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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $851 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,361 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,871 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 2% 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 35% lower, Dar es Salaam 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$2.74 TZS 7,055

-29.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$19.65 TZS 50.7K

-5.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$7.84 TZS 20.2K

-0.26%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.03 TZS 5,235

-3.94%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.35 TZS 907

142.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.22 TZS 565

59.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.04 TZS 2,679

104.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$1.96 TZS 5,066

90.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.06 TZS 2,745

61.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.77 TZS 1,991

111.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.10 TZS 2,834

3.64%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.99 TZS 5,123

-3.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$9.28 TZS 23.9K

74.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$5.94 TZS 15.3K

-47.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$4.23 TZS 10.9K

157.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$2.57 TZS 6,641

7.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.03 TZS 2,647

17.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.06 TZS 2,727

52.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.05 TZS 2,698

51.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.95 TZS 2,444

47.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.57 TZS 4,038

-25.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.85 TZS 2,183

-22.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.40 TZS 1,040

32.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.01 TZS 5,176

133.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$6.93 TZS 17.9K

169.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$0.95 TZS 2,463

89.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.62 TZS 4,190

99.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.24 TZS 613

275.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$17.54 TZS 45.2K

9.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$1.46 TZS 3,778

-3.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.57 TZS 4,039

-17.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$13.67 TZS 35.2K

-42.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.24 TZS 3,205

2.42%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$17.4K TZS 44.8M

22.48%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$17.4K TZS 44.8M

27.75%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$97.8 TZS 252.1K

-29.35%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$10.72 TZS 27.6K

31.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$31.50 TZS 81.3K

-42.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$94.0 TZS 242.5K

-56.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$4.97 TZS 12.8K

40.04%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$4.85 TZS 12.5K

22.06%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$256 TZS 659.3K

16.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$19.2K TZS 49.6M

-22.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$25.76 TZS 66.4K

112.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$41.84 TZS 107.9K

-36.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$45.69 TZS 117.8K

86.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$83.8 TZS 216.1K

-15.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$575 TZS 1.5M

-25.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$263 TZS 677.7K

-9.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$1,316 TZS 3.4M

-39.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$652 TZS 1.7M

-20.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,526 TZS 3.9M

29.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$1,066 TZS 2.7M

38.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$284 TZS 732.2K

117.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.67

-74.58%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Dar es Salaam: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $575 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 117% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $20.00 in Dar es Salaam. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $166 in Dar es Salaam – so Dar es Salaam 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 2% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,276 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $256 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 49% 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 $851, than in Chiang Mai at $866. 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 $851 versus $866 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.