Cost of Living Comparison Between Zanzibar and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Zanzibar and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $581 in Zanzibar versus $1,646 in Mexico City.

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

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

Living in Zanzibar costs roughly 65% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 TZS 12.4K

$12.11 MX$205

-61.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.77 TZS 57.2K

$52.2 MX$883

-58.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.50 TZS 14.5K

$10.90 MX$184

-49.54%

Cappuccino

$2.13 TZS 5,598

$4.05 MX$68.5

-47.41%

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

$0.63 TZS 1,649

$1.72 MX$29.00

-63.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 TZS 805

$1.38 MX$23.29

-77.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 TZS 5,067

$3.47 MX$58.6

-44.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 TZS 6,772

$5.81 MX$98.2

-55.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 TZS 5,438

$1.85 MX$31.33

11.89%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 TZS 1,978

$3.22 MX$54.5

-76.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 TZS 2,251

$2.09 MX$35.25

-58.85%

Eggs

$2.68 TZS 7,052

$2.91 MX$49.18

-7.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.66 TZS 20.1K

$12.49 MX$211

-38.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.26 TZS 5,939

$10.11 MX$171

-77.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.07 TZS 16.0K

$15.89 MX$269

-61.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 TZS 7,665

$3.31 MX$56.0

-11.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 TZS 2,919

$2.13 MX$35.95

-47.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.74 TZS 1,951

$2.19 MX$37.03

-66.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.58 TZS 1,528

$2.45 MX$41.37

-76.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 TZS 2,565

$2.19 MX$37.00

-55.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.55 TZS 4,079

$1.90 MX$32.20

-18.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 TZS 1,946

$1.62 MX$27.31

-54.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 TZS 1,269

$1.35 MX$22.82

-64.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 TZS 5,697

$5.43 MX$91.7

-60.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.59 TZS 25.2K

$17.59 MX$297

-45.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 TZS 4,062

$2.07 MX$34.96

-25.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 TZS 3,567

$4.75 MX$80.2

-71.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 TZS 759

$0.34 MX$5.75

-14.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$365

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.81 TZS 10.0K

$2.04 MX$34.49

86.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 TZS 1,951

$0.58 MX$9.77

27.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.62 TZS 6,884

$5.97 MX$101

-56.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 TZS 3,039

$1.62 MX$27.31

-28.40%

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)

$49.2K TZS 129.3M

$26.7K MX$450.7K

84.42%

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

$73.7 TZS 193.8K

$65.2 MX$1,103

13.01%

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

$11.50 TZS 30.2K

$29.87 MX$505

-61.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.70 TZS 128.0K

$36.55 MX$618

33.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.70 TZS 78.1K

$61.0 MX$1,031

-51.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

Cinema Ticket

$9.66 TZS 25.4K

$6.85 MX$116

41.02%

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)

$13.13 TZS 34.5K

$75.0 MX$1,267

-82.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.74 TZS 44.0K

$55.3 MX$935

-69.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.38 TZS 40.4K

$114 MX$1,920

-86.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$12.98 TZS 34.1K

$123 MX$2,073

-89.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$150 TZS 393.4K

$1,134 MX$19.2K

-86.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$101 TZS 264.6K

$712 MX$12.0K

-85.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$203 TZS 534.6K

$2,571 MX$43.5K

-92.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 TZS 392.4K

$1,311 MX$22.2K

-88.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$37.5K TZS 98.6M

$3,993 MX$67.5K

839.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.6K TZS 30.4M

$2,095 MX$35.4K

451.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$312 TZS 820.9K

$1,047 MX$17.7K

-70.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

-11.50%

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

Last update for Zanzibar: August 31, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $150 in Zanzibar and $1,134 in Mexico City. 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: $22.00 in Zanzibar vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $166 vs $345 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

Zanzibar vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zanzibar and Mexico City differ by about 183% in total monthly costs ($581 vs $1,646 including rent). Zanzibar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 235% lower in Mexico City. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $150 in Zanzibar versus $1,134 in Mexico City. 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 $581 per month in Zanzibar versus $1,646 in Mexico City – 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.