Cost of Living Comparison Between Dar es Salaam and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Dar es Salaam and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $877 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,409 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,941 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Dar es Salaam is about 31% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Dar es Salaam and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Dar es Salaam 35% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.85 TZS 7,431

$11.87 MX$204

-75.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.20 TZS 50.1K

$42.90 MX$736

-55.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 TZS 20.0K

$10.65 MX$183

-28.17%

Cappuccino

$2.02 TZS 5,274

$3.45 MX$59.2

-41.45%

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

$0.35 TZS 922

$1.50 MX$25.81

-76.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 TZS 628

$0.95 MX$16.28

-74.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.09 TZS 2,839

$3.03 MX$51.9

-64.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 TZS 5,005

$4.61 MX$79.1

-58.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 TZS 2,672

$1.38 MX$23.61

-26.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 TZS 2,051

$1.85 MX$31.70

-57.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 TZS 2,826

$1.61 MX$27.65

-32.92%

Eggs

$2.08 TZS 5,438

$2.59 MX$44.51

-19.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.33 TZS 24.3K

$8.26 MX$142

12.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 TZS 14.8K

$8.37 MX$144

-32.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.28 TZS 11.2K

$10.66 MX$183

-59.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.58 TZS 6,720

$2.63 MX$45.12

-1.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 TZS 2,749

$1.49 MX$25.53

-29.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 TZS 2,663

$1.92 MX$32.94

-46.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.03 TZS 2,699

$2.09 MX$35.81

-50.72%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 TZS 2,506

$1.86 MX$31.88

-48.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 TZS 3,926

$2.26 MX$38.81

-33.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 TZS 2,339

$1.06 MX$18.23

-15.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 TZS 1,053

$1.09 MX$18.67

-63.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.05 TZS 5,345

$4.15 MX$71.2

-50.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.91 TZS 18.0K

$10.39 MX$178

-33.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 TZS 2,342

$1.72 MX$29.59

-47.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 TZS 4,309

$2.61 MX$44.85

-36.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 TZS 622

$0.54 MX$9.30

-55.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.36 TZS 45.3K

$26.94 MX$462

-35.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 TZS 3,843

$3.13 MX$53.7

-53.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 TZS 3,908

$2.51 MX$43.09

-40.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.64 TZS 35.6K

$3.15 MX$54.1

333.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 TZS 3,154

$1.27 MX$21.88

-4.72%

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

$17.0K TZS 44.4M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-44.03%

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

$17.5K TZS 45.5M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

-25.93%

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

$98.3 TZS 256.4K

$83.0 MX$1,425

18.40%

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

$10.67 TZS 27.8K

$22.71 MX$390

-53.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.44 TZS 84.6K

$29.46 MX$506

10.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.6 TZS 249.5K

$51.0 MX$875

87.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.90 TZS 12.8K

$18.33 MX$315

-73.27%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 TZS 12.9K

$4.93 MX$84.5

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

$255 TZS 664.1K

$197 MX$3,386

29.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.9K TZS 49.4M

$5,280 MX$90.6K

258.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.15 TZS 68.2K

$36.90 MX$633

-29.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.61 TZS 111.2K

$39.89 MX$685

6.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$46.76 TZS 122.0K

$80.0 MX$1,373

-41.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 TZS 216.6K

$89.5 MX$1,536

-7.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$579 TZS 1.5M

$956 MX$16.4K

-39.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$257 TZS 669.8K

$477 MX$8,189

-46.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,291 TZS 3.4M

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-21.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$654 TZS 1.7M

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-46.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,521 TZS 4.0M

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-61.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,105 TZS 2.9M

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-82.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$282 TZS 736.2K

$667 MX$11.4K

-57.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.67

11.42

72.24%

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

Last update for Dar es Salaam: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $579 in Dar es Salaam versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. 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 136% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $19.00 in Dar es Salaam versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $164 vs $250 – making Dar es Salaam 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

Dar es Salaam vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 45%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,315 per month in Dar es Salaam and $1,906 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $255 per month in Dar es Salaam and $197 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 52% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Dar es Salaam, where all-in costs run around $877, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Dar es Salaam it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Dar es Salaam – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Dar es Salaam. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.