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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,660 per month in Mexico City vs $1,989 in Manukau, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,565 per month in Mexico City vs $2,995 in Manukau, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,470 per month in Mexico City vs $4,001 in Manukau, rent included.

Mexico City is about 17% cheaper than Manukau, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Mexico City and Manukau sit above the global median – Mexico City by 21%, Manukau by 45%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$14.50 NZ$25.35

-17.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$69.5 NZ$121

-25.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$8.61 NZ$15.06

32.52%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$3.48 NZ$6.08

14.66%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$2.09 NZ$3.65

-20.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$1.81 NZ$3.17

-26.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$7.20 NZ$12.59

-51.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$6.84 NZ$11.96

-13.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$1.89 NZ$3.30

-0.53%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$2.21 NZ$3.86

47.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$1.95 NZ$3.40

10.77%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$4.53 NZ$7.93

-35.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$8.80 NZ$15.39

46.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$10.05 NZ$17.57

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$17.63 NZ$30.82

-10.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$2.90 NZ$5.07

13.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$2.16 NZ$3.77

-6.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$3.12 NZ$5.45

-29.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$5.53 NZ$9.66

-57.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$1.00 NZ$1.75

105.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$1.66 NZ$2.91

14.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.98 NZ$3.46

-18.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$1.13 NZ$1.97

23.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$28.23 NZ$49.36

-80.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$10.40 NZ$18.19

69.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$2.79 NZ$4.88

-26.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$3.38 NZ$5.91

38.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$1.75 NZ$3.05

-80.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$91.1 NZ$159

-77.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$2.26 NZ$3.95

-7.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$1.97 NZ$3.44

-71.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$33.32 NZ$58.2

-82.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.65 NZ$2.88

-2.42%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$26.3K NZ$46.1K

-13.29%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$23.1K NZ$40.4K

15.69%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$185 NZ$324

-64.83%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$27.84 NZ$48.67

8.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$50.9 NZ$88.9

-26.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$37.56 NZ$65.7

59.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$13.33 NZ$23.30

-47.19%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$1,148 NZ$2,007

-59.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$19.9K NZ$34.8K

-33.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$81.2 NZ$142

-6.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$40.73 NZ$71.2

37.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$68.0 NZ$119

64.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$113 NZ$198

6.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$932 NZ$1,629

18.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$844 NZ$1,476

-14.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$1,683 NZ$2,943

50.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$1,518 NZ$2,654

-14.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$4,525 NZ$7,910

-11.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$3,558 NZ$6,220

-41.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$1,807 NZ$3,159

-42.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

5.4

109.26%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Manukau: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,103 in Mexico City versus $932 in Manukau. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 74% higher in Manukau, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Mexico City versus $69.0 in Manukau. Groceries tell a different story – $345 in Mexico City vs $333 in Manukau – so Manukau wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Manukau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City, $1,989 in Manukau – roughly 20% apart. Manukau costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,489 per month in Mexico City and $2,983 in Manukau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mexico City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Manukau – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Mexico City and $69.0 in Manukau. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,660, than in Manukau at $1,989. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manukau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,660 in Mexico City to $1,989 in Manukau. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Mexico City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Manukau makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.