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 $877 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $442 in Dodoma, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,409 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $629 in Dodoma, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,941 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $815 in Dodoma, rent included.

Dar es Salaam costs about 98% more than Dodoma, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Dar es Salaam and Dodoma are more affordable than the global median – Dar es Salaam 35% lower, Dodoma 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.85 TZS 7,431

$3.64 TZS 9,497

-21.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.20 TZS 50.1K

$19.45 TZS 50.7K

-1.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 TZS 20.0K

$9.55 TZS 24.9K

-19.90%

Cappuccino

$2.02 TZS 5,274

$1.95 TZS 5,085

3.59%

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

$0.35 TZS 922

$0.40 TZS 1,055

-12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 TZS 628

$0.18 TZS 465

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.09 TZS 2,839

$0.81 TZS 2,113

34.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 TZS 5,005

$3.35 TZS 8,735

-42.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 TZS 2,672

$0.91 TZS 2,375

12.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 TZS 2,051

$0.80 TZS 2,077

-1.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 TZS 2,826

$0.99 TZS 2,586

9.09%

Eggs

$2.08 TZS 5,438

$1.94 TZS 5,062

7.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.33 TZS 24.3K

$5.90 TZS 15.4K

58.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 TZS 14.8K

$6.77 TZS 17.7K

-15.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.28 TZS 11.2K

$3.76 TZS 9,803

13.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.58 TZS 6,720

$2.48 TZS 6,476

4.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 TZS 2,749

$0.94 TZS 2,459

11.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 TZS 2,663

$0.79 TZS 2,073

29.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.03 TZS 2,699

$1.53 TZS 3,986

-32.68%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 TZS 2,506

$1.09 TZS 2,834

-11.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 TZS 3,926

$1.73 TZS 4,506

-13.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 TZS 2,339

$0.46 TZS 1,206

95.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 TZS 1,053

$0.38 TZS 981

5.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.05 TZS 5,345

$1.59 TZS 4,148

28.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.91 TZS 18.0K

$3.92 TZS 10.2K

76.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 TZS 2,342

$0.91 TZS 2,373

-1.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 TZS 4,309

$1.29 TZS 3,373

27.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 TZS 622

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.36 TZS 45.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 TZS 3,843

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 TZS 3,908

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.64 TZS 35.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 TZS 3,154

$1.17 TZS 3,050

3.42%

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

$17.0K TZS 44.4M

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

$17.5K TZS 45.5M

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

$98.3 TZS 256.4K

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

$10.67 TZS 27.8K

$19.58 TZS 51.1K

-45.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.44 TZS 84.6K

$19.14 TZS 49.9K

69.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.6 TZS 249.5K

$58.6 TZS 152.9K

63.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.90 TZS 12.8K

$7.75 TZS 20.2K

-36.77%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 TZS 12.9K

$3.85 TZS 10.0K

28.05%

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

$255 TZS 664.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.9K TZS 49.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.15 TZS 68.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.61 TZS 111.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$46.76 TZS 122.0K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 TZS 216.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$579 TZS 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$257 TZS 669.8K

$98.3 TZS 256.6K

161.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,291 TZS 3.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$654 TZS 1.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,521 TZS 4.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,105 TZS 2.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$282 TZS 736.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.67

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

Last update for Dar es Salaam: June 8, 2026

Last update for Dodoma: June 8, 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 – $164 in Dar es Salaam vs $149 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 98%, 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 $1,315 per month in Dar es Salaam and $664 in Dodoma. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 11% 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 $442, than in Dar es Salaam at $877. 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.