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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $531 per month in Mbarara vs $1,484 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $867 per month in Mbarara vs $2,381 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,202 per month in Mbarara vs $3,278 in Mexico City, rent included.

Mbarara is about 64% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mbarara sits 60% below the global median, while Mexico City is 11% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.83 UGX 10.5K

$12.98 MX$227

-78.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.19 UGX 97.1K

$53.1 MX$929

-50.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.65 UGX 32.1K

$9.72 MX$170

-11.01%

Cappuccino

$2.82 UGX 10.5K

$3.75 MX$65.6

-24.80%

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

$0.48 UGX 1,773

$1.57 MX$27.46

-69.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 UGX 1,075

$1.13 MX$19.76

-74.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 UGX 5,198

$3.18 MX$55.7

-55.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 UGX 10.4K

$4.66 MX$81.6

-39.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.53 UGX 1,981

$1.62 MX$28.37

-67.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 UGX 4,461

$2.71 MX$47.36

-55.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 UGX 4,964

$1.88 MX$32.89

-28.72%

Eggs

$1.77 UGX 6,560

$2.51 MX$43.90

-29.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.26 UGX 15.8K

$10.08 MX$176

-57.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.96 UGX 18.4K

$8.29 MX$145

-40.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.94 UGX 14.6K

$11.94 MX$209

-67.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 UGX 9,967

$2.86 MX$50.1

-5.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 UGX 5,723

$1.75 MX$30.62

-12.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 UGX 6,397

$2.08 MX$36.48

-16.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 UGX 5,726

$1.97 MX$34.46

-21.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 UGX 6,083

$2.16 MX$37.79

-24.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 UGX 7,091

$2.18 MX$38.16

-12.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 UGX 3,967

$1.39 MX$24.34

-23.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 UGX 2,025

$1.12 MX$19.69

-50.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 UGX 10.9K

$4.20 MX$73.5

-30.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.22 UGX 34.2K

$14.25 MX$249

-35.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 UGX 4,444

$1.76 MX$30.85

-31.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 UGX 7,651

$3.68 MX$64.5

-44.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 UGX 3,129

$0.39 MX$6.74

115.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.54 UGX 1,992

$1.39 MX$24.26

-61.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 UGX 959

$0.30 MX$5.32

-13.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.13 UGX 15.3K

$5.42 MX$94.9

-23.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 UGX 5,362

$1.35 MX$23.63

7.41%

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

$9,122 UGX 33.8M

$18.9K MX$330.5K

-51.69%

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

$8,717 UGX 32.3M

$23.2K MX$405.2K

-62.35%

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

$42.29 UGX 156.8K

$40.82 MX$714

3.60%

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

$14.37 UGX 53.3K

$27.50 MX$481

-47.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.51 UGX 161.3K

$30.38 MX$532

43.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.49 UGX 76.0K

$53.4 MX$935

-61.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$6.17 UGX 22.9K

$6.27 MX$110

-1.59%

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

$162 UGX 601.4K

$436 MX$7,632

-62.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,304 UGX 16.0M

$10.5K MX$183.2K

-58.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.28 UGX 64.1K

$56.8 MX$993

-69.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.02 UGX 52.0K

$44.79 MX$784

-68.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.08 UGX 144.9K

$103 MX$1,799

-61.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.50 UGX 172.4K

$108 MX$1,888

-56.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$95.5 UGX 354.0K

$1,000 MX$17.5K

-90.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$83.9 UGX 311.0K

$620 MX$10.9K

-86.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 UGX 986.5K

$2,137 MX$37.4K

-87.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$192 UGX 711.7K

$1,235 MX$21.6K

-84.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.8

11.34

83.42%

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

Last update for Mbarara: April 26, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $95.5 in Mbarara versus $1,000 in Mexico City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Mbarara versus $53.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $165 vs $286 – making Mbarara 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

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

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 179%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $797 per month in Mbarara and $2,225 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Mbarara and $53.0 in Mexico City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 74% more in Mexico City, 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 Mbarara, where all-in costs run around $531, than in Mexico City at $1,484. In Mbarara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mbarara – 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 Mbarara. 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.