Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dar es Salaam and Cebu

For one person, living is cheaper in Dar es Salaam: $715 a month against $934 in Cebu, rent and utilities included – about $2,600 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
44

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index

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Dar es Salaam

🇹🇿 Tanzania

$715

/mo nomad

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$934

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $715 in Dar es Salaam versus $934 in Cebu.

Dar es Salaam $715
Cebu $934

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,114 in Dar es Salaam versus $1,415 in Cebu.

Dar es Salaam $1,114
Cebu $1,415

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,513 in Dar es Salaam versus $1,896 in Cebu.

Dar es Salaam $1,513
Cebu $1,896

Living in Dar es Salaam costs roughly 23% less than in Cebu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dar es Salaam 47% lower, Cebu 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.88 TZS 4,931

$3.03 ₱190

-37.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.70 TZS 49.1K

$23.48 ₱1,473

-20.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 TZS 19.7K

$4.09 ₱256

83.37%

Cappuccino

$1.93 TZS 5,069

$2.52 ₱158

-23.41%

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

$0.35 TZS 910

$1.54 ₱96.9

-77.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 TZS 578

$0.49 ₱30.98

-55.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 TZS 2,643

$1.79 ₱112

-43.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 TZS 4,993

$2.26 ₱142

-15.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 TZS 2,232

$1.95 ₱122

-56.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.61 TZS 1,596

$1.43 ₱89.7

-57.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 TZS 2,764

$1.02 ₱63.8

2.94%

Eggs

$2.04 TZS 5,366

$2.06 ₱129

-0.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.13 TZS 24.0K

$9.81 ₱615

-6.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.67 TZS 12.2K

$4.61 ₱289

1.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.99 TZS 10.5K

$7.70 ₱483

-48.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 TZS 6,455

$3.31 ₱207

-25.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 TZS 2,775

$1.45 ₱90.9

-26.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.08 TZS 2,822

$2.36 ₱148

-54.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.92 TZS 2,412

$1.54 ₱96.4

-40.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 TZS 2,336

$2.36 ₱148

-62.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 TZS 2,610

$1.99 ₱125

-50.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 TZS 2,160

$1.15 ₱72.1

-28.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 TZS 1,016

$0.67 ₱42.15

-41.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.09 TZS 5,494

$3.00 ₱188

-30.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.27 TZS 19.1K

$6.35 ₱398

14.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 TZS 2,455

$1.31 ₱81.9

-28.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 TZS 4,267

$1.73 ₱108

-5.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 TZS 688

$0.25 ₱15.78

4.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.84 TZS 38.9K

$12.65 ₱793

17.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.68 TZS 4,417

$0.74 ₱46.32

127.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 TZS 3,943

$0.21 ₱13.11

614.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.03 TZS 34.2K

$4.33 ₱271

200.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 TZS 3,591

$1.33 ₱83.5

3.01%

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

$16.8K TZS 44.0M

$21.8K ₱1.4M

-22.95%

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

$25.9K TZS 68.0M

$19.4K ₱1.2M

33.50%

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

$56.6 TZS 148.5K

$121 ₱7,563

-53.07%

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

$8.88 TZS 23.3K

$14.45 ₱907

-38.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.50 TZS 90.5K

$28.29 ₱1,774

21.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$85.3 TZS 223.9K

$32.68 ₱2,050

161.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.01 TZS 26.3K

$6.39 ₱401

56.65%

Cinema Ticket

$5.23 TZS 13.7K

$5.46 ₱342

-4.21%

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

$568 TZS 1.5M

$273 ₱17.1K

107.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K TZS 35.1M

$8,156 ₱511.5K

63.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.23 TZS 40.0K

$49.57 ₱3,109

-69.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.44 TZS 66.8K

$24.87 ₱1,560

2.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.69 TZS 117.3K

$76.6 ₱4,804

-41.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.1 TZS 157.6K

$59.3 ₱3,717

1.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$566 TZS 1.5M

$506 ₱31.7K

11.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 TZS 508.6K

$309 ₱19.4K

-37.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,348 TZS 3.5M

$1,052 ₱66.0K

28.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$436 TZS 1.1M

$619 ₱38.8K

-29.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,540 TZS 4.0M

$2,915 ₱182.9K

-47.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,058 TZS 2.8M

$1,867 ₱117.1K

-43.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$283 TZS 741.9K

$341 ₱21.4K

-17.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.25

7.2

153.47%

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 Cebu: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Dar es Salaam

$194 27.5%

Cebu

$309 33.5% 59.6% $116

Groceries & Markets

Dar es Salaam

$152 21.6%

Cebu

$210 22.7% 38.2% $58

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dar es Salaam

$100 14.2%

Cebu

$163 17.7% 63.4% $63

Sport & Entertainment

Dar es Salaam

$96 13.6%

Cebu

$44 4.7% 54.5% $52

Eating Out

Dar es Salaam

$72 10.2%

Cebu

$88 9.6% 23% $17

Clothing & Footwear

Dar es Salaam

$65 9.3%

Cebu

$95 10.2% 44.6% $29

Getting Around

Dar es Salaam

$25 3.6%

Cebu

$15 1.7% 38.4% $9.6

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $566 in Dar es Salaam and $506 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 21% 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 $23.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $152 vs $210 per month, with Dar es Salaam cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇿 Dar es Salaam

🇵🇭 Cebu

🕒 Local time

11:39 11:39 AM

16:39 4:39 PM

5 h ahead of Dar es Salaam

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,383,728

964,169

💱 Currency

Tanzanian Shilling TZS Sh

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 TZS = 3.81 USD

10,000 TZS = 3.4 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, 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).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.72 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.35 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

USD to TZS in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Dar es Salaam Cebu 9,560 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Dar es Salaam
Cebu

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 Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dar es Salaam is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 21% lower in Cebu. 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: $566 in Dar es Salaam versus $506 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $715 per month in Dar es Salaam versus $934 in Cebu – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dar es Salaam runs roughly 17% less than in Cebu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $715 in Dar es Salaam versus $934 in Cebu, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dar es Salaam but tight or insufficient in Cebu. The gap between the two cities makes Dar es Salaam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Dar es Salaam is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cebu, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Dar es Salaam and Cebu 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 31% less than in Cebu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.