Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dar es Salaam and Budapest

For one person, living is cheaper in Dar es Salaam: $715 a month against $1,621 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $10,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

34

Cost of Living Index in Dar es Salaam
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Dar es Salaam Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index

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Dar es Salaam

🇹🇿 Tanzania

$715

/mo nomad

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,621

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Budapest actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $715 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $1,621 in Budapest, rent included.

Dar es Salaam $715
Budapest $1,621

A couple spends around $1,114 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $2,555 in Budapest, rent included.

Dar es Salaam $1,114
Budapest $2,555

A family of three spends $1,513 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $3,489 in Budapest, rent included.

Dar es Salaam $1,513
Budapest $3,489

Dar es Salaam is about 56% cheaper than Budapest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Dar es Salaam sits 47% below the global median, while Budapest is 21% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.88 TZS 4,931

$13.99 Ft 4,551

-86.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.70 TZS 49.1K

$60.3 Ft 19.6K

-69.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 TZS 19.7K

$9.96 Ft 3,241

-24.70%

Cappuccino

$1.93 TZS 5,069

$3.38 Ft 1,100

-42.90%

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

$0.35 TZS 910

$2.13 Ft 692

-83.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 TZS 578

$1.87 Ft 608

-88.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 TZS 2,643

$3.75 Ft 1,221

-73.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 TZS 4,993

$3.57 Ft 1,162

-46.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 TZS 2,232

$1.13 Ft 368

-24.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.61 TZS 1,596

$1.84 Ft 599

-66.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 TZS 2,764

$2.39 Ft 777

-56.07%

Eggs

$2.04 TZS 5,366

$3.83 Ft 1,245

-46.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.13 TZS 24.0K

$11.33 Ft 3,686

-19.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.67 TZS 12.2K

$6.74 Ft 2,192

-30.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.99 TZS 10.5K

$14.69 Ft 4,780

-72.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 TZS 6,455

$1.84 Ft 597

33.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 TZS 2,775

$2.01 Ft 653

-47.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.08 TZS 2,822

$2.36 Ft 767

-54.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.92 TZS 2,412

$3.77 Ft 1,226

-75.60%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 TZS 2,336

$0.96 Ft 313

-7.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 TZS 2,610

$1.03 Ft 334

-3.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 TZS 2,160

$1.56 Ft 509

-47.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 TZS 1,016

$0.66 Ft 216

-40.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.09 TZS 5,494

$7.96 Ft 2,591

-73.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.27 TZS 19.1K

$6.01 Ft 1,954

20.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 TZS 2,455

$1.30 Ft 421

-27.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 TZS 4,267

$2.08 Ft 676

-21.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 TZS 688

$1.50 Ft 489

-82.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.84 TZS 38.9K

$27.61 Ft 8,982

-46.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.68 TZS 4,417

$3.30 Ft 1,074

-49.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 TZS 3,943

$1.30 Ft 424

15.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.03 TZS 34.2K

$19.78 Ft 6,436

-34.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 TZS 3,591

$1.81 Ft 591

-24.31%

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

$16.8K TZS 44.0M

$29.3K Ft 9.5M

-42.82%

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

$25.9K TZS 68.0M

$34.1K Ft 11.1M

-24.07%

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

$56.6 TZS 148.5K

$170 Ft 55.3K

-66.70%

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

$8.88 TZS 23.3K

$23.98 Ft 7,802

-62.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.50 TZS 90.5K

$23.42 Ft 7,621

47.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$85.3 TZS 223.9K

$66.2 Ft 21.6K

28.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.01 TZS 26.3K

$19.18 Ft 6,239

-47.81%

Cinema Ticket

$5.23 TZS 13.7K

$9.52 Ft 3,098

-45.06%

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

$568 TZS 1.5M

$537 Ft 174.6K

5.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K TZS 35.1M

$16.6K Ft 5.4M

-19.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.23 TZS 40.0K

$101 Ft 33.0K

-84.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.44 TZS 66.8K

$42.99 Ft 14.0K

-40.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.69 TZS 117.3K

$113 Ft 36.7K

-60.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.1 TZS 157.6K

$119 Ft 38.6K

-49.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$566 TZS 1.5M

$805 Ft 262.0K

-29.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 TZS 508.6K

$629 Ft 204.7K

-69.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,348 TZS 3.5M

$1,549 Ft 504.1K

-12.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$436 TZS 1.1M

$1,167 Ft 379.7K

-62.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,540 TZS 4.0M

$5,618 Ft 1.8M

-72.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,058 TZS 2.8M

$3,968 Ft 1.3M

-73.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$283 TZS 741.9K

$1,626 Ft 529.0K

-82.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.25

6.43

183.83%

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 Budapest: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Dar es Salaam

$194 27.5%

Budapest

$629 38.7% 225% $435

Groceries & Markets

Dar es Salaam

$152 21.6%

Budapest

$258 15.8% 69.2% $105

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dar es Salaam

$100 14.2%

Budapest

$217 13.4% 117% $117

Sport & Entertainment

Dar es Salaam

$96 13.6%

Budapest

$85 5.2% 11% $11

Eating Out

Dar es Salaam

$72 10.2%

Budapest

$224 13.8% 212% $152

Clothing & Footwear

Dar es Salaam

$65 9.3%

Budapest

$169 10.4% 158% $104

Getting Around

Dar es Salaam

$25 3.6%

Budapest

$43 2.7% 73.2% $18

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $566 in Dar es Salaam versus $805 in Budapest. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 475% higher in Budapest, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Dar es Salaam versus $60.0 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $152 vs $258 – making Dar es Salaam the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇿 Dar es Salaam

🇭🇺 Budapest

🕒 Local time

09:40 9:40 AM

08:40 8:40 AM

1 h behind Dar es Salaam

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,383,728

1,686,222 Capital

💱 Currency

Tanzanian Shilling TZS Sh

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 TZS = 3.81 USD

10,000 TZS = 3.4 EUR

1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

HUF, USD, EUR to TZS – Tanzanian Shilling Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇿 Tanzanian Shilling (Sh)

Tanzanian Shilling exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 2,624 TZS (10,000 TZS = 3.81 USD). 1 EUR = 2,943 TZS (10,000 TZS = 3.4 EUR).

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 325 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD). 1 EUR = 365 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR).

USD to TZS in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Dar es Salaam Budapest 6,360 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Dar es Salaam
Budapest

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 Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 127%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,072 per month in Dar es Salaam and $2,432 in Budapest. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dar es Salaam, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 86% less in Dar es Salaam. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $568 per month in Dar es Salaam and $537 in Budapest. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Dar es Salaam, where all-in costs run around $715, than in Budapest at $1,621. In Dar es Salaam it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Dar es Salaam – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Dar es Salaam. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Budapest makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.