Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dar es Salaam and Njombe

For one person, living is cheaper in Njombe: $334 a month against $707 in Dar es Salaam, rent and utilities included – about $4,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half 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

$707

/mo nomad

Njombe

🇹🇿 Tanzania

$334

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Njombe actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $707 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $334 in Njombe, rent included.

Dar es Salaam $707
Njombe $334

A couple spends around $1,121 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $512 in Njombe, rent included.

Dar es Salaam $1,121
Njombe $512

A family of three spends $1,535 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $690 in Njombe, rent included.

Dar es Salaam $1,535
Njombe $690

Dar es Salaam costs about 112% more than Njombe, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Dar es Salaam and Njombe are more affordable than the global median – Dar es Salaam 48% lower, Njombe 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.93 TZS 5,066

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.16 TZS 50.2K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.60 TZS 19.9K

Cappuccino

$2.02 TZS 5,285

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

$0.37 TZS 975

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 TZS 577

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.94 TZS 2,452

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 TZS 5,091

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 TZS 2,121

$0.98 TZS 2,570

-17.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 TZS 1,616

$0.55 TZS 1,449

12.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 TZS 2,861

$0.98 TZS 2,578

11.22%

Eggs

$2.04 TZS 5,343

$1.32 TZS 3,463

54.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.31 TZS 24.4K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.77 TZS 12.5K

$3.74 TZS 9,790

27.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.98 TZS 10.4K

$2.95 TZS 7,730

34.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 TZS 6,544

$1.50 TZS 3,925

66.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 TZS 2,801

$1.74 TZS 4,558

-38.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 TZS 2,724

$1.84 TZS 4,809

-43.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.92 TZS 2,418

$2.04 TZS 5,339

-54.90%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 TZS 2,491

$1.35 TZS 3,548

-29.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 TZS 2,702

$2.43 TZS 6,370

-57.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 TZS 2,114

$0.40 TZS 1,038

102.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 TZS 1,002

$0.36 TZS 952

5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.09 TZS 5,477

$1.65 TZS 4,332

26.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.04 TZS 18.4K

$1.87 TZS 4,897

276.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 TZS 2,272

$1.30 TZS 3,404

-33.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 TZS 4,138

$2.14 TZS 5,593

-26.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 TZS 681

$0.28 TZS 736

-7.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.62 TZS 38.3K

$19.31 TZS 50.6K

-24.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 TZS 4,227

$1.54 TZS 4,039

4.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 TZS 3,907

$1.17 TZS 3,059

27.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.34 TZS 34.9K

$5.51 TZS 14.4K

142.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 TZS 3,727

$1.22 TZS 3,183

16.39%

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

$17.1K TZS 44.8M

$18.1K TZS 47.4M

-5.58%

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

$26.4K TZS 69.2M

$11.2K TZS 29.4M

135.64%

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

$56.9 TZS 149.1K

$20.74 TZS 54.3K

174.45%

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

$9.17 TZS 24.0K

$14.89 TZS 39.0K

-38.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.48 TZS 87.7K

$55.8 TZS 146.2K

-40.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$85.9 TZS 224.9K

$22.47 TZS 58.8K

282.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.07 TZS 26.4K

$7.47 TZS 19.6K

34.81%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 TZS 13.2K

$3.82 TZS 9,995

32.20%

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

$565 TZS 1.5M

$321 TZS 841.3K

76.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.1K TZS 34.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.27 TZS 40.0K

$14.98 TZS 39.2K

1.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.42 TZS 66.6K

$20.71 TZS 54.2K

22.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.19 TZS 115.7K

$16.90 TZS 44.2K

161.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.5 TZS 155.7K

$14.90 TZS 39.0K

299.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$572 TZS 1.5M

$113 TZS 294.9K

407.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$196 TZS 513.6K

$37.69 TZS 98.7K

420.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,312 TZS 3.4M

$188 TZS 492.5K

597.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$442 TZS 1.2M

$115 TZS 301.3K

284.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,556 TZS 4.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,069 TZS 2.8M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$276 TZS 722.7K

$256 TZS 671.7K

7.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.25

52.08%

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

Last update for Dar es Salaam: October 11, 2026

Last update for Njombe: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Dar es Salaam

$196 27.7%

Njombe

–

Groceries & Markets

Dar es Salaam

$153 21.6%

Njombe

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dar es Salaam

$100 14.1%

Njombe

–

Sport & Entertainment

Dar es Salaam

$96 13.6%

Njombe

–

Eating Out

Dar es Salaam

$73 10.4%

Njombe

–

Clothing & Footwear

Dar es Salaam

$65 9.2%

Njombe

–

Getting Around

Dar es Salaam

$25 3.5%

Njombe

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $572 in Dar es Salaam versus $113 in Njombe. 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 8% higher in Dar es Salaam, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know

🇹🇿 Dar es Salaam

🇹🇿 Njombe

🕒 Local time

12:27 12:27 PM

Same time as Dar es Salaam

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,383,728

92,537

💱 Currency

Tanzanian Shilling TZS Sh

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 TZS = 3.82 USD

10,000 TZS = 3.4 EUR

10,000 TZS = 3.82 USD

10,000 TZS = 3.4 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Dar es Salaam Njombe 570 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

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Dar es Salaam
Njombe

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 Njombe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Dar es Salaam is pricier by about 112%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,061 per month in Dar es Salaam and $502 in Njombe. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 32% less in Njombe. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 30% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Njombe, where all-in costs run around $334, than in Dar es Salaam at $707. In Njombe it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dar es Salaam it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Njombe – 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 Njombe. 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.