Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Dar es Salaam Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Dar es Salaam

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,472 per month in Mexico City vs $858 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,359 per month in Mexico City vs $1,399 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,245 per month in Mexico City vs $1,940 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 72% more than Dar es Salaam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 11% above the global median, while Dar es Salaam is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$2.75 TZS 7,241

377.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$19.48 TZS 51.2K

174.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$7.59 TZS 20.0K

22.92%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$2.01 TZS 5,295

84.08%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$0.36 TZS 937

344.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.24 TZS 631

366.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$1.07 TZS 2,823

193.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$1.95 TZS 5,114

148.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$1.06 TZS 2,791

55.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$0.79 TZS 2,070

243.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$1.09 TZS 2,876

75.23%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$1.98 TZS 5,205

30.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$9.35 TZS 24.6K

4.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$5.93 TZS 15.6K

42.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$4.27 TZS 11.2K

179.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.59 TZS 6,797

13.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$1.01 TZS 2,668

72.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$1.02 TZS 2,693

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$1.05 TZS 2,751

96.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$0.96 TZS 2,528

123.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$1.58 TZS 4,156

43.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$0.83 TZS 2,183

67.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$0.40 TZS 1,062

180.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$2.01 TZS 5,286

109.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$6.81 TZS 17.9K

157.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$0.96 TZS 2,529

78.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$1.62 TZS 4,252

124.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$0.24 TZS 629

45.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

$17.21 TZS 45.2K

12.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$1.44 TZS 3,779

-4.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$1.55 TZS 4,076

-81.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$13.31 TZS 35.0K

-60.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$1.24 TZS 3,270

9.68%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$16.8K TZS 44.2M

13.67%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$17.2K TZS 45.2M

37.17%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$96.3 TZS 253.3K

-57.93%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$10.72 TZS 28.2K

155.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$32.60 TZS 85.7K

-6.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$95.7 TZS 251.6K

-45.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

$4.69 TZS 12.3K

464.61%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$4.69 TZS 12.3K

31.98%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$256 TZS 672.1K

66.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$19.3K TZS 50.9M

-44.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$25.75 TZS 67.7K

126.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$43.11 TZS 113.3K

3.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$45.89 TZS 120.7K

125.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$84.4 TZS 222.0K

28.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$581 TZS 1.5M

74.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$258 TZS 678.8K

141.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$1,338 TZS 3.5M

58.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$661 TZS 1.7M

84.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

$1,514 TZS 4.0M

150.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

$1,096 TZS 2.9M

92.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$278 TZS 731.0K

278.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

19.67

-42.35%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for Dar es Salaam: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,014 in Mexico City versus $581 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 run about 278% higher in Mexico City, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City versus $19.00 in Dar es Salaam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $166 – making Dar es Salaam 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 Dar es Salaam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 72%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,208 per month in Mexico City and $1,287 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $425 per month in Mexico City and $256 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 77% 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 Dar es Salaam, where all-in costs run around $858, than in Mexico City at $1,472. In Dar es Salaam it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Dar es Salaam – 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 Dar es Salaam. 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.