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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $703 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $425 in Dodoma, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,102 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $610 in Dodoma, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,501 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $795 in Dodoma, rent included.

Dar es Salaam costs about 65% more than Dodoma, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Dar es Salaam and Dodoma are more affordable than the global median – Dar es Salaam 49% lower, Dodoma 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.85 TZS 4,870

$2.59 TZS 6,820

-28.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.78 TZS 49.4K

$19.01 TZS 50.0K

-1.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.46 TZS 22.2K

$7.43 TZS 19.5K

13.86%

Cappuccino

$1.89 TZS 4,957

$1.86 TZS 4,885

1.61%

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

$0.35 TZS 915

$0.30 TZS 801

16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 TZS 579

$0.90 TZS 2,373

-75.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.93 TZS 2,456

$0.86 TZS 2,270

8.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 TZS 4,837

$3.17 TZS 8,337

-41.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 TZS 2,077

$0.84 TZS 2,214

-5.95%

White Bread (500g)

$0.61 TZS 1,605

$0.86 TZS 2,250

-29.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 TZS 2,860

$1.02 TZS 2,683

6.86%

Eggs

$1.92 TZS 5,042

$2.17 TZS 5,715

-11.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.35 TZS 24.6K

$5.53 TZS 14.5K

69.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.67 TZS 12.3K

$6.90 TZS 18.1K

-32.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.02 TZS 10.6K

$3.89 TZS 10.2K

3.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 TZS 6,621

$2.47 TZS 6,498

2.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 TZS 2,660

$0.87 TZS 2,277

16.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 TZS 2,614

$0.73 TZS 1,922

35.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 TZS 2,758

$1.55 TZS 4,062

-32.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 TZS 2,434

$1.02 TZS 2,684

-8.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 TZS 2,663

$1.74 TZS 4,575

-41.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 TZS 2,139

$0.46 TZS 1,201

76.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 TZS 933

$0.36 TZS 955

-2.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 TZS 6,044

$1.53 TZS 4,020

50.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.94 TZS 18.2K

$3.82 TZS 10.0K

81.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 TZS 2,215

$0.84 TZS 2,203

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 TZS 4,121

$1.25 TZS 3,295

25.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 TZS 626

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.67 TZS 38.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.66 TZS 4,366

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 TZS 4,017

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.46 TZS 35.4K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 TZS 3,494

$1.30 TZS 3,428

2.31%

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

$16.7K TZS 43.8M

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

$26.5K TZS 69.6M

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

$56.2 TZS 147.7K

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

$9.00 TZS 23.6K

$19.29 TZS 50.7K

-53.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.47 TZS 90.6K

$19.04 TZS 50.1K

81.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$83.5 TZS 219.5K

$56.1 TZS 147.6K

48.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.09 TZS 21.3K

$7.47 TZS 19.6K

8.30%

Cinema Ticket

$5.22 TZS 13.7K

$3.74 TZS 9,838

39.57%

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

$577 TZS 1.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K TZS 34.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.39 TZS 37.8K

$7.37 TZS 19.4K

95.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.26 TZS 69.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.87 TZS 118.0K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.7 TZS 172.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$605 TZS 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 TZS 519.3K

$96.1 TZS 252.6K

105.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,374 TZS 3.6M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$444 TZS 1.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,540 TZS 4.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,076 TZS 2.8M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$283 TZS 743.9K

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: September 5, 2026

Last update for Dodoma: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Dar es Salaam versus $19.00 in Dodoma. Groceries tell a different story – $151 in Dar es Salaam vs $148 in Dodoma – so Dodoma wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 65%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,055 per month in Dar es Salaam and $638 in Dodoma. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Dar es Salaam, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Dar es Salaam and $19.00 in Dodoma. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Dodoma, where all-in costs run around $425, than in Dar es Salaam at $703. In Dodoma it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dar es Salaam it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

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