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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $654 in Machala versus $1,472 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,027 in Machala versus $2,359 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,399 in Machala versus $3,245 in Mexico City.

Living in Machala costs roughly 56% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Machala is 51% below, Mexico City is 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.47 $2.47

$13.14 MX$227

-81.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.02 $24.02

$53.5 MX$926

-55.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.63 $6.63

$9.33 MX$161

-28.94%

Cappuccino

$2.53 $2.53

$3.70 MX$64.0

-31.62%

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

$0.73 $0.73

$1.60 MX$27.76

-54.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 $0.49

$1.12 MX$19.34

-56.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 $1.98

$3.14 MX$54.3

-36.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 $4.56

$4.85 MX$83.9

-5.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.65 MX$28.61

-36.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 $1.08

$2.71 MX$46.96

-60.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.91 MX$33.03

-52.88%

Eggs

$1.45 $1.45

$2.59 MX$44.81

-44.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.34 $3.34

$9.81 MX$170

-65.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$8.43 MX$146

-51.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.70 $4.70

$11.93 MX$206

-60.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.95 MX$51.1

-31.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.74 MX$30.10

-36.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.72 $0.72

$2.04 MX$35.38

-64.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 $1.09

$2.06 MX$35.64

-47.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.42 $0.42

$2.15 MX$37.20

-80.47%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 $0.51

$2.26 MX$39.02

-77.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.36 $0.36

$1.39 MX$23.97

-74.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.12 MX$19.31

-8.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 $4.25

$4.22 MX$73.0

0.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.56 $7.56

$17.51 MX$303

-56.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.71 MX$29.58

-6.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$3.63 MX$62.8

-41.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 $0.36

$0.35 MX$6.10

2.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.28 $24.28

$19.32 MX$334

25.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.38 MX$23.80

6.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 $1.02

$0.28 MX$4.77

264.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 $7.83

$5.28 MX$91.3

48.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 $0.64

$1.36 MX$23.50

-52.94%

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

$17.7K $17.7K

$19.1K MX$330.5K

-7.35%

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

$22.2K $22.2K

$23.6K MX$408.4K

-5.95%

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

$38.20 $38.20

$40.53 MX$701

-5.75%

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

$13.74 $13.74

$27.38 MX$474

-49.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.07 $27.07

$30.38 MX$526

-10.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.37 $42.37

$52.2 MX$903

-18.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.51 $14.51

$26.48 MX$458

-45.20%

Cinema Ticket

$5.04 $5.04

$6.19 MX$107

-18.58%

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

$135 $135

$425 MX$7,355

-68.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,865 $5,865

$10.7K MX$185.7K

-45.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 $53.1

$58.3 MX$1,009

-9.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.40 $43.40

$44.57 MX$771

-2.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.5 $80.5

$103 MX$1,791

-22.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.6 $67.6

$109 MX$1,881

-37.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$187 $187

$1,014 MX$17.5K

-81.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$133 $133

$623 MX$10.8K

-78.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$354 $354

$2,119 MX$36.7K

-83.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$256 $256

$1,223 MX$21.2K

-79.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,175 $1,175

$3,792 MX$65.6K

-69.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$745 $745

$2,110 MX$36.5K

-64.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$446 $446

$1,052 MX$18.2K

-57.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

-55.91%

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

Last update for Machala: July 28, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $187 in Machala and $1,014 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 136% 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: $24.00 in Machala vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $143 vs $293 per month, with Machala 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

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

Machala is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 125% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 136% 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: $187 in Machala versus $1,014 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Machala – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $654 per month in Machala versus $1,472 in Mexico City – a 125% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $654 in Machala versus $1,472 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Machala but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Machala the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Machala is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Machala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 125% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.