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 $703 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,102 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,501 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Dar es Salaam is about 46% 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 49% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.85 TZS 4,870

$11.96 MX$203

-84.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.78 TZS 49.4K

$47.38 MX$804

-60.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.46 TZS 22.2K

$11.75 MX$199

-28.00%

Cappuccino

$1.89 TZS 4,957

$4.12 MX$70.0

-54.13%

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

$0.35 TZS 915

$1.40 MX$23.74

-75.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 TZS 579

$0.91 MX$15.48

-75.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.93 TZS 2,456

$3.21 MX$54.4

-71.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 TZS 4,837

$7.07 MX$120

-73.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 TZS 2,077

$1.68 MX$28.44

-52.98%

White Bread (500g)

$0.61 TZS 1,605

$2.15 MX$36.48

-71.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 TZS 2,860

$1.77 MX$30.10

-38.42%

Eggs

$1.92 TZS 5,042

$2.82 MX$47.76

-31.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.35 TZS 24.6K

$9.20 MX$156

1.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.67 TZS 12.3K

$9.23 MX$157

-49.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.02 TZS 10.6K

$12.64 MX$214

-68.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 TZS 6,621

$2.95 MX$50.1

-14.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 TZS 2,660

$1.58 MX$26.79

-36.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 TZS 2,614

$2.22 MX$37.70

-55.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 TZS 2,758

$2.36 MX$40.09

-55.51%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 TZS 2,434

$1.99 MX$33.81

-53.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 TZS 2,663

$1.98 MX$33.58

-48.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 TZS 2,139

$1.24 MX$21.04

-34.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 TZS 933

$1.21 MX$20.55

-71.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 TZS 6,044

$4.60 MX$78.1

-50.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.94 TZS 18.2K

$10.52 MX$178

-34.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 TZS 2,215

$1.69 MX$28.70

-50.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 TZS 4,121

$2.77 MX$47.06

-43.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 TZS 626

$0.60 MX$10.22

-60.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.67 TZS 38.6K

$29.70 MX$504

-50.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.66 TZS 4,366

$5.24 MX$88.8

-68.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 TZS 4,017

$3.65 MX$61.9

-58.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.46 TZS 35.4K

$5.78 MX$98.1

132.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 TZS 3,494

$1.54 MX$26.09

-13.64%

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

$16.7K TZS 43.8M

$22.8K MX$386.8K

-26.87%

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

$26.5K TZS 69.6M

$25.8K MX$437.9K

2.55%

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

$56.2 TZS 147.7K

$90.7 MX$1,538

-38.03%

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

$9.00 TZS 23.6K

$25.19 MX$427

-64.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.47 TZS 90.6K

$31.75 MX$539

8.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$83.5 TZS 219.5K

$68.8 MX$1,167

21.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.09 TZS 21.3K

$29.37 MX$498

-72.45%

Cinema Ticket

$5.22 TZS 13.7K

$4.86 MX$82.5

7.41%

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

$577 TZS 1.5M

$226 MX$3,828

155.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K TZS 34.6M

$4,194 MX$71.1K

213.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.39 TZS 37.8K

$47.38 MX$804

-69.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.26 TZS 69.0K

$43.45 MX$737

-39.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.87 TZS 118.0K

$80.2 MX$1,361

-44.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.7 TZS 172.7K

$91.4 MX$1,550

-28.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$605 TZS 1.6M

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-44.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 TZS 519.3K

$409 MX$6,933

-51.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,374 TZS 3.6M

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-30.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$444 TZS 1.2M

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-65.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,540 TZS 4.0M

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-61.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,076 TZS 2.8M

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-83.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$283 TZS 743.9K

$773 MX$13.1K

-63.41%

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: September 5, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $605 in Dar es Salaam versus $1,086 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 173% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $151 vs $278 – 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 86%, 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 $1,055 per month in Dar es Salaam and $1,958 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 $577 per month in Dar es Salaam and $226 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 84% 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 $703, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.