Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dar es Salaam and Dodoma

For one person, living is cheaper in Dodoma: $429 a month against $702 in Dar es Salaam, rent and utilities included – about $3,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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

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Dar es Salaam

🇹🇿 Tanzania

$702

/mo nomad

Dodoma

🇹🇿 Tanzania

$429

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $702 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $429 in Dodoma, rent included.

Dar es Salaam $702
Dodoma $429

A couple spends around $1,108 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $614 in Dodoma, rent included.

Dar es Salaam $1,108
Dodoma $614

A family of three spends $1,514 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $799 in Dodoma, rent included.

Dar es Salaam $1,514
Dodoma $799

Dar es Salaam costs about 64% more than Dodoma, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Dar es Salaam and Dodoma are more affordable than the global median – Dar es Salaam 48% lower, Dodoma 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.87 TZS 4,890

$2.62 TZS 6,850

-28.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.77 TZS 49.2K

$18.72 TZS 49.0K

0.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.72 TZS 20.2K

$7.77 TZS 20.3K

-0.64%

Cappuccino

$2.01 TZS 5,272

$1.93 TZS 5,059

4.15%

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

$0.37 TZS 981

$0.33 TZS 870

12.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 TZS 577

$0.89 TZS 2,338

-75.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.93 TZS 2,431

$0.81 TZS 2,133

14.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 TZS 4,905

$3.13 TZS 8,189

-40.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 TZS 2,157

$0.92 TZS 2,416

-10.87%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 TZS 1,622

$0.83 TZS 2,176

-25.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 TZS 2,865

$1.02 TZS 2,660

6.86%

Eggs

$1.85 TZS 4,845

$2.24 TZS 5,871

-17.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.16 TZS 24.0K

$5.51 TZS 14.4K

66.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.72 TZS 12.4K

$6.82 TZS 17.9K

-30.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.00 TZS 10.5K

$3.67 TZS 9,609

8.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.47 TZS 6,481

$2.40 TZS 6,293

2.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 TZS 2,800

$0.93 TZS 2,426

15.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 TZS 2,694

$0.77 TZS 2,017

33.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.89 TZS 2,324

$1.49 TZS 3,908

-40.27%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 TZS 2,442

$1.02 TZS 2,674

-8.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 TZS 2,593

$1.74 TZS 4,547

-43.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 TZS 2,173

$0.46 TZS 1,193

80.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 TZS 1,011

$0.39 TZS 1,025

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 TZS 5,605

$1.53 TZS 4,019

39.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.27 TZS 19.0K

$3.82 TZS 9,997

90.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 TZS 2,395

$0.89 TZS 2,331

2.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 TZS 4,020

$1.20 TZS 3,143

28.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 TZS 681

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.54 TZS 38.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.66 TZS 4,355

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 TZS 3,992

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.17 TZS 34.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 TZS 3,561

$1.39 TZS 3,628

-2.16%

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

$16.5K TZS 43.2M

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

$26.4K TZS 69.1M

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

$55.6 TZS 145.7K

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

$9.20 TZS 24.1K

$18.60 TZS 48.7K

-50.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.86 TZS 88.7K

$18.75 TZS 49.1K

80.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$83.9 TZS 219.8K

$55.8 TZS 146.0K

50.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.73 TZS 25.5K

$7.53 TZS 19.7K

29.22%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 TZS 13.0K

$3.71 TZS 9,727

33.96%

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

$559 TZS 1.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.0K TZS 34.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.31 TZS 40.1K

$7.39 TZS 19.4K

107.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.76 TZS 67.5K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.36 TZS 116.2K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.7 TZS 153.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$565 TZS 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$195 TZS 510.0K

$94.3 TZS 247.0K

106.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,345 TZS 3.5M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 TZS 1.1M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,541 TZS 4.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,053 TZS 2.8M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$285 TZS 746.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.25

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

Last update for Dar es Salaam: October 25, 2026

Last update for Dodoma: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Dar es Salaam

$195 27.8%

Dodoma

–

Groceries & Markets

Dar es Salaam

$152 21.6%

Dodoma

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dar es Salaam

$99 14.1%

Dodoma

–

Sport & Entertainment

Dar es Salaam

$94 13.4%

Dodoma

–

Eating Out

Dar es Salaam

$73 10.4%

Dodoma

–

Clothing & Footwear

Dar es Salaam

$65 9.3%

Dodoma

–

Getting Around

Dar es Salaam

$25 3.5%

Dodoma

–

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Dar es Salaam versus $19 in Dodoma. Groceries tell a different story – $152 in Dar es Salaam vs $148 in Dodoma – so Dodoma wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇿 Dar es Salaam

🇹🇿 Dodoma

🕒 Local time

05:51 5:51 AM

Same time as Dar es Salaam

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,383,728

765,179 Capital

💱 Currency

Tanzanian Shilling TZS Sh

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 TZS = 3.82 USD

10,000 TZS = 3.43 EUR

10,000 TZS = 3.82 USD

10,000 TZS = 3.43 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Dar es Salaam Dodoma 400 km

From you

Dar es Salaam
Dodoma

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 Dodoma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Dar es Salaam is pricier by about 64%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,052 per month in Dar es Salaam and $643 in Dodoma. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $702 in Dar es Salaam and $429 in Dodoma, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Dar es Salaam has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $429 in Dodoma to $702 in Dar es Salaam. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.