Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dar es Salaam and Bangalore

For one person, living is cheaper in Bangalore: $535 a month against $715 in Dar es Salaam, rent and utilities included – about $2,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Dar es Salaam
🇹🇿 Tanzania
$715
/mo nomad
Bangalore
🇮🇳 India
$535
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dar es Salaam and in Bangalore

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Dar es Salaam and in Bangalore actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $715 in Dar es Salaam versus $535 in Bangalore.

  • Dar es Salaam $715
  • Bangalore $535

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,114 in Dar es Salaam versus $927 in Bangalore.

  • Dar es Salaam $1,114
  • Bangalore $927

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,513 in Dar es Salaam versus $1,318 in Bangalore.

  • Dar es Salaam $1,513
  • Bangalore $1,318

Living in Dar es Salaam is roughly 34% more expensive than in Bangalore, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dar es Salaam 47% lower, Bangalore 60% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Dar es Salaam
Bangalore
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.88 TZS 4,931
$3.04 ₹294
-38.16%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.70 TZS 49.1K
$17.83 ₹1,725
4.88%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.50 TZS 19.7K
$4.78 ₹463
56.90%
Cappuccino
$1.93 TZS 5,069
$2.24 ₹217
-13.84%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35 TZS 910
$0.39 ₹37.49
-10.26%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.22 TZS 578
$0.14 ₹13.64
57.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.01 TZS 2,643
$2.34 ₹226
-56.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.90 TZS 4,993
$3.91 ₹379
-51.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Dar es Salaam
Bangalore
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.85 TZS 2,232
$0.61 ₹58.6
39.34%
White Bread (500g)
$0.61 TZS 1,596
$0.57 ₹55.2
7.02%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.05 TZS 2,764
$0.81 ₹77.9
29.63%
Eggs
$2.04 TZS 5,366
$1.12 ₹109
82.14%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.13 TZS 24.0K
$5.93 ₹574
53.96%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.67 TZS 12.2K
$3.85 ₹373
21.30%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$3.99 TZS 10.5K
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.46 TZS 6,455
$2.78 ₹269
-11.51%
Banana (1kg)
$1.06 TZS 2,775
$0.75 ₹72.2
41.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.08 TZS 2,822
$1.22 ₹118
-11.48%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.92 TZS 2,412
$0.40 ₹39.19
130.00%
Potato (1kg)
$0.89 TZS 2,336
$0.38 ₹36.40
134.21%
Onion (1kg)
$0.99 TZS 2,610
$0.36 ₹34.72
175.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.82 TZS 2,160
$0.42 ₹40.31
95.24%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.39 TZS 1,016
$0.32 ₹31.21
21.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.09 TZS 5,494
$4.61 ₹446
-54.66%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.27 TZS 19.1K
$9.01 ₹872
-19.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.94 TZS 2,455
$1.86 ₹180
-49.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.63 TZS 4,267
$2.92 ₹283
-44.18%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$6.35 ₹614
-
🚌 Getting Around
Dar es Salaam
Bangalore
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.26 TZS 688
$0.51 ₹48.89
-49.02%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$14.84 TZS 38.9K
$15.71 ₹1,520
-5.54%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.68 TZS 4,417
$1.01 ₹97.8
66.34%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.50 TZS 3,943
$0.30 ₹29.43
400.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.03 TZS 34.2K
$2.10 ₹203
520.48%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.37 TZS 3,591
$1.08 ₹104
26.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$16.8K TZS 44.0M
$12.6K ₹1.2M
33.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.9K TZS 68.0M
$19.1K ₹1.8M
35.89%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dar es Salaam
Bangalore
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$56.6 TZS 148.5K
$30.32 ₹2,934
86.64%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.88 TZS 23.3K
$4.11 ₹398
116.06%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.50 TZS 90.5K
$10.23 ₹990
237.24%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Dar es Salaam
Bangalore
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$85.3 TZS 223.9K
$18.61 ₹1,801
358.46%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.01 TZS 26.3K
$5.95 ₹576
68.24%
Cinema Ticket
$5.23 TZS 13.7K
$4.60 ₹446
13.70%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Dar es Salaam
Bangalore
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$568 TZS 1.5M
$104 ₹10.1K
446.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.4K TZS 35.1M
$3,176 ₹307.3K
320.99%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Dar es Salaam
Bangalore
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$15.23 TZS 40.0K
$32.29 ₹3,125
-52.83%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.44 TZS 66.8K
$29.85 ₹2,889
-14.77%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$44.69 TZS 117.3K
$53.3 ₹5,160
-16.17%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$60.1 TZS 157.6K
$39.66 ₹3,838
51.44%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Dar es Salaam
Bangalore
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$566 TZS 1.5M
$309 ₹29.9K
83.39%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$194 TZS 508.6K
$175 ₹16.9K
10.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,348 TZS 3.5M
$788 ₹76.3K
71.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$436 TZS 1.1M
$481 ₹46.6K
-9.46%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,540 TZS 4.0M
$1,889 ₹182.8K
-18.47%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,058 TZS 2.8M
$1,067 ₹103.3K
-0.86%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Dar es Salaam
Bangalore
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$283 TZS 741.9K
$919 ₹89.0K
-69.25%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
18.25
8.5
114.71%

