Cost of Living Comparison Between Arusha and Dar es Salaam Cost of Living Comparison Between Arusha and Dar es Salaam

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $200 per month in Arusha vs $874 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

A couple spends around $357 per month in Arusha vs $1,402 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

A family of three spends $514 per month in Arusha vs $1,930 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

Arusha is about 77% cheaper than Dar es Salaam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Arusha and Dar es Salaam are more affordable than the global median – Arusha 85% lower, Dar es Salaam 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.38 TZS 8,877

$2.74 TZS 7,178

23.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.02 TZS 73.5K

$19.19 TZS 50.3K

46.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.16 TZS 24.0K

$7.64 TZS 20.0K

19.90%

Cappuccino

$1.74 TZS 4,574

$1.94 TZS 5,101

-10.31%

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

$0.43 TZS 1,127

$0.36 TZS 938

19.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 TZS 878

$0.22 TZS 576

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.08 TZS 2,832

$1.04 TZS 2,716

3.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 TZS 7,424

$1.89 TZS 4,966

49.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.64 TZS 1,691

$1.07 TZS 2,819

-40.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 TZS 1,492

$0.83 TZS 2,178

-31.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.89 TZS 2,325

$1.09 TZS 2,855

-18.35%

Eggs

$1.72 TZS 4,500

$2.06 TZS 5,395

-16.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.55 TZS 25.0K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.74 TZS 15.1K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.36 TZS 11.5K

Apples (1kg)

$2.56 TZS 6,728

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 TZS 2,667

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 TZS 2,794

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 TZS 1,967

$1.09 TZS 2,858

-31.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 TZS 1,066

$0.89 TZS 2,323

-53.93%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 TZS 2,572

$1.51 TZS 3,951

-35.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 TZS 2,387

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 TZS 1,217

$0.40 TZS 1,057

15.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.98 TZS 5,190

Wine (Bottle)

$6.98 TZS 18.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 TZS 2,488

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 TZS 4,243

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 TZS 506

$0.26 TZS 683

-26.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.62 TZS 46.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 TZS 3,719

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.93 TZS 5,061

$1.49 TZS 3,904

29.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.81 TZS 20.5K

$13.51 TZS 35.5K

-42.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 TZS 3,125

$1.20 TZS 3,144

-0.83%

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

$16.8K TZS 44.1M

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

$17.3K TZS 45.3M

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

$97.0 TZS 254.6K

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

$9.46 TZS 24.8K

$10.92 TZS 28.7K

-13.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.7 TZS 133.1K

$32.24 TZS 84.6K

57.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.1 TZS 249.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.76 TZS 12.5K

Cinema Ticket

$3.76 TZS 9,879

$4.67 TZS 12.2K

-19.49%

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

$258 TZS 676.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K TZS 26.9M

$18.8K TZS 49.4M

-45.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.38 TZS 69.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.45 TZS 111.4K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.02 TZS 123.4K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.8 TZS 222.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$594 TZS 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 TZS 686.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$289 TZS 757.2K

$1,292 TZS 3.4M

-77.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$652 TZS 1.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,504 TZS 3.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,078 TZS 2.8M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$275 TZS 722.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.67

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

Last update for Arusha: July 13, 2026

Last update for Dar es Salaam: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Arusha versus $19.00 in Dar es Salaam. Groceries tell a different story – $35.00 in Arusha vs $167 in Dar es Salaam – so Arusha wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Arusha vs Dar es Salaam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $200 in Arusha, $874 in Dar es Salaam – roughly 337% apart. Dar es Salaam costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $300 per month in Arusha and $1,311 in Dar es Salaam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Arusha and $19.00 in Dar es Salaam. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $200 in Arusha and $874 in Dar es Salaam. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Arusha, where all-in costs run around $200, than in Dar es Salaam at $874. In Arusha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dar es Salaam it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Arusha – 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 Arusha. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Dar es Salaam makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.