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 $703 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $543 in Arusha, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,102 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $886 in Arusha, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,501 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $1,229 in Arusha, rent included.

Dar es Salaam costs about 30% more than Arusha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Dar es Salaam and Arusha are more affordable than the global median – Dar es Salaam 49% lower, Arusha 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.85 TZS 4,870

$3.43 TZS 9,005

-46.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.78 TZS 49.4K

$28.05 TZS 73.7K

-33.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.46 TZS 22.2K

$9.20 TZS 24.2K

-8.04%

Cappuccino

$1.89 TZS 4,957

$1.75 TZS 4,606

8.00%

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

$0.35 TZS 915

$0.94 TZS 2,473

-62.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 TZS 579

$0.33 TZS 875

-33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.93 TZS 2,456

$1.07 TZS 2,821

-13.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 TZS 4,837

$2.89 TZS 7,588

-36.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 TZS 2,077

$0.93 TZS 2,451

-15.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.61 TZS 1,605

$0.64 TZS 1,675

-4.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 TZS 2,860

$1.72 TZS 4,534

-36.63%

Eggs

$1.92 TZS 5,042

$1.75 TZS 4,592

9.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.35 TZS 24.6K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.67 TZS 12.3K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.02 TZS 10.6K

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 TZS 6,621

$2.31 TZS 6,077

9.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 TZS 2,660

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 TZS 2,614

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 TZS 2,758

$0.80 TZS 2,090

31.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 TZS 2,434

$0.46 TZS 1,207

102.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 TZS 2,663

$1.02 TZS 2,677

-0.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 TZS 2,139

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 TZS 933

$0.78 TZS 2,051

-55.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 TZS 6,044

$1.53 TZS 4,023

50.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.94 TZS 18.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 TZS 2,215

$0.93 TZS 2,450

-9.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 TZS 4,121

$0.93 TZS 2,447

68.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 TZS 626

$0.18 TZS 479

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.67 TZS 38.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.66 TZS 4,366

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 TZS 4,017

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.46 TZS 35.4K

$7.73 TZS 20.3K

74.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 TZS 3,494

$1.34 TZS 3,515

-0.75%

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

$16.7K TZS 43.8M

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

$26.5K TZS 69.6M

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

$56.2 TZS 147.7K

$28.66 TZS 75.4K

96.06%

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

$9.00 TZS 23.6K

$8.35 TZS 22.0K

7.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.47 TZS 90.6K

$47.03 TZS 123.6K

-26.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$83.5 TZS 219.5K

$63.7 TZS 167.5K

31.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.09 TZS 21.3K

Cinema Ticket

$5.22 TZS 13.7K

$4.70 TZS 12.3K

11.06%

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

$577 TZS 1.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K TZS 34.6M

$7,607 TZS 20.0M

73.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.39 TZS 37.8K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.26 TZS 69.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.87 TZS 118.0K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.7 TZS 172.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$605 TZS 1.6M

$283 TZS 743.8K

113.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 TZS 519.3K

$238 TZS 625.4K

-16.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,374 TZS 3.6M

$497 TZS 1.3M

176.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$444 TZS 1.2M

$527 TZS 1.4M

-15.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,540 TZS 4.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,076 TZS 2.8M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$283 TZS 743.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.25

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

Last update for Dar es Salaam: September 5, 2026

Last update for Arusha: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $605 in Dar es Salaam versus $283 in Arusha. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Dar es Salaam versus $28.00 in Arusha. Groceries tell a different story – $151 in Dar es Salaam vs $64.0 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: $703 in Dar es Salaam, $543 in Arusha – roughly 30% apart. Dar es Salaam costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,055 per month in Dar es Salaam and $814 in Arusha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 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 $703 in Dar es Salaam and $543 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 $543, than in Dar es Salaam at $703. 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.