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 $1,660 per month in Mexico City vs $700 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,565 per month in Mexico City vs $1,125 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,470 per month in Mexico City vs $1,550 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 137% more than Dar es Salaam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 21% above the global median, while Dar es Salaam is 49% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$1.84 TZS 4,847

547.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$18.61 TZS 48.9K

177.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$8.75 TZS 23.0K

30.40%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$1.90 TZS 4,985

110.00%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$0.34 TZS 907

388.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.20 TZS 525

565.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$0.93 TZS 2,440

273.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$1.91 TZS 5,012

208.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$0.87 TZS 2,290

116.09%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$0.62 TZS 1,617

424.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$1.05 TZS 2,749

105.71%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$1.94 TZS 5,112

49.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$9.63 TZS 25.3K

33.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$4.81 TZS 12.6K

108.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$4.04 TZS 10.6K

292.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$2.57 TZS 6,760

28.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.07 TZS 2,804

87.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$0.94 TZS 2,482

134.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$0.99 TZS 2,609

138.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$0.87 TZS 2,276

135.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$1.01 TZS 2,660

88.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.82 TZS 2,161

96.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.39 TZS 1,016

258.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$2.30 TZS 6,037

137.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$6.94 TZS 18.2K

154.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$0.89 TZS 2,329

131.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$1.58 TZS 4,157

196.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$0.26 TZS 685

30.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$14.61 TZS 38.4K

42.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$1.63 TZS 4,280

28.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$1.52 TZS 4,005

-63.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$13.07 TZS 34.4K

-55.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.33 TZS 3,488

21.05%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$16.7K TZS 43.9M

36.74%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$25.7K TZS 67.6M

4.10%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$57.7 TZS 151.7K

12.94%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$9.09 TZS 23.9K

231.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$35.07 TZS 92.2K

6.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$80.4 TZS 211.5K

-25.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$7.99 TZS 21.0K

232.29%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$5.24 TZS 13.8K

34.35%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$570 TZS 1.5M

-18.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$13.1K TZS 34.5M

1.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$14.26 TZS 37.5K

432.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$26.21 TZS 68.9K

113.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$44.46 TZS 116.9K

151.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$66.4 TZS 174.6K

81.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$587 TZS 1.5M

87.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$205 TZS 538.1K

252.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$1,357 TZS 3.6M

86.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$431 TZS 1.1M

200.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$1,515 TZS 4.0M

163.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$1,050 TZS 2.8M

99.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$275 TZS 723.8K

276.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

18.25

-38.08%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Dar es Salaam: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,103 in Mexico City versus $587 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 277% 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: $345 vs $154 – 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 137%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,489 per month in Mexico City and $1,050 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 $465 per month in Mexico City and $570 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 124% 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 $700, than in Mexico City at $1,660. 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.