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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $438 per month in Dodoma vs $858 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

A couple spends around $641 per month in Dodoma vs $1,399 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

A family of three spends $845 per month in Dodoma vs $1,940 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

Dodoma is about 49% cheaper than Dar es Salaam, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Dodoma and Dar es Salaam are more affordable than the global median – Dodoma 67% lower, Dar es Salaam 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.76 TZS 9,875

$2.75 TZS 7,241

36.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.50 TZS 51.3K

$19.48 TZS 51.2K

0.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.78 TZS 25.7K

$7.59 TZS 20.0K

28.85%

Cappuccino

$1.90 TZS 5,000

$2.01 TZS 5,295

-5.47%

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

$0.41 TZS 1,065

$0.36 TZS 937

13.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 TZS 441

$0.24 TZS 631

-29.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.88 TZS 2,321

$1.07 TZS 2,823

-17.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 TZS 8,476

$1.95 TZS 5,114

65.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 TZS 2,246

$1.06 TZS 2,791

-19.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 TZS 1,946

$0.79 TZS 2,070

-6.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 TZS 2,647

$1.09 TZS 2,876

-7.34%

Eggs

$1.95 TZS 5,128

$1.98 TZS 5,205

-1.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.65 TZS 14.8K

$9.35 TZS 24.6K

-39.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.08 TZS 18.6K

$5.93 TZS 15.6K

19.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.97 TZS 10.4K

$4.27 TZS 11.2K

-7.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.55 TZS 6,693

$2.59 TZS 6,797

-1.54%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 TZS 2,556

$1.01 TZS 2,668

-3.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.76 TZS 1,991

$1.02 TZS 2,693

-25.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 TZS 4,145

$1.05 TZS 2,751

50.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 TZS 2,848

$0.96 TZS 2,528

12.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 TZS 4,672

$1.58 TZS 4,156

12.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 TZS 1,217

$0.83 TZS 2,183

-44.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 TZS 1,058

$0.40 TZS 1,062

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.54 TZS 4,044

$2.01 TZS 5,286

-23.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.70 TZS 9,723

$6.81 TZS 17.9K

-45.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 TZS 2,231

$0.96 TZS 2,529

-11.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 TZS 3,364

$1.62 TZS 4,252

-20.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 TZS 629

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.21 TZS 45.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 TZS 3,779

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 TZS 4,076

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.31 TZS 35.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 TZS 2,929

$1.24 TZS 3,270

-10.48%

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

$16.8K TZS 44.2M

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

$17.2K TZS 45.2M

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

$96.3 TZS 253.3K

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

$19.52 TZS 51.3K

$10.72 TZS 28.2K

82.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.95 TZS 49.8K

$32.60 TZS 85.7K

-41.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 TZS 151.8K

$95.7 TZS 251.6K

-39.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.89 TZS 20.7K

$4.69 TZS 12.3K

68.23%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 TZS 10.3K

$4.69 TZS 12.3K

-16.20%

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

$256 TZS 672.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.3K TZS 50.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.75 TZS 67.7K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.11 TZS 113.3K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.89 TZS 120.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.4 TZS 222.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$581 TZS 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$97.7 TZS 256.8K

$258 TZS 678.8K

-62.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,338 TZS 3.5M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$661 TZS 1.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,514 TZS 4.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,096 TZS 2.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$278 TZS 731.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.67

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

Last update for Dodoma: July 25, 2026

Last update for Dar es Salaam: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Dodoma versus $19.00 in Dar es Salaam. Groceries tell a different story – $149 in Dodoma vs $166 in Dar es Salaam – so Dodoma wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Dodoma vs Dar es Salaam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Dar es Salaam is pricier by about 96%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $656 per month in Dodoma and $1,287 in Dar es Salaam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 11% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Dodoma and $19.00 in Dar es Salaam. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Dodoma, where all-in costs run around $438, than in Dar es Salaam at $858. In Dodoma it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dar es Salaam it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Dodoma – 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 Dodoma. 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.