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 $201 per month in Arusha vs $851 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

A couple spends around $358 per month in Arusha vs $1,361 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

A family of three spends $514 per month in Arusha vs $1,871 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

Arusha is about 76% 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 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.40 TZS 8,767

$2.74 TZS 7,055

24.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.94 TZS 72.1K

$19.65 TZS 50.7K

42.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.09 TZS 23.4K

$7.84 TZS 20.2K

15.94%

Cappuccino

$1.70 TZS 4,382

$2.03 TZS 5,235

-16.26%

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

$0.43 TZS 1,113

$0.35 TZS 907

22.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 TZS 799

$0.22 TZS 565

40.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.08 TZS 2,790

$1.04 TZS 2,679

3.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 TZS 7,677

$1.96 TZS 5,066

52.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.63 TZS 1,634

$1.06 TZS 2,745

-40.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 TZS 1,554

$0.77 TZS 1,991

-22.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 TZS 2,336

$1.10 TZS 2,834

-17.27%

Eggs

$1.70 TZS 4,384

$1.99 TZS 5,123

-14.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.28 TZS 23.9K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.94 TZS 15.3K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.23 TZS 10.9K

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 TZS 6,641

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 TZS 2,647

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 TZS 2,727

Tomato (1kg)

$0.79 TZS 2,027

$1.05 TZS 2,698

-24.76%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 TZS 1,048

$0.95 TZS 2,444

-56.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 TZS 2,571

$1.57 TZS 4,038

-36.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 TZS 2,183

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 TZS 1,212

$0.40 TZS 1,040

17.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.01 TZS 5,176

Wine (Bottle)

$6.93 TZS 17.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 TZS 2,463

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 TZS 4,190

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 TZS 497

$0.24 TZS 613

-20.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.54 TZS 45.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 TZS 3,778

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 TZS 4,992

$1.57 TZS 4,039

23.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.50 TZS 19.3K

$13.67 TZS 35.2K

-45.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 TZS 3,184

$1.24 TZS 3,205

-0.81%

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

$17.4K TZS 44.8M

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

$17.4K TZS 44.8M

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

$97.8 TZS 252.1K

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

$9.42 TZS 24.3K

$10.72 TZS 27.6K

-12.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.3 TZS 129.7K

$31.50 TZS 81.3K

59.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$94.0 TZS 242.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.97 TZS 12.8K

Cinema Ticket

$3.97 TZS 10.2K

$4.85 TZS 12.5K

-18.14%

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

$256 TZS 659.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K TZS 26.9M

$19.2K TZS 49.6M

-45.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.76 TZS 66.4K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.84 TZS 107.9K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.69 TZS 117.8K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 TZS 216.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$575 TZS 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$263 TZS 677.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$294 TZS 759.3K

$1,316 TZS 3.4M

-77.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$652 TZS 1.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,526 TZS 3.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,066 TZS 2.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$284 TZS 732.2K

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Dar es Salaam: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Arusha versus $20.00 in Dar es Salaam. Groceries tell a different story – $36.00 in Arusha vs $166 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: $201 in Arusha, $851 in Dar es Salaam – roughly 323% apart. Dar es Salaam costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $302 per month in Arusha and $1,276 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 $20.00 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 $201 in Arusha and $851 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 $201, than in Dar es Salaam at $851. 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.