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 $1,677 per month in Mexico City vs $521 in Mbarara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,608 per month in Mexico City vs $826 in Mbarara, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,540 per month in Mexico City vs $1,131 in Mbarara, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 222% more than Mbarara, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 22% above the global median, while Mbarara is 62% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$2.71 UGX 10.5K

347.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$916

$26.08 UGX 100.8K

106.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$7.76 UGX 30.0K

42.91%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.6

$2.60 UGX 10.1K

57.69%

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

$1.68 MX$28.57

$0.40 UGX 1,540

320.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.58

$0.28 UGX 1,068

396.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.6

$1.34 UGX 5,172

148.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.9

$1.89 UGX 7,298

211.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.45

$0.52 UGX 1,990

255.77%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.9

$0.95 UGX 3,684

233.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.18

$1.34 UGX 5,169

54.48%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.74

$1.59 UGX 6,159

84.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$4.84 UGX 18.7K

160.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$4.90 UGX 18.9K

106.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$3.75 UGX 14.5K

329.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.6

$2.10 UGX 8,110

61.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.31

$1.16 UGX 4,469

79.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.02

$1.40 UGX 5,392

51.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$41.01

$1.28 UGX 4,957

88.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.17

$1.25 UGX 4,826

70.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.07

$1.36 UGX 5,253

47.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.25

$0.78 UGX 3,011

98.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.19

$0.55 UGX 2,142

147.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$98.0

$2.64 UGX 10.2K

118.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$7.75 UGX 29.9K

128.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.16

$1.08 UGX 4,155

91.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.4

$2.03 UGX 7,838

127.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$0.77 UGX 2,980

-51.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$360

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.89

$0.52 UGX 1,991

294.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.80

$0.32 UGX 1,224

81.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$3.34 UGX 12.9K

81.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.38

$1.46 UGX 5,652

6.16%

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

$22.9K MX$388.6K

$7,861 UGX 30.4M

191.00%

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

$27.2K MX$462.7K

$7,888 UGX 30.5M

245.24%

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

$67.4 MX$1,145

$73.9 UGX 285.5K

-8.78%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$12.57 UGX 48.6K

143.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$633

$37.93 UGX 146.6K

-1.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,044

$20.17 UGX 77.9K

204.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$461

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$7.78 UGX 30.1K

-8.61%

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

$456 MX$7,750

$260 UGX 1.0M

75.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.6K

$8,382 UGX 32.4M

63.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,260

$14.65 UGX 56.6K

406.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$969

$13.84 UGX 53.5K

311.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,961

$34.21 UGX 132.2K

237.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,064

$46.35 UGX 179.1K

162.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$93.6 UGX 361.8K

1125.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.1K

$78.3 UGX 302.6K

805.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.8K

$252 UGX 975.0K

921.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$189 UGX 728.4K

586.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$68.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

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 6, 2026

Last update for Mbarara: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,148 in Mexico City versus $93.6 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: $345 vs $147 – 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 222%, 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 $2,515 per month in Mexico City and $781 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 134% 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 $521, than in Mexico City at $1,677. 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.