Cost of Living Comparison Between Dar es Salaam and Njombe Cost of Living Comparison Between Dar es Salaam and Njombe

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $874 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $343 in Njombe, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,402 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $524 in Njombe, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,930 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $705 in Njombe, rent included.

Dar es Salaam costs about 155% more than Njombe, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Dar es Salaam and Njombe are more affordable than the global median – Dar es Salaam 35% lower, Njombe 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.74 TZS 7,178

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.19 TZS 50.3K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.64 TZS 20.0K

Cappuccino

$1.94 TZS 5,101

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

$0.36 TZS 938

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 TZS 576

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.04 TZS 2,716

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 TZS 4,966

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 TZS 2,819

$0.96 TZS 2,510

11.46%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 TZS 2,178

$0.55 TZS 1,452

50.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 TZS 2,855

$0.95 TZS 2,482

14.74%

Eggs

$2.06 TZS 5,395

$1.38 TZS 3,614

49.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.55 TZS 25.0K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.74 TZS 15.1K

$3.92 TZS 10.3K

46.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.36 TZS 11.5K

$3.01 TZS 7,897

44.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.56 TZS 6,728

$1.51 TZS 3,960

69.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 TZS 2,667

$1.70 TZS 4,468

-40.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 TZS 2,794

$1.90 TZS 4,983

-44.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 TZS 2,858

$0.98 TZS 2,560

11.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 TZS 2,323

$1.31 TZS 3,450

-32.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 TZS 3,951

$2.53 TZS 6,631

-40.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 TZS 2,387

$0.41 TZS 1,073

121.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 TZS 1,057

$0.37 TZS 976

8.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.98 TZS 5,190

$1.71 TZS 4,488

15.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.98 TZS 18.3K

$1.88 TZS 4,930

271.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 TZS 2,488

$1.32 TZS 3,466

-28.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 TZS 4,243

$2.16 TZS 5,676

-25.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 TZS 683

$0.26 TZS 681

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.62 TZS 46.2K

$20.36 TZS 53.4K

-13.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 TZS 3,719

$1.53 TZS 4,008

-7.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 TZS 3,904

$1.17 TZS 3,077

27.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.51 TZS 35.5K

$5.88 TZS 15.4K

129.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 TZS 3,144

$1.25 TZS 3,284

-4.00%

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

$16.8K TZS 44.1M

$18.3K TZS 47.9M

-7.98%

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

$17.3K TZS 45.3M

$11.4K TZS 30.0M

51.09%

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

$97.0 TZS 254.6K

$20.93 TZS 54.9K

363.59%

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

$10.92 TZS 28.7K

$15.20 TZS 39.9K

-28.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.24 TZS 84.6K

$57.2 TZS 150.0K

-43.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.1 TZS 249.5K

$23.08 TZS 60.6K

312.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.76 TZS 12.5K

$7.58 TZS 19.9K

-37.20%

Cinema Ticket

$4.67 TZS 12.2K

$3.90 TZS 10.2K

19.74%

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

$258 TZS 676.9K

$333 TZS 873.7K

-22.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K TZS 49.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.38 TZS 69.2K

$15.33 TZS 40.2K

72.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.45 TZS 111.4K

$21.54 TZS 56.5K

97.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.02 TZS 123.4K

$17.47 TZS 45.9K

169.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.8 TZS 222.5K

$15.60 TZS 40.9K

443.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$594 TZS 1.6M

$115 TZS 301.7K

416.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 TZS 686.3K

$38.96 TZS 102.2K

571.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,292 TZS 3.4M

$193 TZS 506.0K

570.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$652 TZS 1.7M

$115 TZS 301.9K

466.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,504 TZS 3.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,078 TZS 2.8M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$275 TZS 722.4K

$260 TZS 682.9K

5.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.67

63.92%

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

Last update for Dar es Salaam: July 12, 2026

Last update for Njombe: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $594 in Dar es Salaam versus $115 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 6% higher in Dar es Salaam, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

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 155%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,311 per month in Dar es Salaam and $515 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 16% less in Njombe. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 48% 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 $343, than in Dar es Salaam at $874. 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.