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 $1,448 per month in Mexico City vs $861 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,354 per month in Mexico City vs $1,382 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,260 per month in Mexico City vs $1,904 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 68% more than Dar es Salaam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 9% above the global median, while Dar es Salaam is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.96 MX$223

$2.85 TZS 7,423

354.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.3 MX$900

$19.28 TZS 50.3K

171.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.69 MX$167

$7.83 TZS 20.4K

23.75%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$64.6

$2.02 TZS 5,264

85.64%

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

$1.56 MX$26.91

$0.35 TZS 923

345.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$19.93

$0.22 TZS 573

427.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 MX$55.8

$1.04 TZS 2,709

211.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 MX$84.3

$1.96 TZS 5,119

150.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.29

$1.02 TZS 2,665

66.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 MX$45.90

$0.83 TZS 2,164

221.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.49

$1.14 TZS 2,963

65.79%

Eggs

$2.52 MX$43.37

$1.97 TZS 5,145

27.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 MX$172

$9.36 TZS 24.4K

7.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.53 MX$147

$5.82 TZS 15.2K

46.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$205

$4.23 TZS 11.0K

182.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.1

$2.53 TZS 6,598

17.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 MX$30.88

$1.06 TZS 2,757

68.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.40

$1.07 TZS 2,790

86.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.74

$1.04 TZS 2,719

88.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.21

$0.93 TZS 2,434

132.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.04

$1.51 TZS 3,953

50.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.14

$0.85 TZS 2,229

64.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.18

$0.40 TZS 1,045

177.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$72.2

$1.99 TZS 5,185

111.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.54 MX$285

$7.01 TZS 18.3K

135.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.94

$0.92 TZS 2,398

82.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 MX$61.8

$1.61 TZS 4,199

122.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.65

$0.24 TZS 620

62.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.19 MX$330

$17.14 TZS 44.7K

11.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.77

$1.43 TZS 3,738

-3.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.19

$1.51 TZS 3,932

-80.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.7

$13.68 TZS 35.7K

-60.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 MX$22.13

$1.24 TZS 3,239

4.03%

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

$18.9K MX$325.1K

$16.8K TZS 43.9M

12.40%

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

$23.8K MX$409.5K

$17.4K TZS 45.5M

36.41%

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

$39.86 MX$686

$97.0 TZS 253.0K

-58.89%

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

$27.83 MX$479

$10.63 TZS 27.7K

161.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.77 MX$512

$31.60 TZS 82.5K

-5.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$894

$93.6 TZS 244.3K

-44.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.22 MX$451

$4.78 TZS 12.5K

448.54%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$108

$4.86 TZS 12.7K

29.01%

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

$433 MX$7,443

$254 TZS 663.6K

70.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$181.3K

$19.1K TZS 49.9M

-44.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 MX$981

$25.77 TZS 67.2K

121.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.33 MX$780

$43.22 TZS 112.8K

4.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 MX$1,753

$46.54 TZS 121.4K

118.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,867

$83.5 TZS 217.9K

29.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 MX$17.1K

$584 TZS 1.5M

70.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 MX$10.6K

$262 TZS 683.2K

135.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,086 MX$35.9K

$1,306 TZS 3.4M

59.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 MX$21.6K

$648 TZS 1.7M

93.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,936 MX$67.7K

$1,502 TZS 3.9M

162.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,089 MX$35.9K

$1,095 TZS 2.9M

90.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,131 MX$19.5K

$281 TZS 734.0K

302.17%

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Dar es Salaam: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $994 in Mexico City versus $584 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 302% 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 $52.0 in Mexico City versus $19.00 in Dar es Salaam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $165 – 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 68%, 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 $2,173 per month in Mexico City and $1,291 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 $433 per month in Mexico City and $254 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 $861, than in Mexico City at $1,448. 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.