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: $451 in Zanzibar versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $702 in Zanzibar versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $954 in Zanzibar versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Zanzibar costs roughly 69% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Zanzibar is 66% below, Mexico City is 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.87 TZS 12.6K

$13.18 MX$228

-63.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.38 TZS 57.7K

$53.9 MX$932

-58.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.83 TZS 15.0K

$9.42 MX$163

-38.11%

Cappuccino

$2.18 TZS 5,635

$3.55 MX$61.4

-38.59%

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

$0.60 TZS 1,539

$1.62 MX$27.98

-62.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 TZS 792

$1.11 MX$19.27

-72.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.94 TZS 5,011

$3.12 MX$54.0

-37.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 TZS 7,141

$4.63 MX$80.1

-40.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 TZS 4,574

$1.70 MX$29.43

4.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 TZS 1,897

$2.72 MX$47.02

-72.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 TZS 2,236

$1.91 MX$33.07

-54.45%

Eggs

$2.87 TZS 7,396

$2.54 MX$43.86

12.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.28 TZS 5,872

$8.09 MX$140

-71.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.75 TZS 12.2K

$11.62 MX$201

-59.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 TZS 7,541

$2.97 MX$51.3

-1.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 TZS 2,908

$1.81 MX$31.24

-37.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.75 TZS 1,943

$2.01 MX$34.82

-62.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 TZS 1,530

$2.03 MX$35.20

-70.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 TZS 2,386

$2.12 MX$36.75

-56.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 TZS 4,062

$2.27 MX$39.25

-30.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 TZS 1,916

$1.40 MX$24.22

-47.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 TZS 1,184

$1.13 MX$19.55

-59.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 TZS 5,442

$4.27 MX$73.9

-50.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.55 TZS 24.6K

$15.56 MX$269

-38.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 TZS 4,520

$1.76 MX$30.39

-0.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 TZS 3,387

$3.60 MX$62.2

-63.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 TZS 1,664

$0.38 MX$6.62

71.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 TZS 7,125

$5.45 MX$94.2

-49.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 TZS 3,101

$1.30 MX$22.55

-7.69%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

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

$40.86 MX$707

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

$10.46 TZS 27.0K

$26.81 MX$464

-60.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.74 TZS 58.6K

$29.96 MX$518

-24.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.24 TZS 54.8K

$52.0 MX$900

-59.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$9.42 TZS 24.3K

$6.30 MX$109

49.52%

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

$436 MX$7,544

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.26 TZS 34.2K

$56.7 MX$980

-76.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.44 TZS 45.0K

$44.38 MX$768

-60.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.26 TZS 39.3K

$103 MX$1,780

-85.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$13.76 TZS 35.5K

$106 MX$1,825

-86.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$148 TZS 382.9K

$1,022 MX$17.7K

-85.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$99.0 TZS 255.4K

$631 MX$10.9K

-84.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$202 TZS 520.2K

$2,136 MX$36.9K

-90.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 TZS 386.0K

$1,243 MX$21.5K

-87.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$38.5K TZS 99.3M

$3,903 MX$67.5K

886.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.4K TZS 29.3M

$2,064 MX$35.7K

450.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$324 TZS 834.5K

$1,115 MX$19.3K

-70.98%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $148 in Zanzibar and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 245% 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 $138 vs $288 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 225% in total monthly costs ($451 vs $1,467 including rent). Zanzibar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mexico City earns 245% less. 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: $148 in Zanzibar versus $1,022 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 $451 per month in Zanzibar versus $1,467 in Mexico City – a 225% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $451 in Zanzibar versus $1,467 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 225% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.