Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Dar es Salaam Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Dar es Salaam

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $861 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,382 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,904 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 50% more than Dar es Salaam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Dar es Salaam are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Dar es Salaam 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$2.85 TZS 7,423

311.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$19.28 TZS 50.3K

116.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$7.83 TZS 20.4K

32.95%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$2.02 TZS 5,264

78.71%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$0.35 TZS 923

317.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$0.22 TZS 573

340.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$1.04 TZS 2,709

180.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$1.96 TZS 5,119

135.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$1.02 TZS 2,665

40.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$0.83 TZS 2,164

128.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$1.14 TZS 2,963

37.72%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$1.97 TZS 5,145

34.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$9.36 TZS 24.4K

-9.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$5.82 TZS 15.2K

47.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$4.23 TZS 11.0K

160.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$2.53 TZS 6,598

6.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$1.06 TZS 2,757

42.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$1.07 TZS 2,790

78.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$1.04 TZS 2,719

108.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$0.93 TZS 2,434

101.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$1.51 TZS 3,953

47.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.85 TZS 2,229

27.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$0.40 TZS 1,045

167.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$1.99 TZS 5,185

109.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$7.01 TZS 18.3K

46.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$0.92 TZS 2,398

82.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$1.61 TZS 4,199

57.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$0.24 TZS 620

129.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

$17.14 TZS 44.7K

53.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$1.43 TZS 3,738

123.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$1.51 TZS 3,932

62.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$13.68 TZS 35.7K

-76.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$1.24 TZS 3,239

6.45%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$16.8K TZS 43.9M

79.35%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$17.4K TZS 45.5M

34.10%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$97.0 TZS 253.0K

-16.10%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$10.63 TZS 27.7K

110.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$31.60 TZS 82.5K

-5.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$93.6 TZS 244.3K

-44.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

$4.78 TZS 12.5K

284.73%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$4.86 TZS 12.7K

6.17%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$254 TZS 663.6K

-20.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$19.1K TZS 49.9M

-72.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$25.77 TZS 67.2K

38.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$43.22 TZS 112.8K

-6.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$46.54 TZS 121.4K

68.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$83.5 TZS 217.9K

4.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$584 TZS 1.5M

62.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$262 TZS 683.2K

82.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$1,306 TZS 3.4M

24.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$648 TZS 1.7M

88.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

$1,502 TZS 3.9M

166.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

$1,095 TZS 2.9M

491.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

$281 TZS 734.0K

139.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

19.67

-41.94%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Last update for Dar es Salaam: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $584 in Dar es Salaam. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 139% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $19.00 in Dar es Salaam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $165 – making Dar es Salaam 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

Playa del Carmen vs Dar es Salaam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 50%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,291 in Dar es Salaam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dar es Salaam, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $202 per month in Playa del Carmen and $254 in Dar es Salaam. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 54% more in Playa del Carmen, 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 Dar es Salaam, where all-in costs run around $861, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. In Dar es Salaam it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Dar es Salaam – 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 Dar es Salaam. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.