Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dar es Salaam and Tanga

For one person, living is cheaper in Tanga: $38.44 a month against $699 in Dar es Salaam, rent and utilities included – about $7,900 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

$699

/mo nomad

Tanga

🇹🇿 Tanzania

$38.44

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $699 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $38.44 in Tanga, rent included.

Dar es Salaam $699
Tanga $38.44

A couple spends around $1,111 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $55.9 in Tanga, rent included.

Dar es Salaam $1,111
Tanga $55.9

A family of three spends $1,523 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $73.3 in Tanga, rent included.

Dar es Salaam $1,523
Tanga $73.3

Dar es Salaam costs about 1719% more than Tanga, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Dar es Salaam and Tanga are more affordable than the global median – Dar es Salaam 48% lower, Tanga 97% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.90 TZS 4,978

$1.49 TZS 3,910

27.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.67 TZS 48.9K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.60 TZS 19.9K

$3.46 TZS 9,065

119.65%

Cappuccino

$1.89 TZS 4,961

$0.55 TZS 1,448

243.64%

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

$0.37 TZS 971

$0.29 TZS 758

27.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 TZS 577

$0.37 TZS 961

-40.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.96 TZS 2,507

$0.91 TZS 2,391

5.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 TZS 4,877

$1.14 TZS 2,998

63.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 TZS 2,133

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 TZS 1,491

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 TZS 2,773

Eggs

$1.90 TZS 4,984

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.01 TZS 23.6K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.85 TZS 12.7K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.97 TZS 10.4K

Apples (1kg)

$2.53 TZS 6,619

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 TZS 2,927

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 TZS 2,717

Tomato (1kg)

$0.86 TZS 2,249

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 TZS 2,477

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 TZS 2,677

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 TZS 2,112

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 TZS 1,013

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.05 TZS 5,366

Wine (Bottle)

$7.10 TZS 18.6K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 TZS 2,399

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 TZS 4,190

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 TZS 627

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.01 TZS 39.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.62 TZS 4,235

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 TZS 4,070

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.03 TZS 34.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 TZS 3,745

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

$16.8K TZS 43.9M

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

$26.0K TZS 68.0M

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

$56.9 TZS 149.0K

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

$9.17 TZS 24.0K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.33 TZS 87.3K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$85.5 TZS 224.0K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.88 TZS 25.9K

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 TZS 13.1K

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

$576 TZS 1.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K TZS 34.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.48 TZS 40.5K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.19 TZS 68.6K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.77 TZS 114.6K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.7 TZS 153.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$568 TZS 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$191 TZS 500.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 TZS 3.5M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$440 TZS 1.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,519 TZS 4.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,054 TZS 2.8M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$277 TZS 725.1K

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: October 17, 2026

Last update for Tanga: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Dar es Salaam

$191 27.3%

Tanga

–

Groceries & Markets

Dar es Salaam

$151 21.7%

Tanga

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dar es Salaam

$99 14.2%

Tanga

–

Sport & Entertainment

Dar es Salaam

$96 13.7%

Tanga

–

Eating Out

Dar es Salaam

$72 10.2%

Tanga

–

Clothing & Footwear

Dar es Salaam

$65 9.3%

Tanga

–

Getting Around

Dar es Salaam

$25 3.6%

Tanga

–

Good to know

🇹🇿 Dar es Salaam

🇹🇿 Tanga

🕒 Local time

15:44 3:44 PM

Same time as Dar es Salaam

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,383,728

393,429

💱 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

On the map

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Dar es Salaam Tanga 190 km

From you

Dar es Salaam
Tanga

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 Tanga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Dar es Salaam is pricier by about 1719%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,049 per month in Dar es Salaam and $57.7 in Tanga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Tanga, where all-in costs run around $38.44, than in Dar es Salaam at $699. In Tanga it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dar es Salaam it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Tanga. 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.