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 $1,456 per month in Mexico City vs $200 in Arusha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,361 per month in Mexico City vs $357 in Arusha, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,266 per month in Mexico City vs $514 in Arusha, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 628% more than Arusha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 9% above the global median, while Arusha is 85% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$3.38 TZS 8,877

286.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$28.02 TZS 73.5K

91.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$9.16 TZS 24.0K

5.68%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$1.74 TZS 4,574

114.94%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$0.43 TZS 1,127

276.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$0.33 TZS 878

251.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$1.08 TZS 2,832

199.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

$2.83 TZS 7,424

67.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

$0.64 TZS 1,691

157.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$0.57 TZS 1,492

382.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$0.89 TZS 2,325

110.11%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$1.72 TZS 4,500

45.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$0.75 TZS 1,967

166.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

$0.41 TZS 1,066

407.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

$0.98 TZS 2,572

131.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$0.46 TZS 1,217

134.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

$0.19 TZS 506

105.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

$1.93 TZS 5,061

-85.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

$7.81 TZS 20.5K

-32.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

$1.19 TZS 3,125

12.61%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

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

$40.69 MX$714

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

$26.87 MX$471

$9.46 TZS 24.8K

184.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$50.7 TZS 133.1K

-39.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$3.76 TZS 9,879

73.14%

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

$428 MX$7,508

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

$10.2K TZS 26.9M

2.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

$289 TZS 757.2K

630.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Arusha: July 13, 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: $292 vs $35.00 – 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: $1,456 in Mexico City, $200 in Arusha – roughly 628% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,185 per month in Mexico City and $300 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 $1,456 in Mexico City and $200 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 $200, than in Mexico City at $1,456. 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 $200 in Arusha to $1,456 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.