Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Machakos Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Machakos

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $442 in Machakos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $763 in Machakos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,085 in Machakos.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 185% more expensive than in Machakos, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Machakos 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$2.37 KES 307

394.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$38.19 KES 4,936

9.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$6.63 KES 857

58.52%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.89 KES 244

89.95%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.71 KES 91.6

112.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.50 KES 64.4

84.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.95 KES 252

51.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.65 KES 342

66.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$0.41 KES 52.8

241.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.48 KES 61.6

291.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$0.76 KES 97.7

105.26%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.37 KES 177

90.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$11.41 KES 1,475

-27.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$6.59 KES 851

26.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$4.68 KES 604

132.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$1.51 KES 195

79.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$0.74 KES 95.6

104.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$0.37 KES 48.17

405.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$0.38 KES 48.78

476.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.73 KES 94.9

154.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.79 KES 102

182.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.66 KES 85.0

62.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.37 KES 48.00

194.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$3.12 KES 403

34.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$11.40 KES 1,474

-8.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.96 KES 253

-15.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.79 KES 361

-6.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.76 KES 98.2

305.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.73 KES 94.8

228.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$2.94 KES 379

6.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.51 KES 195

-13.25%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$21.4K KES 2.8M

39.61%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$19.7K KES 2.5M

18.56%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$34.06 KES 4,402

138.64%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$7.77 KES 1,004

190.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$11.38 KES 1,471

164.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$6.02 KES 778

-18.27%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$47.26 KES 6,109

324.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$8,045 KES 1.0M

-35.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$11.59 KES 1,498

209.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$23.79 KES 3,075

68.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$65.9 KES 8,522

20.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$38.20 KES 4,937

126.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$92.3 KES 11.9K

959.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$68.4 KES 8,838

588.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$156 KES 20.1K

961.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$114 KES 14.7K

955.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$380 KES 49.1K

78.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

14.84

-23.05%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Machakos: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $92.3 in Machakos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 78% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $38.00 in Machakos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $163 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

Playa del Carmen vs Machakos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Machakos wins on cost – living expenses run 185% lower than in Playa del Carmen. 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 78% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $92.3 in Machakos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 54% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $442 in Machakos – a 185% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $442 in Machakos versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Machakos but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. 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 $442 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Machakos hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen 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 185% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.