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: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $526 in Machakos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $809 in Machakos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,092 in Machakos.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 215% more expensive than in Machakos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Machakos is 62% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$3.07 KES 397

288.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$886

$19.14 KES 2,476

169.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$196

$6.36 KES 823

79.40%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.6

$1.96 KES 254

103.57%

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

$1.66 MX$28.48

$0.60 KES 77.3

176.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.77

$0.53 KES 69.0

150.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.6

$2.13 KES 276

62.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$101

$2.74 KES 355

115.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.21

$0.38 KES 48.67

394.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$55.9

$0.47 KES 61.1

591.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.10

$0.73 KES 94.8

195.89%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.72

$1.38 KES 178

110.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$10.68 KES 1,383

20.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$6.50 KES 841

54.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$272

$4.68 KES 606

238.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.6

$1.57 KES 204

109.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.44

$0.81 KES 104

148.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.76

$0.38 KES 48.89

478.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.44

$0.37 KES 48.05

537.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.27

$0.80 KES 104

156.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.64

$0.78 KES 101

143.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.69 KES 89.0

133.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$23.98

$0.38 KES 48.70

268.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$93.8

$3.39 KES 439

61.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$303

$11.68 KES 1,512

51.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.28

$1.95 KES 253

5.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.4

$2.83 KES 366

65.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$357

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$35.99

$0.79 KES 102

165.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.60

$0.79 KES 102

-29.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$99.8

$2.86 KES 370

103.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.56

$1.43 KES 186

12.59%

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

$22.8K MX$392.1K

$21.9K KES 2.8M

4.23%

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

$26.8K MX$459.2K

$20.5K KES 2.6M

30.72%

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

$65.2 MX$1,119

$62.6 KES 8,097

4.17%

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

$30.09 MX$517

$7.54 KES 976

299.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$638

$11.42 KES 1,477

225.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,026

$38.55 KES 4,988

55.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$456

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$7.71 KES 997

-8.69%

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

$465 MX$7,976

$46.27 KES 5,988

904.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$227.8K

$11.4K KES 1.5M

16.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,303

$11.44 KES 1,480

563.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$960

$27.85 KES 3,604

100.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,920

$71.0 KES 9,181

57.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,068

$38.84 KES 5,026

210.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$18.9K

$92.3 KES 11.9K

1095.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$70.3 KES 9,094

925.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.4K

$154 KES 20.0K

1539.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.2K

$115 KES 14.8K

1028.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$35.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.8K

$391 KES 50.6K

165.03%

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 14, 2026

Last update for Machakos: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $92.3 in Machakos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 165% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $19.00 in Machakos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $162 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 215% 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.

Average pay runs 165% 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: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $92.3 in Machakos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 114% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,660 per month in Mexico City versus $526 in Machakos – a 215% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $526 in Machakos versus $1,660 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 $526 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 215% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.