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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $654 in Machala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $1,027 in Machala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $1,399 in Machala.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 125% more expensive than in Machala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Machala is 51% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$2.47 $2.47

431.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$24.02 $24.02

122.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$6.63 $6.63

40.72%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$2.53 $2.53

46.25%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$0.73 $0.73

119.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.49 $0.49

128.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$1.98 $1.98

58.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$4.56 $4.56

6.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$1.04 $1.04

58.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$1.08 $1.08

150.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$0.90 $0.90

112.22%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$1.45 $1.45

78.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$3.34 $3.34

193.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$4.06 $4.06

107.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$4.70 $4.70

153.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.03 $2.03

45.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$1.10 $1.10

58.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$0.72 $0.72

183.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$1.09 $1.09

88.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$0.42 $0.42

411.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$0.51 $0.51

343.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$0.36 $0.36

286.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$1.02 $1.02

9.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$4.25 $4.25

-0.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$7.56 $7.56

131.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$1.60 $1.60

6.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$2.11 $2.11

72.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$0.36 $0.36

-2.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

$24.28 $24.28

-20.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$1.47 $1.47

-6.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$1.02 $1.02

-72.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$7.83 $7.83

-32.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$0.64 $0.64

112.50%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$17.7K $17.7K

7.94%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$22.2K $22.2K

6.33%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$38.20 $38.20

6.10%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$13.74 $13.74

99.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$27.07 $27.07

12.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$42.37 $42.37

23.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

$14.51 $14.51

82.49%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$5.04 $5.04

22.82%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$135 $135

215.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$5,865 $5,865

83.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$53.1 $53.1

9.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$43.40 $43.40

2.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$80.5 $80.5

28.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$67.6 $67.6

60.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$187 $187

442.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$133 $133

368.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$354 $354

498.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$256 $256

378.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

$1,175 $1,175

222.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

$745 $745

183.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$446 $446

136.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

126.80%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for Machala: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $187 in Machala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 136% 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 $24.00 in Machala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $143 per month, with Machala 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 Machala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Machala is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 125% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 136% 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: $1,014 in Mexico City versus $187 in Machala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Machala – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,472 per month in Mexico City versus $654 in Machala – a 125% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $654 in Machala versus $1,472 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Machala but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Machala the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Machala 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 Machala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 125% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.