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 $874 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $200 in Arusha, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,402 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $357 in Arusha, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,930 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $514 in Arusha, rent included.

Dar es Salaam costs about 337% more than Arusha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Dar es Salaam and Arusha are more affordable than the global median – Dar es Salaam 35% lower, Arusha 85% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.74 TZS 7,178

$3.38 TZS 8,877

-18.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.19 TZS 50.3K

$28.02 TZS 73.5K

-31.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.64 TZS 20.0K

$9.16 TZS 24.0K

-16.59%

Cappuccino

$1.94 TZS 5,101

$1.74 TZS 4,574

11.49%

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

$0.36 TZS 938

$0.43 TZS 1,127

-16.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 TZS 576

$0.33 TZS 878

-33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.04 TZS 2,716

$1.08 TZS 2,832

-3.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 TZS 4,966

$2.83 TZS 7,424

-33.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 TZS 2,819

$0.64 TZS 1,691

67.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 TZS 2,178

$0.57 TZS 1,492

45.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 TZS 2,855

$0.89 TZS 2,325

22.47%

Eggs

$2.06 TZS 5,395

$1.72 TZS 4,500

19.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.55 TZS 25.0K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.74 TZS 15.1K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.36 TZS 11.5K

Apples (1kg)

$2.56 TZS 6,728

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 TZS 2,667

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 TZS 2,794

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 TZS 2,858

$0.75 TZS 1,967

45.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 TZS 2,323

$0.41 TZS 1,066

117.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 TZS 3,951

$0.98 TZS 2,572

54.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 TZS 2,387

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 TZS 1,057

$0.46 TZS 1,217

-13.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.98 TZS 5,190

Wine (Bottle)

$6.98 TZS 18.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 TZS 2,488

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 TZS 4,243

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 TZS 683

$0.19 TZS 506

36.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.62 TZS 46.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 TZS 3,719

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 TZS 3,904

$1.93 TZS 5,061

-22.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.51 TZS 35.5K

$7.81 TZS 20.5K

72.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 TZS 3,144

$1.19 TZS 3,125

0.84%

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

$16.8K TZS 44.1M

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

$17.3K TZS 45.3M

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

$97.0 TZS 254.6K

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

$10.92 TZS 28.7K

$9.46 TZS 24.8K

15.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.24 TZS 84.6K

$50.7 TZS 133.1K

-36.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.1 TZS 249.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.76 TZS 12.5K

Cinema Ticket

$4.67 TZS 12.2K

$3.76 TZS 9,879

24.20%

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

$258 TZS 676.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K TZS 49.4M

$10.2K TZS 26.9M

84.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.38 TZS 69.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.45 TZS 111.4K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.02 TZS 123.4K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.8 TZS 222.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$594 TZS 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 TZS 686.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,292 TZS 3.4M

$289 TZS 757.2K

347.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$652 TZS 1.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,504 TZS 3.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,078 TZS 2.8M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$275 TZS 722.4K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Arusha: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Dar es Salaam versus $28.00 in Arusha. Groceries tell a different story – $167 in Dar es Salaam vs $35.00 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: $874 in Dar es Salaam, $200 in Arusha – roughly 337% apart. Dar es Salaam costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,311 per month in Dar es Salaam and $300 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 $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 $874 in Dar es Salaam and $200 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 $200, than in Dar es Salaam at $874. 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.