KES 102

$2.23 MX$38.59

-64.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 KES 85.0

$1.07 MX$18.48

-38.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 KES 48.00

$1.09 MX$18.79

-66.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 KES 403

$4.19 MX$72.4

-25.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.40 KES 1,474

$10.43 MX$180

9.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 KES 253

$1.66 MX$28.68

18.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 KES 361

$2.61 MX$45.19

6.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 KES 98.2

$3.08 MX$53.3

-75.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 KES 94.8

$2.40 MX$41.61

-69.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 KES 379

$3.13 MX$54.1

-6.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 KES 195

$1.31 MX$22.69

15.27%

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

$21.4K KES 2.8M

$29.8K MX$515.7K

-28.37%

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

$19.7K KES 2.5M

$23.3K MX$403.5K

-15.65%

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

$34.06 KES 4,402

$81.3 MX$1,406

-58.10%

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

$7.77 KES 1,004

$22.56 MX$390

-65.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.38 KES 1,471

$30.05 MX$520

-62.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$6.02 KES 778

$4.92 MX$85.1

22.36%

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

$47.26 KES 6,109

$201 MX$3,474

-76.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,045 KES 1.0M

$5,175 MX$89.5K

55.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.59 KES 1,498

$35.92 MX$622

-67.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.79 KES 3,075

$40.13 MX$694

-40.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.9 KES 8,522

$79.7 MX$1,379

-17.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.20 KES 4,937

$86.5 MX$1,496

-55.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$92.3 KES 11.9K

$978 MX$16.9K

-90.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$68.4 KES 8,838

$470 MX$8,140

-85.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$156 KES 20.1K

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-90.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 KES 14.7K

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-90.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$380 KES 49.1K

$677 MX$11.7K

-43.85%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $92.3 in Machakos and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 78% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $163 vs $252 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 185% 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, salaries run 78% lower in Playa del Carmen. 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 $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 54% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $442 per month in Machakos versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – a 185% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $442 in Machakos versus $1,260 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 $442 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 185% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.