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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,484 per month in Mexico City vs $531 in Mbarara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,381 per month in Mexico City vs $867 in Mbarara, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,278 per month in Mexico City vs $1,202 in Mbarara, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 179% more than Mbarara, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 11% above the global median, while Mbarara is 60% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$2.83 UGX 10.5K

358.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$26.19 UGX 97.1K

102.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$8.65 UGX 32.1K

12.37%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$2.82 UGX 10.5K

32.98%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$0.48 UGX 1,773

227.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.29 UGX 1,075

289.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$1.40 UGX 5,198

127.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$2.81 UGX 10.4K

65.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$0.53 UGX 1,981

205.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$1.20 UGX 4,461

125.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$1.34 UGX 4,964

40.30%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$1.77 UGX 6,560

41.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$4.26 UGX 15.8K

136.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$4.96 UGX 18.4K

67.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$3.94 UGX 14.6K

203.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$2.69 UGX 9,967

6.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$1.54 UGX 5,723

13.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$1.73 UGX 6,397

20.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$1.54 UGX 5,726

27.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$1.64 UGX 6,083

31.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$1.91 UGX 7,091

14.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$1.07 UGX 3,967

29.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$0.55 UGX 2,025

103.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$2.93 UGX 10.9K

43.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$9.22 UGX 34.2K

54.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$1.20 UGX 4,444

46.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$2.06 UGX 7,651

78.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.84 UGX 3,129

-53.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$0.54 UGX 1,992

157.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$0.26 UGX 959

15.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$4.13 UGX 15.3K

31.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$1.45 UGX 5,362

-6.90%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$9,122 UGX 33.8M

107.00%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$8,717 UGX 32.3M

165.60%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$42.29 UGX 156.8K

-3.48%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$14.37 UGX 53.3K

91.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$43.51 UGX 161.3K

-30.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$20.49 UGX 76.0K

160.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$6.17 UGX 22.9K

1.62%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$162 UGX 601.4K

168.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$4,304 UGX 16.0M

143.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$17.28 UGX 64.1K

228.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$14.02 UGX 52.0K

219.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$39.08 UGX 144.9K

163.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$46.50 UGX 172.4K

132.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$95.5 UGX 354.0K

947.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$83.9 UGX 311.0K

639.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$266 UGX 986.5K

703.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$192 UGX 711.7K

543.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

20.8

-45.48%

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Last update for Mbarara: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,000 in Mexico City versus $95.5 in Mbarara. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Mexico City versus $26.00 in Mbarara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 vs $165 – making Mbarara 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 Mbarara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 179%, 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 $2,225 per month in Mexico City and $797 in Mbarara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mbarara, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Mexico City and $26.00 in Mbarara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 74% 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 Mbarara, where all-in costs run around $531, than in Mexico City at $1,484. In Mbarara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mbarara – 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 Mbarara. 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.