Cost of Living Comparison Between Dar es Salaam and Johor Bahru Cost of Living Comparison Between Dar es Salaam and Johor Bahru

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $877 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $943 in Johor Bahru, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,409 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $1,385 in Johor Bahru, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,941 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $1,826 in Johor Bahru, rent included.

Dar es Salaam is about 7% cheaper than Johor Bahru, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Dar es Salaam and Johor Bahru are more affordable than the global median – Dar es Salaam 35% lower, Johor Bahru 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.85 TZS 7,431

$3.59 MYR 14.56

-20.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.20 TZS 50.1K

$18.77 MYR 76.1

2.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 TZS 20.0K

$4.69 MYR 19.02

63.11%

Cappuccino

$2.02 TZS 5,274

$3.02 MYR 12.23

-33.11%

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

$0.35 TZS 922

$0.79 MYR 3.22

-55.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 TZS 628

$0.45 MYR 1.84

-46.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.09 TZS 2,839

$3.64 MYR 14.78

-70.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 TZS 5,005

$6.63 MYR 26.90

-71.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 TZS 2,672

$1.82 MYR 7.37

-43.96%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 TZS 2,051

$0.93 MYR 3.76

-15.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 TZS 2,826

$1.29 MYR 5.25

-16.28%

Eggs

$2.08 TZS 5,438

$1.87 MYR 7.59

11.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.33 TZS 24.3K

$10.72 MYR 43.49

-12.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 TZS 14.8K

$3.49 MYR 14.17

63.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.28 TZS 11.2K

$8.21 MYR 33.29

-47.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.58 TZS 6,720

$2.77 MYR 11.21

-6.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 TZS 2,749

$1.48 MYR 6.00

-29.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 TZS 2,663

$2.48 MYR 10.04

-58.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.03 TZS 2,699

$1.26 MYR 5.10

-18.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 TZS 2,506

$1.14 MYR 4.61

-15.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 TZS 3,926

$1.33 MYR 5.38

12.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 TZS 2,339

$0.94 MYR 3.82

-4.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 TZS 1,053

$0.57 MYR 2.30

-29.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.05 TZS 5,345

$4.19 MYR 16.98

-51.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.91 TZS 18.0K

$14.08 MYR 57.1

-50.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 TZS 2,342

$2.64 MYR 10.72

-65.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 TZS 4,309

$2.93 MYR 11.90

-43.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 TZS 622

$0.74 MYR 3.02

-67.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.36 TZS 45.3K

$11.67 MYR 47.34

48.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 TZS 3,843

$1.02 MYR 4.13

44.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 TZS 3,908

$0.99 MYR 4.03

51.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.64 TZS 35.6K

$9.41 MYR 38.15

44.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 TZS 3,154

$0.46 MYR 1.85

163.04%

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

$17.0K TZS 44.4M

$35.8K MYR 145.2K

-52.52%

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

$17.5K TZS 45.5M

$27.4K MYR 111.1K

-36.28%

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

$98.3 TZS 256.4K

$41.08 MYR 167

139.22%

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

$10.67 TZS 27.8K

$9.14 MYR 37.06

16.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.44 TZS 84.6K

$30.22 MYR 123

7.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.6 TZS 249.5K

$34.97 MYR 142

173.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.90 TZS 12.8K

$6.01 MYR 24.37

-18.47%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 TZS 12.9K

$5.04 MYR 20.42

-2.18%

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

$255 TZS 664.1K

$184 MYR 746

38.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.9K TZS 49.4M

$6,934 MYR 28.1K

173.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.15 TZS 68.2K

$49.20 MYR 200

-46.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.61 TZS 111.2K

$19.06 MYR 77.3

123.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$46.76 TZS 122.0K

$54.1 MYR 219

-13.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 TZS 216.6K

$40.69 MYR 165

104.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$579 TZS 1.5M

$469 MYR 1,901

23.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$257 TZS 669.8K

$397 MYR 1,611

-35.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,291 TZS 3.4M

$816 MYR 3,311

58.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$654 TZS 1.7M

$611 MYR 2,478

7.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,521 TZS 4.0M

$2,079 MYR 8,432

-26.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,105 TZS 2.9M

$1,163 MYR 4,714

-4.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$282 TZS 736.2K

$1,108 MYR 4,492

-74.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.67

4.07

383.29%

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 Johor Bahru: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $579 in Dar es Salaam versus $469 in Johor Bahru. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 293% higher in Johor Bahru, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Dar es Salaam versus $19.00 in Johor Bahru. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $164 vs $217 – making Dar es Salaam the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Johor Bahru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Johor Bahru is pricier by about 8%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. 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 $1,414 in Johor Bahru. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dar es Salaam, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $255 per month in Dar es Salaam and $184 in Johor Bahru. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 32% more in Johor Bahru, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Dar es Salaam, where all-in costs run around $877, than in Johor Bahru at $943. In Dar es Salaam it covers expenses comfortably, while in Johor Bahru it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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