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: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $581 in Zanzibar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $872 in Zanzibar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $1,163 in Zanzibar.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 183% more expensive than in Zanzibar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 20% above, Zanzibar is 58% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$205

$4.70 TZS 12.4K

157.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$883

$21.77 TZS 57.2K

139.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$184

$5.50 TZS 14.5K

98.18%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.5

$2.13 TZS 5,598

90.14%

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

$1.72 MX$29.00

$0.63 TZS 1,649

173.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.29

$0.31 TZS 805

345.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.6

$1.93 TZS 5,067

79.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.2

$2.58 TZS 6,772

125.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.33

$2.07 TZS 5,438

-10.63%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.5

$0.75 TZS 1,978

329.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.25

$0.86 TZS 2,251

143.02%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.18

$2.68 TZS 7,052

8.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$211

$7.66 TZS 20.1K

63.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$2.26 TZS 5,939

347.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$269

$6.07 TZS 16.0K

161.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.0

$2.92 TZS 7,665

13.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.95

$1.11 TZS 2,919

91.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.03

$0.74 TZS 1,951

195.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.37

$0.58 TZS 1,528

322.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.00

$0.98 TZS 2,565

123.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.20

$1.55 TZS 4,079

22.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.31

$0.74 TZS 1,946

118.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.82

$0.48 TZS 1,269

181.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$91.7

$2.17 TZS 5,697

150.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$297

$9.59 TZS 25.2K

83.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.96

$1.55 TZS 4,062

33.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.2

$1.36 TZS 3,567

249.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.75

$0.29 TZS 759

17.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$365

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.49

$3.81 TZS 10.0K

-46.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.77

$0.74 TZS 1,951

-21.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

$2.62 TZS 6,884

127.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.31

$1.16 TZS 3,039

39.66%

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

$22.8K MX$385.6K

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

$26.7K MX$450.7K

$49.2K TZS 129.3M

-45.78%

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

$65.2 MX$1,103

$73.7 TZS 193.8K

-11.51%

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

$29.87 MX$505

$11.50 TZS 30.2K

159.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$618

$48.70 TZS 128.0K

-24.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,031

$29.70 TZS 78.1K

105.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$9.66 TZS 25.4K

-29.09%

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

$453 MX$7,664

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$226.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,267

$13.13 TZS 34.5K

470.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$935

$16.74 TZS 44.0K

230.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,920

$15.38 TZS 40.4K

638.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,073

$12.98 TZS 34.1K

844.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.2K

$150 TZS 393.4K

657.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.0K

$101 TZS 264.6K

607.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.5K

$203 TZS 534.6K

1164.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.2K

$149 TZS 392.4K

778.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.5K

$37.5K TZS 98.6M

-89.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

$11.6K TZS 30.4M

-81.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

$312 TZS 820.9K

235.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

13.00%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Last update for Zanzibar: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,134 in Mexico City and $150 in Zanzibar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 235% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $22.00 in Zanzibar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $166 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 183% in total monthly costs ($1,646 vs $581 including rent). Zanzibar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 235% higher in Mexico City, 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: $1,134 in Mexico City versus $150 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 $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,646 per month in Mexico City versus $581 in Zanzibar – a 183% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $581 in Zanzibar versus $1,646 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 183% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.