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 $521 per month in Mbarara vs $1,677 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $826 per month in Mbarara vs $2,608 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,131 per month in Mbarara vs $3,540 in Mexico City, rent included.

Mbarara is about 69% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mbarara sits 62% below the global median, while Mexico City is 22% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.71 UGX 10.5K

$12.14 MX$206

-77.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.08 UGX 100.8K

$53.9 MX$914

-51.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.76 UGX 30.0K

$11.09 MX$188

-30.03%

Cappuccino

$2.60 UGX 10.1K

$4.10 MX$69.5

-36.59%

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

$0.40 UGX 1,540

$1.68 MX$28.53

-76.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 UGX 1,068

$1.39 MX$23.55

-79.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.34 UGX 5,172

$3.33 MX$56.5

-59.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 UGX 7,298

$5.88 MX$99.7

-67.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.52 UGX 1,990

$1.85 MX$31.41

-71.89%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 UGX 3,684

$3.17 MX$53.8

-70.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 UGX 5,169

$2.07 MX$35.13

-35.27%

Eggs

$1.59 UGX 6,159

$2.93 MX$49.67

-45.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.84 UGX 18.7K

$12.59 MX$214

-61.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.90 UGX 18.9K

$10.11 MX$172

-51.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.75 UGX 14.5K

$16.09 MX$273

-76.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 UGX 8,110

$3.39 MX$57.5

-38.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 UGX 4,469

$2.08 MX$35.26

-44.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 UGX 5,392

$2.12 MX$35.97

-33.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.28 UGX 4,957

$2.41 MX$40.95

-46.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 UGX 4,826

$2.13 MX$36.11

-41.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 UGX 5,253

$2.01 MX$34.02

-32.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 UGX 3,011

$1.55 MX$26.21

-49.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 UGX 2,142

$1.36 MX$23.15

-59.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.64 UGX 10.2K

$5.77 MX$97.8

-54.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.75 UGX 29.9K

$17.74 MX$301

-56.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 UGX 4,155

$2.07 MX$35.11

-47.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 UGX 7,838

$4.61 MX$78.3

-55.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 UGX 2,980

$0.37 MX$6.21

108.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 UGX 1,991

$2.05 MX$34.84

-74.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 UGX 1,224

$0.58 MX$9.79

-44.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 UGX 12.9K

$6.07 MX$103

-44.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 UGX 5,652

$1.55 MX$26.34

-5.81%

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

$7,861 UGX 30.4M

$22.9K MX$388.1K

-65.64%

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

$7,888 UGX 30.5M

$27.2K MX$462.0K

-71.03%

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

$73.9 UGX 285.5K

$67.4 MX$1,144

9.63%

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

$12.57 UGX 48.6K

$30.62 MX$520

-58.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.93 UGX 146.6K

$37.24 MX$632

1.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.17 UGX 77.9K

$61.5 MX$1,043

-67.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 UGX 30.1K

$7.11 MX$121

9.42%

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

$260 UGX 1.0M

$456 MX$7,739

-42.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,382 UGX 32.4M

$13.7K MX$232.3K

-38.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.65 UGX 56.6K

$74.2 MX$1,259

-80.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.84 UGX 53.5K

$57.0 MX$967

-75.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.21 UGX 132.2K

$115 MX$1,958

-70.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.35 UGX 179.1K

$122 MX$2,061

-61.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$93.6 UGX 361.8K

$1,148 MX$19.5K

-91.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$78.3 UGX 302.6K

$709 MX$12.0K

-88.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$252 UGX 975.0K

$2,577 MX$43.7K

-90.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$189 UGX 728.4K

$1,295 MX$22.0K

-85.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.75

11.3

83.63%

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

Last update for Mbarara: September 6, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $93.6 in Mbarara versus $1,148 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 $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $147 vs $345 – 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 222%, 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 $781 per month in Mbarara and $2,515 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 $54.0 in Mexico City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 134% 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 $521, than in Mexico City at $1,677. 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.