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: $443 in Machakos versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $754 in Machakos versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,065 in Machakos versus $2,980 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

$2.34 KES 303

$11.87 MX$204

-80.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.41 KES 4,980

$42.90 MX$736

-10.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.89 KES 893

$10.65 MX$183

-35.31%

Cappuccino

$1.95 KES 252

$3.45 MX$59.2

-43.48%

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

$0.69 KES 90.1

$1.50 MX$25.81

-54.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 KES 65.7

$0.95 MX$16.28

-46.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 KES 243

$3.03 MX$51.9

-37.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 KES 359

$4.61 MX$79.1

-39.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.40 KES 52.4

$1.38 MX$23.61

-71.01%

White Bread (500g)

$0.44 KES 56.9

$1.85 MX$31.70

-76.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 KES 97.9

$1.61 MX$27.65

-52.80%

Eggs

$1.36 KES 176

$2.59 MX$44.51

-47.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.49 KES 1,490

$8.26 MX$142

39.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.77 KES 878

$8.37 MX$144

-19.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.75 KES 615

$10.66 MX$183

-55.44%

Apples (1kg)

$1.53 KES 198

$2.63 MX$45.12

-41.83%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 KES 96.9

$1.49 MX$25.53

-49.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.37 KES 48.26

$1.92 MX$32.94

-80.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.38 KES 49.23

$2.09 MX$35.81

-81.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 KES 104

$1.86 MX$31.88

-56.99%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 KES 101

$2.26 MX$38.81

-65.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 KES 83.7

$1.06 MX$18.23

-38.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 KES 48.81

$1.09 MX$18.67

-65.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.11 KES 404

$4.15 MX$71.2

-25.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.55 KES 1,498

$10.39 MX$178

11.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 KES 257

$1.72 MX$29.59

15.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 KES 356

$2.61 MX$44.85

5.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 KES 95.2

$3.13 MX$53.7

-76.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 KES 103

$2.51 MX$43.09

-68.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 KES 384

$3.15 MX$54.1

-6.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 KES 196

$1.27 MX$21.88

18.90%

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

$22.0K KES 2.8M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-27.69%

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

$19.6K KES 2.5M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

-16.62%

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

$34.62 KES 4,489

$83.0 MX$1,425

-58.29%

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

$7.56 KES 980

$22.71 MX$390

-66.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.64 KES 1,510

$29.46 MX$506

-60.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 KES 813

$4.93 MX$84.5

27.18%

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

$46.87 KES 6,077

$197 MX$3,386

-76.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,961 KES 1.0M

$5,280 MX$90.6K

50.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.72 KES 1,520

$36.90 MX$633

-68.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.84 KES 3,091

$39.89 MX$685

-40.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.5 KES 8,497

$80.0 MX$1,373

-18.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.27 KES 4,962

$89.5 MX$1,536

-57.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$93.1 KES 12.1K

$956 MX$16.4K

-90.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$68.7 KES 8,910

$477 MX$8,189

-85.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$152 KES 19.7K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-90.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$118 KES 15.3K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-90.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$393 KES 50.9K

$667 MX$11.4K

-41.13%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $93.1 in Machakos and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 70% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $165 vs $250 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 187% 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 70% 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 $956 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 $443 per month in Machakos versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – a 187% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $443 in Machakos versus $1,271 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 $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 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 187% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.