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 $1,484 per month in Mexico City vs $871 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,381 per month in Mexico City vs $1,393 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,278 per month in Mexico City vs $1,914 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 70% more than Dar es Salaam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 11% above the global median, while Dar es Salaam is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$2.79 TZS 7,210

365.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$19.41 TZS 50.2K

173.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$7.93 TZS 20.5K

22.57%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$1.95 TZS 5,053

92.31%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$0.39 TZS 1,003

302.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.22 TZS 568

413.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$1.07 TZS 2,778

197.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$1.95 TZS 5,038

138.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$1.08 TZS 2,790

50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$0.81 TZS 2,108

234.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$1.12 TZS 2,911

67.86%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$1.97 TZS 5,112

27.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$9.46 TZS 24.5K

6.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$5.83 TZS 15.1K

42.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$4.37 TZS 11.3K

173.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$2.61 TZS 6,764

9.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$1.05 TZS 2,724

66.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$1.05 TZS 2,729

98.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$1.04 TZS 2,702

89.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$0.94 TZS 2,441

129.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$1.53 TZS 3,968

42.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$0.91 TZS 2,350

52.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$0.44 TZS 1,138

154.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$2.04 TZS 5,289

105.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$6.44 TZS 16.7K

121.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$0.97 TZS 2,502

81.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$1.62 TZS 4,205

127.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.26 TZS 673

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$17.10 TZS 44.3K

9.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$1.49 TZS 3,852

-6.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$1.51 TZS 3,897

-80.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$13.43 TZS 34.8K

-59.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$1.25 TZS 3,244

8.00%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$16.8K TZS 43.5M

12.45%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$17.2K TZS 44.6M

34.53%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$98.3 TZS 254.5K

-58.48%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$10.90 TZS 28.2K

152.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$31.96 TZS 82.7K

-4.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$95.7 TZS 247.7K

-44.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$4.79 TZS 12.4K

449.06%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$4.75 TZS 12.3K

32.00%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$253 TZS 655.0K

72.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$19.3K TZS 49.9M

-45.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$25.75 TZS 66.7K

120.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$41.74 TZS 108.1K

7.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$46.25 TZS 119.7K

122.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$85.7 TZS 221.8K

25.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$592 TZS 1.5M

68.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$256 TZS 663.1K

142.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$1,299 TZS 3.4M

64.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$646 TZS 1.7M

91.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

$1,522 TZS 3.9M

153.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

$1,105 TZS 2.9M

111.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$263 TZS 681.9K

305.14%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Dar es Salaam: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,000 in Mexico City versus $592 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 305% 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 $53.0 in Mexico City versus $19.00 in Dar es Salaam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 vs $167 – 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 70%, 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 $2,225 per month in Mexico City and $1,307 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 $436 per month in Mexico City and $253 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 72% 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 $871, than in Mexico City at $1,484. 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.