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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $451 in Zanzibar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $702 in Zanzibar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $954 in Zanzibar.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 225% more expensive than Zanzibar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Zanzibar is 66% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$4.87 TZS 12.6K

170.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$22.38 TZS 57.7K

140.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$5.83 TZS 15.0K

61.58%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$2.18 TZS 5,635

62.84%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$0.60 TZS 1,539

170.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.31 TZS 792

258.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$1.94 TZS 5,011

60.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$2.77 TZS 7,141

67.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$1.77 TZS 4,574

-3.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$0.74 TZS 1,897

267.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$0.87 TZS 2,236

119.54%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$2.87 TZS 7,396

-11.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$2.28 TZS 5,872

254.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$4.75 TZS 12.2K

144.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$2.92 TZS 7,541

1.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$1.13 TZS 2,908

60.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$0.75 TZS 1,943

168.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$0.59 TZS 1,530

244.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$0.93 TZS 2,386

127.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$1.58 TZS 4,062

43.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$0.74 TZS 1,916

89.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$0.46 TZS 1,184

145.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$2.11 TZS 5,442

102.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$9.55 TZS 24.6K

62.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$1.75 TZS 4,520

0.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$1.31 TZS 3,387

174.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.65 TZS 1,664

-41.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$2.76 TZS 7,125

97.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$1.20 TZS 3,101

8.33%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

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

$40.86 MX$707

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

$26.81 MX$464

$10.46 TZS 27.0K

156.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$22.74 TZS 58.6K

31.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$21.24 TZS 54.8K

144.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$9.42 TZS 24.3K

-33.12%

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

$436 MX$7,544

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$13.26 TZS 34.2K

327.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$17.44 TZS 45.0K

154.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$15.26 TZS 39.3K

574.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$13.76 TZS 35.5K

666.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$148 TZS 382.9K

588.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$99.0 TZS 255.4K

537.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$202 TZS 520.2K

959.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$150 TZS 386.0K

730.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$38.5K TZS 99.3M

-89.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$11.4K TZS 29.3M

-81.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$324 TZS 834.5K

244.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

13.40%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Zanzibar: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $148 in Zanzibar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 245% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $22.00 in Zanzibar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $138 per month, with Zanzibar 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 Zanzibar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Zanzibar differ by about 225% in total monthly costs ($1,467 vs $451 including rent). Zanzibar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 245% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $148 in Zanzibar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Zanzibar – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,467 per month in Mexico City versus $451 in Zanzibar – a 225% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $451 in Zanzibar versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Zanzibar but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Zanzibar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Zanzibar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 225% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.