Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dar es Salaam and Mwanza

For one person, living is cheaper in Mwanza: $188 a month against $701 in Dar es Salaam, rent and utilities included – about $6,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Dar es Salaam
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Dar es Salaam Living Index

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Dar es Salaam

🇹🇿 Tanzania

$701

/mo nomad

Mwanza

🇹🇿 Tanzania

$188

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dar es Salaam and in Mwanza

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Dar es Salaam and in Mwanza actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $701 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $188 in Mwanza, rent included.

Dar es Salaam $701
Mwanza $188

A couple spends around $1,114 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $295 in Mwanza, rent included.

Dar es Salaam $1,114
Mwanza $295

A family of three spends $1,527 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $403 in Mwanza, rent included.

Dar es Salaam $1,527
Mwanza $403

Dar es Salaam costs about 274% more than Mwanza, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Dar es Salaam and Mwanza are more affordable than the global median – Dar es Salaam 48% lower, Mwanza 86% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.85 TZS 4,854

$2.42 TZS 6,367

-23.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.91 TZS 49.7K

$15.31 TZS 40.3K

23.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 TZS 19.8K

$4.62 TZS 12.2K

63.20%

Cappuccino

$1.93 TZS 5,069

$2.69 TZS 7,083

-28.25%

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

$0.37 TZS 981

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 TZS 525

$0.29 TZS 763

-31.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.91 TZS 2,397

$0.91 TZS 2,402

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 TZS 4,938

$1.34 TZS 3,525

40.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 TZS 2,219

$0.94 TZS 2,461

-10.64%

White Bread (500g)

$0.61 TZS 1,601

$1.53 TZS 4,035

-60.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 TZS 2,888

$0.99 TZS 2,613

11.11%

Eggs

$1.94 TZS 5,105

$2.10 TZS 5,534

-7.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.32 TZS 24.5K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.90 TZS 12.9K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.96 TZS 10.4K

Apples (1kg)

$2.47 TZS 6,504

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 TZS 2,803

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 TZS 2,691

Tomato (1kg)

$0.91 TZS 2,387

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 TZS 2,510

$1.01 TZS 2,645

-5.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 TZS 2,707

$1.34 TZS 3,534

-23.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 TZS 2,168

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 TZS 1,013

$0.36 TZS 957

8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.02 TZS 5,322

Wine (Bottle)

$6.99 TZS 18.4K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 TZS 2,289

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 TZS 4,209

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 TZS 628

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.01 TZS 39.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.70 TZS 4,462

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 TZS 4,084

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.48 TZS 35.4K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 TZS 3,675

$1.45 TZS 3,803

-3.45%

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

$17.0K TZS 44.7M

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

$26.2K TZS 68.8M

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

$57.6 TZS 151.3K

$66.4 TZS 174.5K

-13.26%

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

$8.92 TZS 23.4K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.59 TZS 90.9K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$83.5 TZS 219.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.19 TZS 26.8K

Cinema Ticket

$5.21 TZS 13.7K

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

$569 TZS 1.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K TZS 37.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.19 TZS 39.9K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.19 TZS 68.8K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.57 TZS 114.5K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.4 TZS 156.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$533 TZS 1.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$191 TZS 502.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,358 TZS 3.6M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$441 TZS 1.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,504 TZS 4.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,091 TZS 2.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$284 TZS 745.6K

$187 TZS 490.8K

51.91%

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: November 2, 2026

Last update for Mwanza: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Dar es Salaam

$191 27.3%

Mwanza

–

Groceries & Markets

Dar es Salaam

$153 21.8%

Mwanza

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dar es Salaam

$101 14.4%

Mwanza

–

Sport & Entertainment

Dar es Salaam

$94 13.4%

Mwanza

–

Eating Out

Dar es Salaam

$71 10.2%

Mwanza

–

Clothing & Footwear

Dar es Salaam

$65 9.3%

Mwanza

–

Getting Around

Dar es Salaam

$25 3.6%

Mwanza

–

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 52% higher in Dar es Salaam, 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 in Dar es Salaam versus $15 in Mwanza. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $153 vs $47 – making Mwanza the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇿 Dar es Salaam

🇹🇿 Mwanza

🕒 Local time

07:38 7:38 AM

Same time as Dar es Salaam

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,383,728

1,104,521

💱 Currency

Tanzanian Shilling TZS Sh

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 TZS = 3.8 USD

10,000 TZS = 3.39 EUR

10,000 TZS = 3.8 USD

10,000 TZS = 3.39 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Dar es Salaam Mwanza 850 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Dar es Salaam
Mwanza

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Mwanza: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Dar es Salaam is pricier by about 274%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,051 per month in Dar es Salaam and $281 in Mwanza. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 224% more in Dar es Salaam, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Dar es Salaam and $15 in Mwanza. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $701 in Dar es Salaam and $188 in Mwanza, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Dar es Salaam has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $188 in Mwanza to $701 in Dar es Salaam. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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