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 $445 per month in Dodoma vs $861 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

A couple spends around $635 per month in Dodoma vs $1,382 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

A family of three spends $825 per month in Dodoma vs $1,904 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

Dodoma is about 48% 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 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.60 TZS 9,389

$2.85 TZS 7,423

26.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.41 TZS 50.6K

$19.28 TZS 50.3K

0.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.45 TZS 24.7K

$7.83 TZS 20.4K

20.69%

Cappuccino

$1.90 TZS 4,967

$2.02 TZS 5,264

-5.94%

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

$0.38 TZS 981

$0.35 TZS 923

8.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 TZS 510

$0.22 TZS 573

-9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.87 TZS 2,268

$1.04 TZS 2,709

-16.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 TZS 8,374

$1.96 TZS 5,119

63.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 TZS 2,383

$1.02 TZS 2,665

-10.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 TZS 2,106

$0.83 TZS 2,164

-2.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 TZS 2,626

$1.14 TZS 2,963

-11.40%

Eggs

$2.00 TZS 5,225

$1.97 TZS 5,145

1.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.92 TZS 15.4K

$9.36 TZS 24.4K

-36.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.83 TZS 17.8K

$5.82 TZS 15.2K

17.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.81 TZS 9,946

$4.23 TZS 11.0K

-9.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.47 TZS 6,455

$2.53 TZS 6,598

-2.37%

Banana (1kg)

$0.91 TZS 2,382

$1.06 TZS 2,757

-14.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.78 TZS 2,042

$1.07 TZS 2,790

-27.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 TZS 3,926

$1.04 TZS 2,719

44.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 TZS 2,801

$0.93 TZS 2,434

15.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.69 TZS 4,415

$1.51 TZS 3,953

11.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 TZS 1,209

$0.85 TZS 2,229

-45.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 TZS 1,054

$0.40 TZS 1,045

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.59 TZS 4,155

$1.99 TZS 5,185

-20.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.75 TZS 9,796

$7.01 TZS 18.3K

-46.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 TZS 2,339

$0.92 TZS 2,398

-2.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 TZS 3,217

$1.61 TZS 4,199

-23.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 TZS 620

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.14 TZS 44.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 TZS 3,738

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 TZS 3,932

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.68 TZS 35.7K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 TZS 2,944

$1.24 TZS 3,239

-8.87%

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)

$17.4K TZS 45.5M

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

$97.0 TZS 253.0K

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

$19.43 TZS 50.7K

$10.63 TZS 27.7K

82.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.27 TZS 50.3K

$31.60 TZS 82.5K

-39.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 TZS 148.4K

$93.6 TZS 244.3K

-39.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.53 TZS 19.6K

$4.78 TZS 12.5K

57.53%

Cinema Ticket

$3.91 TZS 10.2K

$4.86 TZS 12.7K

-19.55%

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

$254 TZS 663.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.1K TZS 49.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.77 TZS 67.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.22 TZS 112.8K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$46.54 TZS 121.4K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.5 TZS 217.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 TZS 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$98.0 TZS 255.6K

$262 TZS 683.2K

-62.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,306 TZS 3.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$648 TZS 1.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,502 TZS 3.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,095 TZS 2.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$281 TZS 734.0K

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Dar es Salaam: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Dodoma versus $19.00 in Dar es Salaam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $149 vs $165 – making Dodoma the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 93%, 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 $668 per month in Dodoma and $1,291 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 $19.00 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 $445, than in Dar es Salaam at $861. 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.