Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Dar es Salaam Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Dar es Salaam

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $720 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,136 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,553 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 32% more than Dar es Salaam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Dar es Salaam are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Dar es Salaam 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.6

$1.94 TZS 5,103

7.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$19.12 TZS 50.3K

2.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$8.32 TZS 21.9K

-32.09%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.4

$1.90 TZS 4,985

-4.74%

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

$0.71 ฿23.45

$0.34 TZS 905

108.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$0.22 TZS 578

45.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.6

$0.97 TZS 2,548

130.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$1.86 TZS 4,883

95.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$0.81 TZS 2,122

141.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.39

$0.57 TZS 1,492

163.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.93

$1.05 TZS 2,766

27.62%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.5

$1.93 TZS 5,063

17.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿535

$9.66 TZS 25.4K

68.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$4.61 TZS 12.1K

-36.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$3.87 TZS 10.2K

156.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.6

$2.49 TZS 6,537

3.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.73

$1.05 TZS 2,763

0.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$0.99 TZS 2,608

62.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.97

$1.03 TZS 2,718

47.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.77

$0.92 TZS 2,414

38.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.06

$1.07 TZS 2,800

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.68

$0.87 TZS 2,283

-17.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$0.38 TZS 1,012

34.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$2.30 TZS 6,057

82.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$6.78 TZS 17.8K

163.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$0.82 TZS 2,153

106.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.3

$1.52 TZS 4,003

86.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.43

$0.24 TZS 630

287.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,771

$14.92 TZS 39.2K

260.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.59

$1.61 TZS 4,234

-23.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$1.55 TZS 4,075

-62.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$13.13 TZS 34.5K

-81.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.43

$1.32 TZS 3,467

6.82%

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

$21.4K ฿705.1K

$17.0K TZS 44.8M

25.88%

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

$27.3K ฿898.7K

$26.0K TZS 68.4M

5.09%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$55.7 TZS 146.5K

14.29%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$8.90 TZS 23.4K

44.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$34.85 TZS 91.6K

-41.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

$80.3 TZS 211.1K

-51.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

$8.43 TZS 22.2K

-52.91%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿222

$5.12 TZS 13.4K

31.64%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$564 TZS 1.5M

37.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.4K

$13.3K TZS 35.1M

9.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$14.28 TZS 37.5K

280.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿837

$25.97 TZS 68.3K

-2.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,102

$43.83 TZS 115.2K

115.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,415

$66.1 TZS 173.8K

11.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$585 TZS 1.5M

-16.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,512

$201 TZS 529.7K

43.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$1,374 TZS 3.6M

-34.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$430 TZS 1.1M

20.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

$1,526 TZS 4.0M

28.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.6K

$1,059 TZS 2.8M

39.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

$277 TZS 727.3K

117.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

18.25

-69.48%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Dar es Salaam: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $585 in Dar es Salaam. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 118% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $19.00 in Dar es Salaam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $151 – making Dar es Salaam the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 32% more than Dar es Salaam, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,079 in Dar es Salaam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dar es Salaam, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $778 per month in Chiang Mai and $564 in Dar es Salaam. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 59% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Dar es Salaam, where all-in costs run around $720, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Dar es Salaam it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dar es Salaam costs $720 versus $947 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Dar es Salaam. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.