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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $443 in Machakos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $754 in Machakos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,065 in Machakos.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 227% more expensive than Machakos, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Machakos is 67% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$2.34 KES 303

454.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$38.41 KES 4,980

36.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$6.89 KES 893

36.87%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$1.95 KES 252

83.08%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.69 KES 90.1

133.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.51 KES 65.7

125.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$1.88 KES 243

67.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$2.77 KES 359

75.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$0.40 KES 52.4

325.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$0.44 KES 56.9

500.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$0.76 KES 97.9

150.00%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$1.36 KES 176

86.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$11.49 KES 1,490

-12.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$6.77 KES 878

22.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$4.75 KES 615

143.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$1.53 KES 198

98.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$0.75 KES 96.9

128.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$0.37 KES 48.26

454.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$0.38 KES 49.23

442.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$0.80 KES 104

157.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$0.78 KES 101

178.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.65 KES 83.7

115.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.38 KES 48.81

194.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$3.11 KES 404

37.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$11.55 KES 1,498

33.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.98 KES 257

-15.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.75 KES 356

34.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$0.73 KES 95.2

89.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.80 KES 103

-65.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$2.96 KES 384

83.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.51 KES 196

-15.23%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$22.0K KES 2.8M

-13.58%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$19.6K KES 2.5M

19.40%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$34.62 KES 4,489

18.49%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$7.56 KES 980

256.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$11.64 KES 1,510

155.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$6.27 KES 813

-1.44%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$46.87 KES 6,077

811.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$7,961 KES 1.0M

34.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$11.72 KES 1,520

384.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$23.84 KES 3,091

88.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$65.5 KES 8,497

59.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$38.27 KES 4,962

176.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$93.1 KES 12.1K

968.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$68.7 KES 8,910

803.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$152 KES 19.7K

1300.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$118 KES 15.3K

963.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$393 KES 50.9K

182.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

14.84

-23.58%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Machakos: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $93.1 in Machakos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 182% 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: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $38.00 in Machakos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $165 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

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

Machakos wins on cost – living expenses run 227% lower than in Mexico City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Machakos the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Mexico City pays 182% more on average, 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: $995 in Mexico City versus $93.1 in Machakos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 75% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,447 per month in Mexico City versus $443 in Machakos – a 227% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $443 in Machakos versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Machakos but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. 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, Mexico City and Machakos 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 227% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.