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 $1,447 per month in Mexico City vs $544 in Mbarara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,310 per month in Mexico City vs $871 in Mbarara, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,174 per month in Mexico City vs $1,198 in Mbarara, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 166% more than Mbarara, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 8% 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$223

$2.75 UGX 10.3K

372.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$26.49 UGX 99.3K

98.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$8.79 UGX 33.0K

7.28%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$2.83 UGX 10.6K

26.15%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.47 UGX 1,754

242.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.31 UGX 1,177

270.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$1.40 UGX 5,256

125.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$2.72 UGX 10.2K

78.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$0.53 UGX 1,996

220.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$1.21 UGX 4,543

118.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.40 UGX 5,247

35.71%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$1.81 UGX 6,793

40.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$4.25 UGX 15.9K

137.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$5.05 UGX 18.9K

64.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$3.99 UGX 15.0K

189.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$2.70 UGX 10.1K

12.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.48 UGX 5,556

15.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$1.74 UGX 6,532

17.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.52 UGX 5,683

35.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$1.62 UGX 6,078

27.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.92 UGX 7,192

13.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$1.07 UGX 4,004

30.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.58 UGX 2,177

93.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$2.89 UGX 10.8K

48.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$8.76 UGX 32.8K

75.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.25 UGX 4,671

33.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.03 UGX 7,626

81.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.80 UGX 3,016

-52.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$0.58 UGX 2,166

137.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.26 UGX 963

7.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$4.27 UGX 16.0K

26.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.50 UGX 5,604

-14.67%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$8,971 UGX 33.6M

111.57%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$8,729 UGX 32.7M

168.79%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$42.35 UGX 158.7K

-3.14%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$14.64 UGX 54.9K

83.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$43.46 UGX 162.9K

-31.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$20.99 UGX 78.7K

149.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$6.32 UGX 23.7K

-2.22%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$163 UGX 611.3K

161.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$4,250 UGX 15.9M

151.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$17.01 UGX 63.8K

234.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$14.22 UGX 53.3K

215.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$38.82 UGX 145.5K

169.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$47.37 UGX 177.5K

123.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$99.1 UGX 371.5K

903.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$82.1 UGX 307.7K

656.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$266 UGX 998.3K

698.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$191 UGX 717.3K

555.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Mbarara: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $995 in Mexico City versus $99.1 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: $288 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 166%, 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 $2,171 per month in Mexico City and $816 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 $544, than in Mexico City at $1,447. 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.