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 $871 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $436 in Dodoma, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,393 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $641 in Dodoma, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,914 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $846 in Dodoma, rent included.

Dar es Salaam costs about 100% 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

$2.79 TZS 7,210

$3.65 TZS 9,446

-23.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.41 TZS 50.2K

$19.13 TZS 49.5K

1.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.93 TZS 20.5K

$9.84 TZS 25.5K

-19.41%

Cappuccino

$1.95 TZS 5,053

$1.91 TZS 4,949

2.09%

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

$0.39 TZS 1,003

$0.37 TZS 969

5.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 TZS 568

$0.21 TZS 555

4.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.07 TZS 2,778

$0.86 TZS 2,238

24.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 TZS 5,038

$3.25 TZS 8,407

-40.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 TZS 2,790

$0.91 TZS 2,351

18.68%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 TZS 2,108

$0.78 TZS 2,022

3.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 TZS 2,911

$1.00 TZS 2,584

12.00%

Eggs

$1.97 TZS 5,112

$1.95 TZS 5,048

1.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.46 TZS 24.5K

$5.96 TZS 15.4K

58.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.83 TZS 15.1K

$7.07 TZS 18.3K

-17.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.37 TZS 11.3K

$3.76 TZS 9,735

16.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 TZS 6,764

$2.46 TZS 6,368

6.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 TZS 2,724

$0.90 TZS 2,320

16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.05 TZS 2,729

$0.76 TZS 1,960

38.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 TZS 2,702

$1.52 TZS 3,944

-31.58%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 TZS 2,441

$1.07 TZS 2,779

-12.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 TZS 3,968

$1.70 TZS 4,406

-10.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 TZS 2,350

$0.50 TZS 1,301

82.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 TZS 1,138

$0.41 TZS 1,051

7.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.04 TZS 5,289

$1.51 TZS 3,908

35.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.44 TZS 16.7K

$3.79 TZS 9,804

69.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 TZS 2,502

$0.90 TZS 2,329

7.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 TZS 4,205

$1.28 TZS 3,306

26.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 TZS 673

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.10 TZS 44.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 TZS 3,852

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 TZS 3,897

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.43 TZS 34.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 TZS 3,244

$1.12 TZS 2,904

11.61%

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

$16.8K TZS 43.5M

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

$17.2K TZS 44.6M

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

$98.3 TZS 254.5K

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

$10.90 TZS 28.2K

$19.02 TZS 49.2K

-42.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.96 TZS 82.7K

$19.06 TZS 49.3K

67.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.7 TZS 247.7K

$58.4 TZS 151.2K

63.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.79 TZS 12.4K

$7.77 TZS 20.1K

-38.35%

Cinema Ticket

$4.75 TZS 12.3K

$3.92 TZS 10.2K

21.17%

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

$253 TZS 655.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.3K TZS 49.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.75 TZS 66.7K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 TZS 108.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$46.25 TZS 119.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.7 TZS 221.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$592 TZS 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$256 TZS 663.1K

$97.7 TZS 252.9K

162.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,299 TZS 3.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 TZS 1.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,522 TZS 3.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,105 TZS 2.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$263 TZS 681.9K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Dodoma: April 27, 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 – $167 in Dar es Salaam vs $150 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 100%, 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 $1,307 per month in Dar es Salaam and $654 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 $436, than in Dar es Salaam at $871. 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.