Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Masindi Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Masindi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $430 in Masindi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $676 in Masindi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $922 in Masindi.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 286% more expensive than in Masindi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Masindi is 69% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$2.60 UGX 10.3K

358.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$889

$26.44 UGX 104.1K

95.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$7.75 UGX 30.5K

47.23%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.8

$2.56 UGX 10.1K

55.86%

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

$1.66 MX$28.57

$0.39 UGX 1,544

325.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.84

$0.28 UGX 1,099

375.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.8

$1.30 UGX 5,117

166.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$1.86 UGX 7,340

217.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.31

$0.84 UGX 3,308

123.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.0

$1.01 UGX 3,964

221.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.21

$1.39 UGX 5,488

55.40%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.87

$1.57 UGX 6,164

84.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$4.78 UGX 18.8K

169.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$5.05 UGX 19.9K

99.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$5.36 UGX 21.1K

195.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.7

$2.17 UGX 8,557

51.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.55

$1.21 UGX 4,782

66.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.35 UGX 5,322

62.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.57

$1.29 UGX 5,079

82.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.38

$1.27 UGX 4,988

61.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.75

$1.38 UGX 5,447

37.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.64

$0.84 UGX 3,295

91.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.05

$0.53 UGX 2,078

164.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.1

$2.58 UGX 10.2K

111.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$8.04 UGX 31.7K

119.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.39

$1.04 UGX 4,078

98.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.7

$2.01 UGX 7,896

132.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$358

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.11

$0.56 UGX 2,189

275.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.63

$0.35 UGX 1,359

60.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$3.34 UGX 13.2K

73.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.43 UGX 5,625

12.59%

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

$22.8K MX$393.3K

$8,082 UGX 31.8M

182.60%

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

$26.8K MX$460.6K

$7,900 UGX 31.1M

238.63%

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

$65.2 MX$1,122

$75.6 UGX 297.5K

-13.73%

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

$30.09 MX$518

$12.27 UGX 48.3K

145.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$640

$36.64 UGX 144.3K

1.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,029

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$457

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$8.00 UGX 31.5K

-12.00%

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

$465 MX$8,001

$259 UGX 1.0M

79.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.6K

$8,447 UGX 33.3M

57.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,307

$14.69 UGX 57.8K

416.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$963

$14.12 UGX 55.6K

296.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,926

$33.72 UGX 132.8K

231.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,075

$47.15 UGX 185.7K

155.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

20.75

-45.54%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Masindi: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $26.00 in Masindi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $157 per month, with Masindi cheaper across the board.

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 Masindi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Masindi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 286% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,489 in Mexico City and $645 in Masindi to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 119% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,660 per month in Mexico City versus $430 in Masindi – a 286% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $430 in Masindi versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Masindi but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Masindi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Masindi is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Masindi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 286% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.