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: $707 in Dar es Salaam versus $2,434 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,107 in Dar es Salaam versus $3,473 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,508 in Dar es Salaam versus $4,512 in Barcelona.

Living in Dar es Salaam costs roughly 71% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Dar es Salaam is 48% below, Barcelona is 78% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.93 TZS 5,071

$18.80 €16.09

-89.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.23 TZS 50.4K

$69.5 €59.4

-72.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.41 TZS 22.1K

$14.08 €12.05

-40.27%

Cappuccino

$1.96 TZS 5,134

$3.12 €2.66

-37.18%

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

$0.36 TZS 950

$2.91 €2.49

-87.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 TZS 549

$1.87 €1.60

-88.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.90 TZS 2,357

$4.00 €3.42

-77.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 TZS 5,024

$4.64 €3.97

-58.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 TZS 2,192

$1.19 €1.02

-29.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 TZS 1,582

$2.13 €1.82

-71.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 TZS 2,762

$1.84 €1.57

-42.93%

Eggs

$1.91 TZS 5,006

$5.13 €4.39

-62.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.32 TZS 24.5K

$16.39 €14.02

-43.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.59 TZS 12.0K

$9.71 €8.31

-52.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.80 TZS 9,982

$19.65 €16.81

-80.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 TZS 6,675

$3.13 €2.68

-18.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 TZS 2,650

$2.18 €1.87

-53.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 TZS 2,631

$2.46 €2.11

-59.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.03 TZS 2,710

$2.77 €2.37

-62.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 TZS 2,271

$2.12 €1.82

-58.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 TZS 2,757

$2.23 €1.90

-52.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 TZS 2,259

$1.49 €1.27

-42.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 TZS 998

$0.91 €0.78

-58.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.19 TZS 5,757

$7.26 €6.21

-69.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.66 TZS 17.5K

$8.29 €7.09

-19.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 TZS 2,340

$1.54 €1.32

-42.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 TZS 4,088

$2.68 €2.30

-41.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 TZS 683

$3.07 €2.63

-91.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.83 TZS 38.9K

$25.93 €22.18

-42.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 TZS 4,424

$3.34 €2.86

-49.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 TZS 4,026

$1.88 €1.61

-18.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.30 TZS 34.9K

$34.98 €29.92

-61.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 TZS 3,411

$1.74 €1.49

-25.29%

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

$16.7K TZS 43.9M

$36.5K €31.2K

-54.20%

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

$26.4K TZS 69.4M

$31.5K €27.0K

-16.14%

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

$56.3 TZS 147.6K

$183 €156

-69.24%

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

$8.99 TZS 23.6K

$15.70 €13.43

-42.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.32 TZS 90.0K

$36.73 €31.42

-6.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.7 TZS 211.8K

$53.5 €45.76

50.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.16 TZS 21.4K

$17.13 €14.65

-52.36%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 TZS 13.6K

$11.51 €9.85

-55.17%

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

$560 TZS 1.5M

$952 €815

-41.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.1K TZS 34.4M

$16.2K €13.8K

-19.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.37 TZS 37.7K

$82.5 €70.5

-82.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.55 TZS 69.7K

$40.47 €34.62

-34.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.64 TZS 117.1K

$108 €92.2

-58.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.2 TZS 171.0K

$125 €107

-48.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$590 TZS 1.5M

$1,668 €1,426

-64.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$201 TZS 527.4K

$1,288 €1,101

-84.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,337 TZS 3.5M

$2,663 €2,278

-49.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 TZS 1.2M

$1,904 €1,628

-76.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,551 TZS 4.1M

$7,513 €6,427

-79.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,067 TZS 2.8M

$5,178 €4,429

-79.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$279 TZS 731.3K

$2,451 €2,096

-88.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.25

3.12

484.94%

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

Last update for Dar es Salaam: August 18, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $590 in Dar es Salaam and $1,668 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 779% 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 $150 vs $328 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 244% in total monthly costs ($707 vs $2,434 including rent). Dar es Salaam is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 779% lower in Barcelona. 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: $590 in Dar es Salaam versus $1,668 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $560 in Dar es Salaam versus $952 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 118% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $707 in Dar es Salaam versus $2,434 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 244% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.