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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $703 in Dar es Salaam versus $391 in Bagamoyo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,102 in Dar es Salaam versus $655 in Bagamoyo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,501 in Dar es Salaam versus $920 in Bagamoyo.

Living in Dar es Salaam is roughly 80% more expensive than in Bagamoyo, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dar es Salaam 49% lower, Bagamoyo 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.85 TZS 4,870

$1.93 TZS 5,085

-4.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.78 TZS 49.4K

$11.28 TZS 29.7K

66.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.46 TZS 22.2K

$8.76 TZS 23.0K

-3.42%

Cappuccino

$1.89 TZS 4,957

$1.96 TZS 5,143

-3.57%

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

$0.35 TZS 915

$0.32 TZS 853

9.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 TZS 579

$0.20 TZS 520

10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.93 TZS 2,456

$0.97 TZS 2,547

-4.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 TZS 4,837

$1.93 TZS 5,078

-4.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 TZS 2,077

$0.79 TZS 2,081

White Bread (500g)

$0.61 TZS 1,605

$0.60 TZS 1,578

1.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 TZS 2,860

$0.36 TZS 953

202.78%

Eggs

$1.92 TZS 5,042

$1.91 TZS 5,016

0.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.35 TZS 24.6K

$9.55 TZS 25.1K

-2.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.67 TZS 12.3K

$4.57 TZS 12.0K

2.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.02 TZS 10.6K

$3.94 TZS 10.4K

2.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 TZS 6,621

$2.60 TZS 6,823

-3.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 TZS 2,660

$0.93 TZS 2,456

8.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 TZS 2,614

$0.97 TZS 2,539

2.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 TZS 2,758

$0.60 TZS 1,566

75.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 TZS 2,434

$0.31 TZS 827

200.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 TZS 2,663

$0.31 TZS 821

225.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 TZS 2,139

$0.88 TZS 2,309

-7.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 TZS 933

$0.35 TZS 925

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 TZS 6,044

$2.33 TZS 6,127

-1.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.94 TZS 18.2K

$6.68 TZS 17.6K

3.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 TZS 2,215

$0.89 TZS 2,342

-5.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 TZS 4,121

$1.51 TZS 3,962

3.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 TZS 626

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.67 TZS 38.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.66 TZS 4,366

$1.62 TZS 4,251

2.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 TZS 4,017

$1.48 TZS 3,884

3.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.46 TZS 35.4K

$13.37 TZS 35.1K

0.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 TZS 3,494

$1.32 TZS 3,472

0.76%

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

$16.7K TZS 43.8M

$16.7K TZS 43.9M

-0.08%

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

$26.5K TZS 69.6M

$26.4K TZS 69.5M

0.16%

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

$56.2 TZS 147.7K

$55.6 TZS 146.2K

1.04%

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

$9.00 TZS 23.6K

$4.62 TZS 12.1K

94.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.47 TZS 90.6K

$22.93 TZS 60.3K

50.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$83.5 TZS 219.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.09 TZS 21.3K

Cinema Ticket

$5.22 TZS 13.7K

$5.16 TZS 13.6K

1.16%

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

$577 TZS 1.5M

$576 TZS 1.5M

0.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K TZS 34.6M

$13.4K TZS 35.3M

-1.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.39 TZS 37.8K

$14.15 TZS 37.2K

1.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.26 TZS 69.0K

$26.01 TZS 68.4K

0.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.87 TZS 118.0K

$44.03 TZS 115.8K

1.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.7 TZS 172.7K

$66.5 TZS 174.7K

-1.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$605 TZS 1.6M

$57.2 TZS 150.4K

957.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 TZS 519.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,374 TZS 3.6M

$228 TZS 600.1K

501.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$444 TZS 1.2M

$113 TZS 295.9K

294.84%

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 Bagamoyo: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $605 in Dar es Salaam and $57.2 in Bagamoyo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19.00 in Dar es Salaam vs $11.00 in Bagamoyo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $151 vs $142 per month, with Bagamoyo cheaper across the board.

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 Bagamoyo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bagamoyo wins on cost – living expenses run 80% lower than in Dar es Salaam. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bagamoyo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,055 in Dar es Salaam and $586 in Bagamoyo to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $605 in Dar es Salaam versus $57.2 in Bagamoyo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $577 in Dar es Salaam versus $576 in Bagamoyo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Bagamoyo – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $19.00 in Dar es Salaam. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $391 in Bagamoyo versus $703 in Dar es Salaam, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bagamoyo but tight or insufficient in Dar es Salaam. The gap between the two cities makes Bagamoyo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Dar es Salaam and Bagamoyo are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bagamoyo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 80% less than in Dar es Salaam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.