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

Last update for Dar es Salaam: October 5, 2026

Last update for Bangalore: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Dar es Salaam
$194
Bangalore
$175 9.8% $19
Groceries & Markets
Dar es Salaam
$152
Bangalore
$122 19.6% $30
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dar es Salaam
$100
Bangalore
$45 55.3% $55
Sport & Entertainment
Dar es Salaam
$96
Bangalore
$28 71% $68
Eating Out
Dar es Salaam
$72
Bangalore
$87 21.3% $15
Clothing & Footwear
Dar es Salaam
$65
Bangalore
$70 6.7% $4.4
Getting Around
Dar es Salaam
$25
Bangalore
$20 19.2% $4.8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $566 in Dar es Salaam and $309 in Bangalore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bangalore pays 225% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19.00 in Dar es Salaam vs $18.00 in Bangalore for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $152 vs $122 per month, with Bangalore cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇿 Dar es Salaam
🇮🇳 Bangalore
🕒 Local time
15:06 3:06 PM
17:36 5:36 PM
2 h 30 min ahead of Dar es Salaam
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
5,383,728
8,495,492
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

INR, USD, EUR to TZS – Tanzanian Shilling Converter

Tanzanian Shilling exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 2,624 TZS (10,000 TZS = 3.81 USD). 1 EUR = 2,940 TZS (10,000 TZS = 3.4 EUR).

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 96.78 INR (100 INR = 1.03 USD). 1 EUR = 108 INR (1,000 INR = 9.22 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Dar es Salaam Bangalore 4,770 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Dar es Salaam
  • Bangalore

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Bangalore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Dar es Salaam or Bangalore?
Bangalore wins on cost – living expenses run 34% lower than in Dar es Salaam. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bangalore the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Dar es Salaam or in Bangalore?
On paper, salaries run 225% lower in Bangalore. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Dar es Salaam compared to Bangalore?
Rent for a central apartment: $566 in Dar es Salaam versus $309 in Bangalore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Dar es Salaam compared to Bangalore?
A monthly transit pass in Bangalore runs roughly 6% less than in Dar es Salaam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Dar es Salaam and in Bangalore?
Childcare runs $568 in Dar es Salaam versus $104 in Bangalore. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Dar es Salaam or in Bangalore?
At $535 in Bangalore versus $715 in Dar es Salaam, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bangalore but tight or insufficient in Dar es Salaam. The gap between the two cities makes Bangalore the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Dar es Salaam or Bangalore?
Both work as nomad bases, but Bangalore delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $535 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bangalore hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Bangalore gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Dar es Salaam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Dar es Salaam vs other spots: cost of living compared

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