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 $871 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $966 in Johor Bahru, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,393 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $1,378 in Johor Bahru, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,914 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $1,791 in Johor Bahru, rent included.

Dar es Salaam is about 10% 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 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.79 TZS 7,210

$3.53 MYR 13.93

-20.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.41 TZS 50.2K

$18.69 MYR 73.8

3.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.93 TZS 20.5K

$4.76 MYR 18.82

66.60%

Cappuccino

$1.95 TZS 5,053

$3.01 MYR 11.90

-35.22%

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

$0.39 TZS 1,003

$0.85 MYR 3.35

-54.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 TZS 568

$0.49 MYR 1.93

-55.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.07 TZS 2,778

$3.51 MYR 13.85

-69.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 TZS 5,038

$6.76 MYR 26.71

-71.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 TZS 2,790

$1.80 MYR 7.11

-40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 TZS 2,108

$0.98 MYR 3.89

-17.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 TZS 2,911

$1.24 MYR 4.89

-9.68%

Eggs

$1.97 TZS 5,112

$1.84 MYR 7.26

7.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.46 TZS 24.5K

$10.67 MYR 42.16

-11.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.83 TZS 15.1K

$3.55 MYR 14.01

64.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.37 TZS 11.3K

$8.25 MYR 32.60

-47.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 TZS 6,764

$2.66 MYR 10.51

-1.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 TZS 2,724

$1.46 MYR 5.76

-28.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.05 TZS 2,729

$2.57 MYR 10.16

-59.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 TZS 2,702

$1.25 MYR 4.93

-16.80%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 TZS 2,441

$1.14 MYR 4.51

-17.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 TZS 3,968

$1.34 MYR 5.30

14.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 TZS 2,350

$0.94 MYR 3.71

-3.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 TZS 1,138

$0.52 MYR 2.04

-15.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.04 TZS 5,289

$4.17 MYR 16.47

-51.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.44 TZS 16.7K

$14.50 MYR 57.3

-55.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 TZS 2,502

$2.68 MYR 10.59

-63.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 TZS 4,205

$2.92 MYR 11.53

-44.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 TZS 673

$0.72 MYR 2.86

-63.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.10 TZS 44.3K

$11.81 MYR 46.65

44.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 TZS 3,852

$0.97 MYR 3.84

53.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 TZS 3,897

$1.02 MYR 4.04

48.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.43 TZS 34.8K

$9.09 MYR 35.92

47.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 TZS 3,244

$0.47 MYR 1.84

165.96%

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

$16.8K TZS 43.5M

$34.8K MYR 137.4K

-51.74%

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

$17.2K TZS 44.6M

$28.1K MYR 111.0K

-38.79%

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

$98.3 TZS 254.5K

$40.87 MYR 161

140.54%

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

$10.90 TZS 28.2K

$9.23 MYR 36.44

18.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.96 TZS 82.7K

$30.64 MYR 121

4.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.7 TZS 247.7K

$35.09 MYR 139

172.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.79 TZS 12.4K

$5.82 MYR 22.99

-17.70%

Cinema Ticket

$4.75 TZS 12.3K

$4.90 MYR 19.35

-3.06%

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

$253 TZS 655.0K

$191 MYR 755

32.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.3K TZS 49.9M

$6,900 MYR 27.3K

179.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.75 TZS 66.7K

$49.07 MYR 194

-47.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 TZS 108.1K

$19.14 MYR 75.6

118.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$46.25 TZS 119.7K

$54.2 MYR 214

-14.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.7 TZS 221.8K

$39.65 MYR 157

116.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$592 TZS 1.5M

$468 MYR 1,848

26.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$256 TZS 663.1K

$396 MYR 1,565

-35.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,299 TZS 3.4M

$843 MYR 3,331

54.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 TZS 1.7M

$599 MYR 2,366

7.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,522 TZS 3.9M

$2,090 MYR 8,254

-27.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,105 TZS 2.9M

$1,190 MYR 4,700

-7.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$263 TZS 681.9K

$1,155 MYR 4,562

-77.19%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Johor Bahru: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $592 in Dar es Salaam versus $468 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 338% 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: $167 vs $218 – 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 11%, 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 $1,307 per month in Dar es Salaam and $1,449 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 $253 per month in Dar es Salaam and $191 in Johor Bahru. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% 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 $871, than in Johor Bahru at $966. 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.