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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $703 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,102 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,501 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 86% 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 5% lower, Dar es Salaam 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$1.85 TZS 4,870

546.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$18.78 TZS 49.4K

152.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$8.46 TZS 22.2K

38.89%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$1.89 TZS 4,957

117.99%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.35 TZS 915

300.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.22 TZS 579

313.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$0.93 TZS 2,456

245.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$1.84 TZS 4,837

284.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$0.79 TZS 2,077

112.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$0.61 TZS 1,605

252.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.09 TZS 2,860

62.39%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$1.92 TZS 5,042

46.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$9.35 TZS 24.6K

-1.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$4.67 TZS 12.3K

97.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$4.02 TZS 10.6K

214.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$2.52 TZS 6,621

17.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.01 TZS 2,660

56.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$0.99 TZS 2,614

124.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$1.05 TZS 2,758

124.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$0.93 TZS 2,434

113.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$1.01 TZS 2,663

96.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.81 TZS 2,139

53.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.35 TZS 933

245.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$2.30 TZS 6,044

100.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$6.94 TZS 18.2K

51.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$0.84 TZS 2,215

101.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$1.57 TZS 4,121

76.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.24 TZS 626

150.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$14.67 TZS 38.6K

102.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$1.66 TZS 4,366

215.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$1.53 TZS 4,017

138.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$13.46 TZS 35.4K

-57.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.33 TZS 3,494

15.79%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$16.7K TZS 43.8M

36.75%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$26.5K TZS 69.6M

-2.48%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$56.2 TZS 147.7K

61.36%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$9.00 TZS 23.6K

179.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$34.47 TZS 90.6K

-7.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$83.5 TZS 219.5K

-17.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$8.09 TZS 21.3K

263.04%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$5.22 TZS 13.7K

-6.90%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$577 TZS 1.5M

-60.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$13.2K TZS 34.6M

-68.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$14.39 TZS 37.8K

229.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$26.26 TZS 69.0K

65.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$44.87 TZS 118.0K

78.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$65.7 TZS 172.7K

39.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$605 TZS 1.6M

79.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$198 TZS 519.3K

106.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$1,374 TZS 3.6M

43.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$444 TZS 1.2M

188.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$1,540 TZS 4.0M

162.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$1,076 TZS 2.8M

522.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$283 TZS 743.9K

173.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

18.25

-37.26%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Dar es Salaam: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $605 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 173% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $19.00 in Dar es Salaam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $151 – 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 86%, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,055 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 $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $577 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 84% 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 $703, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.