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: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $439 in Zanzibar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $701 in Zanzibar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $962 in Zanzibar.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 232% more expensive than in Zanzibar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Zanzibar is 67% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$4.77 TZS 12.5K

174.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$22.31 TZS 58.5K

140.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$5.84 TZS 15.3K

65.75%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$2.27 TZS 5,963

64.76%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$0.60 TZS 1,587

170.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$0.34 TZS 880

241.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$1.90 TZS 4,978

70.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

$2.69 TZS 7,051

76.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

$1.70 TZS 4,452

-2.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$0.73 TZS 1,921

276.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$0.87 TZS 2,292

114.94%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$2.87 TZS 7,534

-12.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$2.36 TZS 6,194

249.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$4.76 TZS 12.5K

148.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

$2.94 TZS 7,715

2.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

$1.19 TZS 3,116

52.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

$0.80 TZS 2,101

150.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$0.56 TZS 1,471

257.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

$0.94 TZS 2,475

121.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

$1.50 TZS 3,946

51.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

$0.79 TZS 2,068

84.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$0.50 TZS 1,311

116.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

$2.02 TZS 5,289

115.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

$9.65 TZS 25.3K

76.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

$1.79 TZS 4,690

-3.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

$1.31 TZS 3,438

173.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

$0.63 TZS 1,666

-38.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

$2.77 TZS 7,270

89.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

$1.16 TZS 3,036

15.52%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

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

$40.69 MX$714

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

$26.87 MX$471

$10.36 TZS 27.2K

159.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$22.93 TZS 60.2K

33.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

$21.02 TZS 55.2K

151.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$9.71 TZS 25.5K

-32.96%

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

$428 MX$7,508

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

$13.39 TZS 35.1K

327.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

$17.69 TZS 46.4K

157.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

$15.19 TZS 39.9K

584.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

$13.73 TZS 36.0K

685.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

$149 TZS 390.6K

573.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$101 TZS 266.1K

514.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

$202 TZS 529.6K

944.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

$150 TZS 392.5K

714.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

$37.5K TZS 98.5M

-89.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

$11.5K TZS 30.1M

-82.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

$316 TZS 829.5K

228.30%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Zanzibar: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $149 in Zanzibar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 228% 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 $292 vs $139 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 232% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $439 including rent). Zanzibar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 228% 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: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $149 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 $1,456 per month in Mexico City versus $439 in Zanzibar – a 232% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $439 in Zanzibar versus $1,456 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 232% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.