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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $474 in Kiambu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $774 in Kiambu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $1,075 in Kiambu.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 254% more expensive than in Kiambu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 22% above, Kiambu is 66% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$3.97 KES 513

205.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$34.24 KES 4,427

57.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$6.01 KES 777

84.53%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$2.71 KES 350

51.29%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$0.55 KES 71.3

205.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$0.52 KES 67.7

167.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$2.29 KES 296

45.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$2.66 KES 344

121.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$0.54 KES 69.6

242.59%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$0.50 KES 65.3

534.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$1.89 KES 244

9.52%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$1.42 KES 184

106.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$10.54 KES 1,363

19.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$6.30 KES 814

60.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$4.07 KES 526

295.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$3.25 KES 420

4.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$1.01 KES 130

105.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$0.76 KES 97.8

178.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$0.60 KES 77.0

301.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$0.68 KES 88.4

213.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$0.73 KES 93.9

175.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$0.30 KES 38.67

416.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$0.40 KES 52.0

240.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$3.45 KES 447

67.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$11.74 KES 1,518

51.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$2.29 KES 296

-9.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$2.74 KES 354

68.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$0.68 KES 87.6

-45.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$1.55 KES 201

32.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$0.37 KES 48.15

56.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$2.97 KES 384

104.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$1.57 KES 204

-1.27%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$20.1K KES 2.6M

13.78%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$19.6K KES 2.5M

39.07%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$60.0 KES 7,754

12.41%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$7.74 KES 1,001

295.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$35.57 KES 4,599

4.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$5.87 KES 759

21.12%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$243 KES 31.4K

87.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$11.5K KES 1.5M

19.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$26.69 KES 3,451

177.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$25.86 KES 3,343

120.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$64.0 KES 8,269

80.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$61.0 KES 7,882

99.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$117 KES 15.1K

880.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

$1,149 KES 148.6K

248.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$122 KES 15.8K

785.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

14.71

-23.18%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Kiambu: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,148 in Mexico City and $117 in Kiambu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 785% 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $34.00 in Kiambu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $177 per month, with Kiambu 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

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

Kiambu is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 254% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 785% higher in Mexico City, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,148 in Mexico City versus $117 in Kiambu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $456 in Mexico City versus $243 in Kiambu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Kiambu – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $474 in Kiambu versus $1,677 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kiambu but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Kiambu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kiambu 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 Kiambu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 254% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.