Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Dar es Salaam: $702 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $6,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

34

Cost of Living Index in Dar es Salaam
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Dar es Salaam Living Index
58

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index

Jump to prices

Dar es Salaam

🇹🇿 Tanzania

$702

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dar es Salaam and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Dar es Salaam and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $702 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Dar es Salaam $702
Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $1,108 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Dar es Salaam $1,108
Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $1,514 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $2,959 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Dar es Salaam $1,514
Playa del Carmen $2,959

Dar es Salaam is about 42% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Dar es Salaam and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Dar es Salaam 48% lower, Playa del Carmen 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.87 TZS 4,875

$10.92 MX$204

-82.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.77 TZS 49.0K

$43.37 MX$808

-56.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.72 TZS 20.1K

$11.78 MX$220

-34.47%

Cappuccino

$2.01 TZS 5,256

$3.81 MX$71.0

-47.24%

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

$0.37 TZS 978

$1.28 MX$23.90

-71.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 TZS 576

$0.78 MX$14.59

-71.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.93 TZS 2,424

$3.17 MX$59.0

-70.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 TZS 4,890

$4.93 MX$92.0

-62.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 TZS 2,150

$1.41 MX$26.22

-41.84%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 TZS 1,617

$2.22 MX$41.33

-72.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 TZS 2,857

$1.42 MX$26.42

-23.24%

Eggs

$1.85 TZS 4,830

$2.52 MX$47.03

-26.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.16 TZS 23.9K

$7.26 MX$135

26.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.72 TZS 12.3K

$7.70 MX$143

-38.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.00 TZS 10.5K

$12.69 MX$237

-68.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.47 TZS 6,461

$2.78 MX$51.9

-11.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 TZS 2,791

$1.37 MX$25.50

-21.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 TZS 2,686

$2.55 MX$47.55

-59.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.89 TZS 2,316

$2.12 MX$39.58

-58.02%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 TZS 2,434

$1.94 MX$36.13

-52.06%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 TZS 2,585

$1.89 MX$35.16

-47.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 TZS 2,166

$1.15 MX$21.37

-27.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 TZS 1,008

$1.18 MX$21.98

-66.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 TZS 5,588

$4.30 MX$80.1

-50.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.27 TZS 19.0K

$9.95 MX$185

-26.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 TZS 2,387

$1.58 MX$29.52

-42.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 TZS 4,008

$2.67 MX$49.79

-42.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 TZS 679

$0.55 MX$10.31

-52.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.54 TZS 38.0K

$26.62 MX$496

-45.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.66 TZS 4,341

$4.97 MX$92.6

-66.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 TZS 3,979

$3.33 MX$62.1

-54.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.17 TZS 34.4K

$5.36 MX$99.8

145.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 TZS 3,551

$1.44 MX$26.92

-5.56%

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

$16.5K TZS 43.1M

$20.7K MX$385.2K

-20.20%

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

$26.4K TZS 68.8M

$23.5K MX$437.4K

12.36%

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

$55.6 TZS 145.2K

$84.8 MX$1,581

-34.40%

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

$9.20 TZS 24.0K

$23.41 MX$436

-60.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.86 TZS 88.4K

$28.66 MX$534

18.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$83.9 TZS 219.1K

$57.1 MX$1,063

47.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.73 TZS 25.4K

$28.91 MX$539

-66.34%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 TZS 13.0K

$5.14 MX$95.8

-3.31%

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

$559 TZS 1.5M

$207 MX$3,851

170.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.0K TZS 34.1M

$3,927 MX$73.2K

232.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.31 TZS 40.0K

$43.35 MX$808

-64.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.76 TZS 67.2K

$41.44 MX$772

-37.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.36 TZS 115.8K

$74.2 MX$1,383

-40.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.7 TZS 153.4K

$89.3 MX$1,664

-34.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$565 TZS 1.5M

$980 MX$18.3K

-42.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$195 TZS 508.4K

$381 MX$7,099

-48.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,345 TZS 3.5M

$1,708 MX$31.8K

-21.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 TZS 1.1M

$1,075 MX$20.0K

-59.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,541 TZS 4.0M

$3,943 MX$73.5K

-60.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,053 TZS 2.7M

$6,158 MX$114.8K

-82.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$285 TZS 744.1K

$735 MX$13.7K

-61.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.25

11.45

59.39%

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

Last update for Dar es Salaam: October 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Dar es Salaam

$195 27.8%

Playa del Carmen

$381 31.6% 95.6% $186

Groceries & Markets

Dar es Salaam

$152 21.6%

Playa del Carmen

$255 21.2% 68.1% $103

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dar es Salaam

$99 14.1%

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4% 38.7% $38

Sport & Entertainment

Dar es Salaam

$94 13.4%

Playa del Carmen

$67 5.6% 28.3% $27

Eating Out

Dar es Salaam

$73 10.4%

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.8% 177% $129

Clothing & Footwear

Dar es Salaam

$65 9.3%

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3% 72.2% $47

Getting Around

Dar es Salaam

$25 3.5%

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2% 103% $26

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $565 in Dar es Salaam versus $980 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 in Playa del Carmen are about 2.6 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Dar es Salaam versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $152 vs $255 – making Dar es Salaam the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇿 Dar es Salaam

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

01:25 1:25 AM

17:25 5:25 PM

8 h behind Dar es Salaam

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,383,728

149,923

💱 Currency

Tanzanian Shilling TZS Sh

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 TZS = 3.83 USD

10,000 TZS = 3.44 EUR

100 MXN = 5.36 USD

100 MXN = 4.82 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to TZS – Tanzanian Shilling Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇿 Tanzanian Shilling (Sh)

Tanzanian Shilling exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 2,611 TZS (10,000 TZS = 3.83 USD). 1 EUR = 2,907 TZS (10,000 TZS = 3.44 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18.64 MXN (100 MXN = 5.36 USD). 1 EUR = 20.75 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

USD to TZS in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Dar es Salaam Playa del Carmen 14,050 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Dar es Salaam
Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 72%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,052 per month in Dar es Salaam and $1,806 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $565 there versus $980 in Playa del Carmen.

Kindergarten costs $559 per month in Dar es Salaam and $207 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 68% more in Playa del Carmen, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Dar es Salaam, where all-in costs run around $702, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,204. In Dar es Salaam it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $702 in Dar es Salaam to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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