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

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

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

Living in Zanzibar costs roughly 70% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.77 TZS 12.5K

$13.07 MX$229

-63.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.31 TZS 58.5K

$53.8 MX$940

-58.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.84 TZS 15.3K

$9.68 MX$169

-39.67%

Cappuccino

$2.27 TZS 5,963

$3.74 MX$65.4

-39.30%

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

$0.60 TZS 1,587

$1.62 MX$28.25

-62.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 TZS 880

$1.16 MX$20.31

-70.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 TZS 4,978

$3.23 MX$56.4

-41.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 TZS 7,051

$4.74 MX$82.9

-43.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 TZS 4,452

$1.65 MX$28.80

3.03%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 TZS 1,921

$2.75 MX$48.15

-73.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 TZS 2,292

$1.87 MX$32.77

-53.48%

Eggs

$2.87 TZS 7,534

$2.50 MX$43.72

14.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.36 TZS 6,194

$8.25 MX$144

-71.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.76 TZS 12.5K

$11.82 MX$207

-59.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 TZS 7,715

$3.01 MX$52.6

-2.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 TZS 3,116

$1.81 MX$31.67

-34.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.80 TZS 2,101

$2.00 MX$34.96

-60.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 TZS 1,471

$2.00 MX$34.89

-72.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 TZS 2,475

$2.08 MX$36.45

-54.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 TZS 3,946

$2.27 MX$39.72

-33.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 TZS 2,068

$1.46 MX$25.47

-45.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 TZS 1,311

$1.08 MX$18.82

-53.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.02 TZS 5,289

$4.35 MX$76.0

-53.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.65 TZS 25.3K

$16.99 MX$297

-43.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 TZS 4,690

$1.73 MX$30.31

3.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 TZS 3,438

$3.58 MX$62.5

-63.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 TZS 1,666

$0.39 MX$6.77

61.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.18

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.89

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.77 TZS 7,270

$5.25 MX$91.8

-47.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 TZS 3,036

$1.34 MX$23.37

-13.43%

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

$19.4K MX$339.4K

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

$23.8K MX$416.7K

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

$40.69 MX$712

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

$10.36 TZS 27.2K

$26.87 MX$470

-61.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.93 TZS 60.2K

$30.51 MX$534

-24.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.02 TZS 55.2K

$52.8 MX$923

-60.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$466

Cinema Ticket

$9.71 TZS 25.5K

$6.51 MX$114

49.16%

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

$428 MX$7,485

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.39 TZS 35.1K

$57.3 MX$1,001

-76.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.69 TZS 46.4K

$45.50 MX$796

-61.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.19 TZS 39.9K

$104 MX$1,819

-85.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$13.73 TZS 36.0K

$108 MX$1,885

-87.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$149 TZS 390.6K

$1,003 MX$17.5K

-85.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$101 TZS 266.1K

$623 MX$10.9K

-83.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$202 TZS 529.6K

$2,109 MX$36.9K

-90.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 TZS 392.5K

$1,218 MX$21.3K

-87.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$37.5K TZS 98.5M

$3,885 MX$67.9K

866.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.5K TZS 30.1M

$2,033 MX$35.5K

465.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$316 TZS 829.5K

$1,038 MX$18.1K

-69.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

-11.82%

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

Last update for Zanzibar: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $149 in Zanzibar and $1,003 in Mexico City. 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: $22.00 in Zanzibar vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $139 vs $292 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 232% in total monthly costs ($439 vs $1,456 including rent). Zanzibar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 228% 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: $149 in Zanzibar versus $1,003 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 $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $439 per month in Zanzibar versus $1,456 in Mexico City – 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.