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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,467 per month in Mexico City vs $201 in Arusha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Mexico City vs $358 in Arusha, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Mexico City vs $514 in Arusha, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 629% more than Arusha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 10% above the global median, while Arusha is 85% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$3.40 TZS 8,767

287.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$27.94 TZS 72.1K

92.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$9.09 TZS 23.4K

3.63%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$1.70 TZS 4,382

108.82%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$0.43 TZS 1,113

276.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.31 TZS 799

258.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$1.08 TZS 2,790

188.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$2.98 TZS 7,677

55.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$0.63 TZS 1,634

169.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$0.60 TZS 1,554

353.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$0.91 TZS 2,336

109.89%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$1.70 TZS 4,384

49.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$0.79 TZS 2,027

156.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$0.41 TZS 1,048

417.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$1.00 TZS 2,571

127.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$0.47 TZS 1,212

140.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.19 TZS 497

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$1.94 TZS 4,992

-85.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$7.50 TZS 19.3K

-27.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$1.23 TZS 3,184

5.69%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

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

$40.86 MX$707

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

$26.81 MX$464

$9.42 TZS 24.3K

184.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$50.3 TZS 129.7K

-40.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$3.97 TZS 10.2K

58.69%

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

$436 MX$7,544

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$10.4K TZS 26.9M

-0.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$294 TZS 759.3K

625.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Arusha: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City versus $28.00 in Arusha. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $36.00 – making Arusha 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City, $201 in Arusha – roughly 629% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,201 per month in Mexico City and $302 in Arusha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City and $28.00 in Arusha. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,467 in Mexico City and $201 in Arusha. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Arusha, where all-in costs run around $201, than in Mexico City at $1,467. In Arusha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $201 in Arusha to $1,467 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Arusha. 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.