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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,871 per month in Manukau vs $1,456 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,858 per month in Manukau vs $2,361 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,844 per month in Manukau vs $3,266 in Mexico City, rent included.

Manukau costs about 28% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Manukau and Mexico City sit above the global median – Manukau by 40%, Mexico City by 9%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.34 NZ$26.26

$13.07 MX$229

17.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.2 NZ$136

$53.8 MX$943

47.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.30 NZ$15.91

$9.68 MX$170

-3.93%

Cappuccino

$3.50 NZ$5.99

$3.74 MX$65.6

-6.42%

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

$1.50 NZ$2.56

$1.62 MX$28.34

-7.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 NZ$2.05

$1.16 MX$20.37

3.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.08 NZ$8.69

$3.23 MX$56.6

57.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.36 NZ$9.18

$4.74 MX$83.1

13.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$2.96

$1.65 MX$28.89

4.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 NZ$3.59

$2.75 MX$48.30

-24.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 NZ$3.44

$1.87 MX$32.87

7.49%

Eggs

$4.96 NZ$8.49

$2.50 MX$43.86

98.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.79 NZ$9.92

$10.20 MX$179

-43.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.02 NZ$15.44

$8.25 MX$145

9.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.03 NZ$22.31

$11.82 MX$207

10.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.79 NZ$4.78

$3.01 MX$52.8

-7.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 NZ$3.93

$1.81 MX$31.77

27.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.38 NZ$5.78

$2.00 MX$35.07

69.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.06 NZ$6.95

$2.00 MX$35.00

103.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 NZ$1.87

$2.08 MX$36.56

-47.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 NZ$2.93

$2.27 MX$39.85

-24.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 NZ$3.34

$1.46 MX$25.55

33.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 NZ$2.18

$1.08 MX$18.88

17.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.81 NZ$44.18

$4.35 MX$76.3

493.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.10 NZ$8.74

$16.99 MX$298

-69.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 NZ$5.04

$1.73 MX$30.40

69.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 NZ$6.82

$3.58 MX$62.7

11.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 NZ$4.19

$0.39 MX$6.79

528.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.2 NZ$108

$18.69 MX$328

238.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.15 NZ$3.67

$1.33 MX$23.25

61.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 NZ$3.32

$0.28 MX$4.91

592.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.28 NZ$60.4

$5.25 MX$92.1

572.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 NZ$2.90

$1.34 MX$23.44

26.12%

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

$28.9K NZ$49.4K

$19.4K MX$340.5K

48.72%

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

$21.9K NZ$37.6K

$23.8K MX$418.0K

-7.91%

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

$142 NZ$242

$40.69 MX$714

247.90%

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

$30.15 NZ$51.6

$26.87 MX$471

12.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.33 NZ$82.8

$30.51 MX$535

58.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.96 NZ$73.6

$52.8 MX$926

-18.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.14 NZ$20.78

$26.65 MX$467

-54.45%

Cinema Ticket

$14.35 NZ$24.57

$6.51 MX$114

120.43%

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

$918 NZ$1,572

$428 MX$7,508

114.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K NZ$23.4K

$10.5K MX$184.2K

29.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.63 NZ$83.3

$57.3 MX$1,004

-15.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.97 NZ$83.8

$45.50 MX$798

7.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 NZ$169

$104 MX$1,825

-4.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 NZ$211

$108 MX$1,891

14.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$957 NZ$1,638

$1,003 MX$17.6K

-4.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$788 NZ$1,349

$623 MX$10.9K

26.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,568 NZ$2,684

$2,109 MX$37.0K

-25.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,450 NZ$2,483

$1,218 MX$21.4K

19.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,110 NZ$8,749

$3,885 MX$68.1K

31.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,376 NZ$5,780

$2,033 MX$35.7K

66.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,087 NZ$3,574

$1,038 MX$18.2K

101.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.37

11.34

-43.83%

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

Last update for Manukau: July 11, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $957 in Manukau versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 101% higher in Manukau, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Manukau versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Groceries tell a different story – $292 in Manukau vs $292 in Mexico City – so Manukau wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,871 in Manukau, $1,456 in Mexico City – roughly 28% apart. Manukau costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,807 per month in Manukau and $2,185 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mexico City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 0% cheaper in Manukau – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Manukau and $54.0 in Mexico City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,456, than in Manukau at $1,871. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manukau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,456 in Mexico City to $1,871 in Manukau. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Mexico City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Manukau makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.