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 $1,472 per month in Mexico City vs $537 in Mbarara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,359 per month in Mexico City vs $865 in Mbarara, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,245 per month in Mexico City vs $1,193 in Mbarara, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 174% 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

$13.14 MX$229

$2.71 UGX 10.2K

384.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$934

$26.39 UGX 99.0K

102.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$163

$8.42 UGX 31.6K

10.81%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.5

$2.71 UGX 10.2K

36.53%

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

$1.60 MX$27.98

$0.48 UGX 1,794

233.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.49

$0.29 UGX 1,080

286.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$1.37 UGX 5,140

129.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$84.5

$2.86 UGX 10.7K

69.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.84

$0.57 UGX 2,149

189.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.34

$1.25 UGX 4,680

116.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.29

$1.34 UGX 5,016

42.54%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$45.17

$1.79 UGX 6,713

44.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$171

$4.28 UGX 16.1K

129.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$4.99 UGX 18.7K

68.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$208

$3.85 UGX 14.5K

209.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.5

$2.70 UGX 10.1K

9.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.35

$1.52 UGX 5,713

14.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.66

$1.73 UGX 6,503

17.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.93

$1.60 UGX 5,999

28.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.49

$1.59 UGX 5,972

35.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.33

$1.86 UGX 6,994

21.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.17

$1.05 UGX 3,959

32.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.47

$0.57 UGX 2,157

96.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.6

$2.88 UGX 10.8K

46.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$305

$8.18 UGX 30.7K

114.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.82

$1.19 UGX 4,473

43.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$63.4

$2.07 UGX 7,759

75.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.15

$0.87 UGX 3,263

-59.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$337

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$24.00

$0.58 UGX 2,189

137.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.81

$0.28 UGX 1,057

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$92.0

$4.29 UGX 16.1K

23.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.69

$1.46 UGX 5,461

-6.85%

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

$19.1K MX$333.2K

$8,904 UGX 33.4M

114.55%

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

$23.6K MX$411.7K

$8,779 UGX 32.9M

168.89%

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

$40.53 MX$707

$41.35 UGX 155.2K

-1.98%

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

$27.38 MX$478

$14.46 UGX 54.3K

89.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$530

$43.05 UGX 161.6K

-29.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$911

$20.96 UGX 78.6K

149.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$462

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$108

$6.45 UGX 24.2K

-4.03%

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

$425 MX$7,414

$159 UGX 595.0K

168.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$187.2K

$4,380 UGX 16.4M

145.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,017

$16.91 UGX 63.4K

244.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$777

$14.39 UGX 54.0K

209.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,805

$37.89 UGX 142.2K

173.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,897

$46.98 UGX 176.3K

131.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.7K

$98.5 UGX 369.5K

929.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$83.7 UGX 314.0K

644.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$37.0K

$264 UGX 990.5K

702.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.3K

$194 UGX 727.1K

531.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$66.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.4K

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Mbarara: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,014 in Mexico City versus $98.5 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 $54.0 in Mexico City versus $26.00 in Mbarara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $164 – 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 174%, 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 $2,208 per month in Mexico City and $805 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 $54.0 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 79% 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 $537, than in Mexico City at $1,472. 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.