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 $1,827 per month in Manukau vs $1,467 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,853 per month in Manukau vs $2,371 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,879 per month in Manukau vs $3,274 in Mexico City, rent included.

Manukau costs about 25% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Manukau and Mexico City sit above the global median – Manukau by 36%, Mexico City by 10%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.78 NZ$24.95

$13.18 MX$228

12.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.8 NZ$133

$53.9 MX$932

46.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.79 NZ$14.84

$9.42 MX$163

-6.69%

Cappuccino

$3.43 NZ$5.79

$3.55 MX$61.4

-3.38%

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

$1.53 NZ$2.58

$1.62 MX$27.98

-5.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 NZ$2.10

$1.11 MX$19.27

11.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.27 NZ$8.89

$3.12 MX$54.0

68.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.42 NZ$9.15

$4.63 MX$80.1

17.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 NZ$3.09

$1.70 MX$29.43

7.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 NZ$3.60

$2.72 MX$47.02

-21.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 NZ$3.31

$1.91 MX$33.07

2.62%

Eggs

$4.89 NZ$8.26

$2.54 MX$43.86

92.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.76 NZ$9.72

$10.03 MX$174

-42.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.00 NZ$15.20

$8.09 MX$140

11.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.23 NZ$22.34

$11.62 MX$201

13.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 NZ$4.86

$2.97 MX$51.3

-3.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 NZ$3.76

$1.81 MX$31.24

23.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.28 NZ$5.53

$2.01 MX$34.82

63.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 NZ$6.95

$2.03 MX$35.20

102.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 NZ$1.86

$2.12 MX$36.75

-48.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 NZ$2.76

$2.27 MX$39.25

-27.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 NZ$3.23

$1.40 MX$24.22

36.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 NZ$2.10

$1.13 MX$19.55

10.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.38 NZ$42.85

$4.27 MX$73.9

494.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.32 NZ$8.99

$15.56 MX$269

-65.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.96 NZ$5.00

$1.76 MX$30.39

68.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 NZ$6.44

$3.60 MX$62.2

5.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 NZ$3.96

$0.38 MX$6.62

515.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.9 NZ$108

$19.18 MX$332

233.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 NZ$3.62

$1.38 MX$23.79

55.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 NZ$3.28

$0.28 MX$4.78

592.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.11 NZ$59.3

$5.45 MX$94.2

544.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 NZ$2.77

$1.30 MX$22.55

26.15%

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

$27.9K NZ$47.0K

$18.7K MX$323.2K

49.09%

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

$21.8K NZ$36.8K

$23.1K MX$400.1K

-5.88%

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

$142 NZ$239

$40.86 MX$707

246.48%

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

$30.14 NZ$50.9

$26.81 MX$464

12.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.43 NZ$83.5

$29.96 MX$518

64.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.47 NZ$71.7

$52.0 MX$900

-18.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.10 NZ$20.42

$26.84 MX$464

-54.92%

Cinema Ticket

$14.32 NZ$24.18

$6.30 MX$109

127.30%

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

$897 NZ$1,515

$436 MX$7,544

105.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K NZ$23.1K

$10.4K MX$180.2K

31.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.17 NZ$81.3

$56.7 MX$980

-14.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.39 NZ$81.7

$44.38 MX$768

9.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 NZ$170

$103 MX$1,780

-2.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 NZ$207

$106 MX$1,825

16.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 NZ$1,652

$1,022 MX$17.7K

-4.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$785 NZ$1,326

$631 MX$10.9K

24.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,599 NZ$2,700

$2,136 MX$36.9K

-25.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,449 NZ$2,446

$1,243 MX$21.5K

16.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,223 NZ$7,130

$3,903 MX$67.5K

8.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,012 NZ$5,086

$2,064 MX$35.7K

45.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,183 NZ$5,374

$1,115 MX$19.3K

185.46%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Manukau versus $1,022 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 185% 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. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $288 – making Mexico City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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: $1,827 in Manukau, $1,467 in Mexico City – roughly 25% apart. Manukau costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,741 per month in Manukau and $2,201 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.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Manukau, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

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 $1,467, than in Manukau at $1,827. 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 $1,467 in Mexico City to $1,827 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.