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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $871 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,393 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,914 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 48% 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 4% lower, Dar es Salaam 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

$2.79 TZS 7,271

327.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

$19.41 TZS 50.7K

120.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

$7.93 TZS 20.7K

33.54%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$1.95 TZS 5,095

85.64%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

$0.39 TZS 1,012

276.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

$0.22 TZS 572

327.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

$1.07 TZS 2,802

188.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

$1.95 TZS 5,080

128.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$1.08 TZS 2,813

32.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

$0.81 TZS 2,126

132.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

$1.12 TZS 2,936

45.54%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

$1.97 TZS 5,155

34.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

$9.46 TZS 24.7K

-13.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$5.83 TZS 15.2K

42.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

$4.37 TZS 11.4K

154.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

$2.61 TZS 6,821

1.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$1.05 TZS 2,746

42.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

$1.05 TZS 2,752

89.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

$1.04 TZS 2,724

100.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

$0.94 TZS 2,462

90.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

$1.53 TZS 4,002

42.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$0.91 TZS 2,369

18.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

$0.44 TZS 1,147

136.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

$2.04 TZS 5,333

94.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

$6.44 TZS 16.8K

58.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

$0.97 TZS 2,523

78.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

$1.62 TZS 4,240

54.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

$0.26 TZS 679

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

$17.10 TZS 44.6K

57.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$1.49 TZS 3,884

110.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

$1.51 TZS 3,930

58.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

$13.43 TZS 35.1K

-76.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

$1.25 TZS 3,271

1.60%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

$16.8K TZS 43.8M

83.90%

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

$17.2K TZS 44.9M

35.49%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$98.3 TZS 256.6K

-16.58%

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

$22.45 MX$391

$10.90 TZS 28.5K

105.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

$31.96 TZS 83.4K

-7.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

$95.7 TZS 249.8K

-45.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

$4.79 TZS 12.5K

289.77%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

$4.75 TZS 12.4K

4.63%

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

$198 MX$3,442

$253 TZS 660.5K

-21.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

$19.3K TZS 50.3M

-72.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

$25.75 TZS 67.2K

41.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

$41.74 TZS 109.0K

-4.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$46.25 TZS 120.7K

72.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

$85.7 TZS 223.7K

3.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

$592 TZS 1.5M

62.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

$256 TZS 668.6K

81.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

$1,299 TZS 3.4M

22.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

$646 TZS 1.7M

87.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

$1,522 TZS 4.0M

158.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

$1,105 TZS 2.9M

483.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

$263 TZS 687.7K

173.48%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Dar es Salaam: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $592 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $19.00 in Dar es Salaam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $167 – 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 48%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,307 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 $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $253 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 51% 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 $871, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.