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 $1,677 per month in Mexico City vs $543 in Arusha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,608 per month in Mexico City vs $886 in Arusha, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,540 per month in Mexico City vs $1,229 in Arusha, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 209% more than Arusha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 22% above the global median, while Arusha is 61% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$3.43 TZS 9,005

253.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$28.05 TZS 73.7K

92.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$9.20 TZS 24.2K

20.54%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$1.75 TZS 4,606

134.29%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$0.94 TZS 2,473

78.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$0.33 TZS 875

321.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$1.07 TZS 2,821

211.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$2.89 TZS 7,588

103.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$0.93 TZS 2,451

98.92%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$0.64 TZS 1,675

395.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$1.72 TZS 4,534

20.35%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$1.75 TZS 4,592

67.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$2.31 TZS 6,077

46.75%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$0.80 TZS 2,090

201.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$0.46 TZS 1,207

363.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$1.02 TZS 2,677

97.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$0.78 TZS 2,051

74.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$1.53 TZS 4,023

277.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$0.93 TZS 2,450

122.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$0.93 TZS 2,447

395.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$0.18 TZS 479

105.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$7.73 TZS 20.3K

-21.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$1.34 TZS 3,515

15.67%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$28.66 TZS 75.4K

135.21%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$8.35 TZS 22.0K

266.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$47.03 TZS 123.6K

-20.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

$63.7 TZS 167.5K

-3.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$4.70 TZS 12.3K

51.28%

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

$456 MX$7,739

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$7,607 TZS 20.0M

80.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$283 TZS 743.8K

305.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$238 TZS 625.4K

198.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$497 TZS 1.3M

418.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$527 TZS 1.4M

145.66%

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 %)

11.3

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Arusha: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,148 in Mexico City versus $283 in Arusha. 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 $54.0 in Mexico City versus $28.00 in Arusha. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $64.0 – 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: $1,677 in Mexico City, $543 in Arusha – roughly 209% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,515 per month in Mexico City and $814 in Arusha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Arusha, 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 $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 $1,677 in Mexico City and $543 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 $543, than in Mexico City at $1,677. 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 $543 in Arusha to $1,677 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.