Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Dar es Salaam

For one person, living is cheaper in Dar es Salaam: $702 a month against $1,608 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $10,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

78

Cost of Living Index in Mexico City
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Mexico City Living Index
34

Cost of Living Index in Dar es Salaam
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Dar es Salaam Living Index

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Mexico City

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,608

/mo nomad

Dar es Salaam

🇹🇿 Tanzania

$702

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Dar es Salaam

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mexico City and in Dar es Salaam actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,608 per month in Mexico City vs $702 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

Mexico City $1,608
Dar es Salaam $702

A couple spends around $2,549 per month in Mexico City vs $1,108 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

Mexico City $2,549
Dar es Salaam $1,108

A family of three spends $3,490 per month in Mexico City vs $1,514 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

Mexico City $3,490
Dar es Salaam $1,514

Mexico City costs about 129% more than Dar es Salaam, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Mexico City sits 18% above the global median, while Dar es Salaam is 48% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.62 MX$200

$1.87 TZS 4,890

467.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.35 MX$909

$18.77 TZS 49.2K

157.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.35 MX$194

$7.72 TZS 20.2K

34.07%

Cappuccino

$3.69 MX$69.4

$2.01 TZS 5,272

83.58%

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

$1.67 MX$31.32

$0.37 TZS 981

351.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 MX$23.78

$0.22 TZS 577

477.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$60.0

$0.93 TZS 2,431

243.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.31 MX$99.7

$1.87 TZS 4,905

183.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 MX$32.41

$0.82 TZS 2,157

109.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.04 MX$57.1

$0.62 TZS 1,622

390.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 MX$36.48

$1.09 TZS 2,865

77.98%

Eggs

$2.89 MX$54.3

$1.85 TZS 4,845

56.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.97 MX$206

$9.16 TZS 24.0K

19.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.25 MX$174

$4.72 TZS 12.4K

95.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.13 MX$284

$4.00 TZS 10.5K

278.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.05 MX$57.3

$2.47 TZS 6,481

23.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 MX$36.48

$1.07 TZS 2,800

81.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 MX$38.06

$1.03 TZS 2,694

97.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.31 MX$43.50

$0.89 TZS 2,324

159.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 MX$38.25

$0.93 TZS 2,442

119.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 MX$33.83

$0.99 TZS 2,593

81.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 MX$27.80

$0.83 TZS 2,173

78.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 MX$23.82

$0.39 TZS 1,011

225.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.30 MX$99.7

$2.14 TZS 5,605

147.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.10 MX$303

$7.27 TZS 19.0K

121.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 MX$37.27

$0.91 TZS 2,395

117.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 MX$79.9

$1.54 TZS 4,020

175.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 MX$5.73

$0.26 TZS 681

19.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.73 MX$371

$14.54 TZS 38.1K

35.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 MX$34.53

$1.66 TZS 4,355

10.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MX$10.03

$1.52 TZS 3,992

-65.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.30 MX$99.5

$13.17 TZS 34.5K

-59.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 MX$28.39

$1.36 TZS 3,561

11.03%

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

$21.8K MX$408.8K

$16.5K TZS 43.2M

31.91%

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

$24.0K MX$450.8K

$26.4K TZS 69.1M

-9.03%

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

$63.0 MX$1,184

$55.6 TZS 145.7K

13.23%

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

$27.39 MX$515

$9.20 TZS 24.1K

197.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.67 MX$670

$33.86 TZS 88.7K

5.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.9 MX$1,108

$83.9 TZS 219.8K

-29.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.64 MX$444

$9.73 TZS 25.5K

142.96%

Cinema Ticket

$6.40 MX$120

$4.97 TZS 13.0K

28.77%

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

$432 MX$8,111

$559 TZS 1.5M

-22.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K MX$214.7K

$13.0K TZS 34.2M

-12.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.2 MX$1,282

$15.31 TZS 40.1K

345.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 MX$999

$25.76 TZS 67.5K

106.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 MX$2,026

$44.36 TZS 116.2K

142.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 MX$2,204

$58.7 TZS 153.8K

99.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,113 MX$20.9K

$565 TZS 1.5M

97.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$710 MX$13.4K

$195 TZS 510.0K

264.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,588 MX$48.6K

$1,345 TZS 3.5M

92.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,406 MX$26.4K

$433 TZS 1.1M

224.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,631 MX$68.2K

$1,541 TZS 4.0M

135.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,135 MX$40.1K

$1,053 TZS 2.8M

102.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$946 MX$17.8K

$285 TZS 746.4K

231.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.35

18.25

-37.81%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 25, 2026

Last update for Dar es Salaam: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Mexico City

$710 44.2%

Dar es Salaam

$195 27.8% 72.6% $516

Groceries & Markets

Mexico City

$320 19.9%

Dar es Salaam

$152 21.6% 52.6% $168

Eating Out

Mexico City

$199 12.4%

Dar es Salaam

$73 10.4% 63.2% $126

Clothing & Footwear

Mexico City

$156 9.7%

Dar es Salaam

$65 9.3% 58.4% $91

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mexico City

$126 7.8%

Dar es Salaam

$99 14.1% 21.7% $27

Sport & Entertainment

Mexico City

$72 4.5%

Dar es Salaam

$94 13.4% 30.8% $22

Getting Around

Mexico City

$25 1.6%

Dar es Salaam

$25 3.5% 2.4% $0.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,113 in Mexico City versus $565 in Dar es Salaam. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Mexico City are about 3.3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48 in Mexico City versus $19 in Dar es Salaam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $320 vs $152 – making Dar es Salaam the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Mexico City

🇹🇿 Dar es Salaam

🕒 Local time

04:13 4:13 AM

13:13 1:13 PM

9 h ahead of Mexico City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,209,944 Capital

5,383,728

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

Tanzanian Shilling TZS Sh

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.32 USD

100 MXN = 4.77 EUR

10,000 TZS = 3.82 USD

10,000 TZS = 3.42 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TZS, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18.79 MXN (100 MXN = 5.32 USD). 1 EUR = 20.97 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

Tanzanian Shilling exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 2,619 TZS (10,000 TZS = 3.82 USD). 1 EUR = 2,923 TZS (10,000 TZS = 3.42 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Mexico City Dar es Salaam 15,310 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

Mexico City
Dar es Salaam

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Dar es Salaam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 129%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,412 per month in Mexico City and $1,052 in Dar es Salaam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dar es Salaam, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $565 there versus $1,113 in Mexico City.

Kindergarten costs $432 per month in Mexico City and $559 in Dar es Salaam. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 111% more in Mexico City, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Dar es Salaam, where all-in costs run around $702, than in Mexico City at $1,608. In Dar es Salaam 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 $702 in Dar es Salaam to $1,608 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Dar es Salaam. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.