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: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $453 in Machakos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $752 in Machakos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $1,051 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 11% above, Machakos is 66% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$2.34 KES 302

454.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$38.88 KES 5,018

36.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$6.85 KES 884

41.90%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$1.99 KES 257

88.44%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$0.74 KES 95.7

112.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.50 KES 64.9

126.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$1.91 KES 247

66.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$2.70 KES 348

72.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$0.38 KES 48.71

326.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$0.45 KES 57.8

502.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$0.81 KES 104

132.10%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$1.35 KES 175

85.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$11.65 KES 1,504

-13.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$6.69 KES 864

23.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$4.57 KES 590

161.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$1.53 KES 197

86.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$0.73 KES 94.5

139.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$0.41 KES 52.4

407.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$0.37 KES 48.38

432.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$0.78 KES 101

176.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$0.75 KES 97.4

190.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$0.65 KES 84.0

113.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$0.41 KES 52.8

173.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$3.01 KES 388

39.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$11.72 KES 1,512

21.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$1.98 KES 255

-11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$2.73 KES 353

34.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$0.75 KES 97.1

85.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$0.80 KES 104

-62.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$2.97 KES 383

82.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$1.45 KES 187

-6.90%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$21.9K KES 2.8M

-13.96%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$20.2K KES 2.6M

14.70%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$33.86 KES 4,370

20.56%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$7.93 KES 1,023

246.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$11.71 KES 1,511

159.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$6.05 KES 781

3.64%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$45.51 KES 5,874

858.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$8,077 KES 1.0M

29.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$11.55 KES 1,491

391.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$24.37 KES 3,145

83.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$66.4 KES 8,570

54.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$38.37 KES 4,952

181.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$92.4 KES 11.9K

982.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$69.9 KES 9,021

787.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$154 KES 19.8K

1290.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$115 KES 14.8K

976.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$389 KES 50.2K

174.44%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Machakos: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $92.4 in Machakos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 174% 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 $39.00 in Machakos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 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 174% 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: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $92.4 in Machakos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 74% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,484 per month in Mexico City versus $453 in Machakos – a 227% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $453 in Machakos versus $1,484 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 $453 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.