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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $201 per month in Arusha vs $1,467 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $358 per month in Arusha vs $2,371 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $514 per month in Arusha vs $3,274 in Mexico City, rent included.

Arusha is about 86% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Arusha sits 85% below the global median, while Mexico City is 10% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.40 TZS 8,767

$13.18 MX$228

-74.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.94 TZS 72.1K

$53.9 MX$932

-48.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.09 TZS 23.4K

$9.42 MX$163

-3.50%

Cappuccino

$1.70 TZS 4,382

$3.55 MX$61.4

-52.11%

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

$0.43 TZS 1,113

$1.62 MX$27.98

-73.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 TZS 799

$1.11 MX$19.27

-72.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.08 TZS 2,790

$3.12 MX$54.0

-65.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 TZS 7,677

$4.63 MX$80.1

-35.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.63 TZS 1,634

$1.70 MX$29.43

-62.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 TZS 1,554

$2.72 MX$47.02

-77.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 TZS 2,336

$1.91 MX$33.07

-52.36%

Eggs

$1.70 TZS 4,384

$2.54 MX$43.86

-33.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

Tomato (1kg)

$0.79 TZS 2,027

$2.03 MX$35.20

-61.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 TZS 1,048

$2.12 MX$36.75

-80.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 TZS 2,571

$2.27 MX$39.25

-55.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 TZS 1,212

$1.13 MX$19.55

-58.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 TZS 497

$0.38 MX$6.62

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 TZS 4,992

$0.28 MX$4.78

592.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.50 TZS 19.3K

$5.45 MX$94.2

37.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 TZS 3,184

$1.30 MX$22.55

-5.38%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

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

$40.86 MX$707

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

$9.42 TZS 24.3K

$26.81 MX$464

-64.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.3 TZS 129.7K

$29.96 MX$518

67.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$3.97 TZS 10.2K

$6.30 MX$109

-36.98%

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

$436 MX$7,544

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K TZS 26.9M

$10.4K MX$180.2K

0.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$294 TZS 759.3K

$2,136 MX$36.9K

-86.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

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

Last update for Arusha: June 2, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Arusha versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $36.00 vs $288 – making Arusha the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Arusha vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $201 in Arusha, $1,467 in Mexico City – roughly 629% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $302 per month in Arusha and $2,201 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Arusha and $54.0 in Mexico City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $201 in Arusha and $1,467 in Mexico City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Arusha, where all-in costs run around $201, than in Mexico City at $1,467. In Arusha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City 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 $201 in Arusha to $1,467 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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