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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $851 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $201 in Arusha, rent included.

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

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

Dar es Salaam costs about 323% more than Arusha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Dar es Salaam and Arusha are more affordable than the global median – Dar es Salaam 37% lower, Arusha 85% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.74 TZS 7,055

$3.40 TZS 8,767

-19.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.65 TZS 50.7K

$27.94 TZS 72.1K

-29.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 TZS 20.2K

$9.09 TZS 23.4K

-13.75%

Cappuccino

$2.03 TZS 5,235

$1.70 TZS 4,382

19.41%

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

$0.35 TZS 907

$0.43 TZS 1,113

-18.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 TZS 565

$0.31 TZS 799

-29.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.04 TZS 2,679

$1.08 TZS 2,790

-3.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 TZS 5,066

$2.98 TZS 7,677

-34.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 TZS 2,745

$0.63 TZS 1,634

68.25%

White Bread (500g)

$0.77 TZS 1,991

$0.60 TZS 1,554

28.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 TZS 2,834

$0.91 TZS 2,336

20.88%

Eggs

$1.99 TZS 5,123

$1.70 TZS 4,384

17.06%

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)

$1.05 TZS 2,698

$0.79 TZS 2,027

32.91%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 TZS 2,444

$0.41 TZS 1,048

131.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.57 TZS 4,038

$1.00 TZS 2,571

57.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 TZS 2,183

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 TZS 1,040

$0.47 TZS 1,212

-14.89%

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)

$0.24 TZS 613

$0.19 TZS 497

26.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.54 TZS 45.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 TZS 3,778

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 TZS 4,039

$1.94 TZS 4,992

-19.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.67 TZS 35.2K

$7.50 TZS 19.3K

82.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 TZS 3,205

$1.23 TZS 3,184

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)

$10.72 TZS 27.6K

$9.42 TZS 24.3K

13.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 TZS 81.3K

$50.3 TZS 129.7K

-37.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$94.0 TZS 242.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.97 TZS 12.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.85 TZS 12.5K

$3.97 TZS 10.2K

22.17%

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

$256 TZS 659.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K TZS 49.6M

$10.4K TZS 26.9M

83.99%

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)

$1,316 TZS 3.4M

$294 TZS 759.3K

347.07%

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 Dar es Salaam: June 1, 2026

Last update for Arusha: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Dar es Salaam versus $28.00 in Arusha. Groceries tell a different story – $166 in Dar es Salaam vs $36.00 in Arusha – 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $851 in Dar es Salaam, $201 in Arusha – 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 $1,276 per month in Dar es Salaam and $302 in Arusha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Dar es Salaam and $28.00 in Arusha. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $851 in Dar es Salaam and $201 in Arusha. 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.