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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $871 in Dar es Salaam versus $2,341 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,393 in Dar es Salaam versus $3,462 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,914 in Dar es Salaam versus $4,582 in Barcelona.

Living in Dar es Salaam costs roughly 63% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Dar es Salaam is 35% below, Barcelona is 75% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.79 TZS 7,210

$17.61 €15.08

-84.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.41 TZS 50.2K

$68.7 €58.8

-71.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.93 TZS 20.5K

$13.75 €11.77

-42.33%

Cappuccino

$1.95 TZS 5,053

$2.76 €2.36

-29.35%

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

$0.39 TZS 1,003

$2.78 €2.38

-85.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 TZS 568

$2.05 €1.75

-89.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.07 TZS 2,778

$4.61 €3.94

-76.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 TZS 5,038

$4.59 €3.93

-57.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 TZS 2,790

$1.28 €1.10

-15.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 TZS 2,108

$2.11 €1.81

-61.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 TZS 2,911

$1.97 €1.69

-43.15%

Eggs

$1.97 TZS 5,112

$3.44 €2.95

-42.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.46 TZS 24.5K

$18.83 €16.12

-49.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.83 TZS 15.1K

$9.45 €8.09

-38.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.37 TZS 11.3K

$19.01 €16.27

-77.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 TZS 6,764

$2.72 €2.33

-4.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 TZS 2,724

$2.37 €2.03

-55.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.05 TZS 2,729

$2.08 €1.78

-49.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 TZS 2,702

$2.76 €2.36

-62.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 TZS 2,441

$1.97 €1.69

-52.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 TZS 3,968

$1.79 €1.53

-14.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 TZS 2,350

$1.51 €1.29

-39.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 TZS 1,138

$0.90 €0.77

-51.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.04 TZS 5,289

$6.76 €5.79

-69.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.44 TZS 16.7K

$7.55 €6.46

-14.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 TZS 2,502

$1.44 €1.23

-32.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 TZS 4,205

$2.41 €2.06

-32.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 TZS 673

$3.03 €2.59

-91.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.10 TZS 44.3K

$28.39 €24.30

-39.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 TZS 3,852

$4.43 €3.79

-66.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 TZS 3,897

$2.05 €1.76

-26.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.43 TZS 34.8K

$29.33 €25.11

-54.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 TZS 3,244

$1.89 €1.62

-33.86%

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

$16.8K TZS 43.5M

$38.7K €33.2K

-56.66%

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

$17.2K TZS 44.6M

$32.4K €27.7K

-46.82%

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

$98.3 TZS 254.5K

$189 €161

-47.87%

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

$10.90 TZS 28.2K

$22.21 €19.01

-50.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.96 TZS 82.7K

$36.82 €31.52

-13.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.7 TZS 247.7K

$58.0 €49.64

65.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.79 TZS 12.4K

$20.99 €17.97

-77.18%

Cinema Ticket

$4.75 TZS 12.3K

$11.05 €9.46

-57.01%

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

$253 TZS 655.0K

$726 €622

-65.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.3K TZS 49.9M

$15.2K €13.0K

26.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.75 TZS 66.7K

$88.3 €75.6

-70.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 TZS 108.1K

$36.98 €31.66

12.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$46.25 TZS 119.7K

$103 €87.8

-54.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.7 TZS 221.8K

$119 €102

-28.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$592 TZS 1.5M

$1,526 €1,307

-61.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$256 TZS 663.1K

$1,218 €1,043

-78.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,299 TZS 3.4M

$2,794 €2,392

-53.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 TZS 1.7M

$2,027 €1,735

-68.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,522 TZS 3.9M

$7,094 €6,073

-78.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,105 TZS 2.9M

$4,849 €4,151

-77.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$263 TZS 681.9K

$2,404 €2,058

-89.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.67

3.39

480.24%

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

Last update for Dar es Salaam: April 25, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $592 in Dar es Salaam and $1,526 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 813% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $19.00 in Dar es Salaam vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $167 vs $320 per month, with Dar es Salaam 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 Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dar es Salaam and Barcelona differ by about 169% in total monthly costs ($871 vs $2,341 including rent). Dar es Salaam is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Barcelona earns 813% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $592 in Dar es Salaam versus $1,526 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $253 in Dar es Salaam versus $726 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 92% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $871 in Dar es Salaam versus $2,341 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dar es Salaam but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Dar es Salaam 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 Barcelona 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 Dar es Salaam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 169% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.