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 $436 per month in Dodoma vs $871 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

A couple spends around $641 per month in Dodoma vs $1,393 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

A family of three spends $846 per month in Dodoma vs $1,914 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

Dodoma is about 50% 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

$3.65 TZS 9,525

$2.79 TZS 7,271

30.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.13 TZS 49.9K

$19.41 TZS 50.7K

-1.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.84 TZS 25.7K

$7.93 TZS 20.7K

24.09%

Cappuccino

$1.91 TZS 4,991

$1.95 TZS 5,095

-2.05%

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

$0.37 TZS 977

$0.39 TZS 1,012

-5.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 TZS 560

$0.22 TZS 572

-4.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.86 TZS 2,256

$1.07 TZS 2,802

-19.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 TZS 8,478

$1.95 TZS 5,080

66.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 TZS 2,370

$1.08 TZS 2,813

-15.74%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 TZS 2,039

$0.81 TZS 2,126

-3.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 TZS 2,606

$1.12 TZS 2,936

-10.71%

Eggs

$1.95 TZS 5,090

$1.97 TZS 5,155

-1.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.96 TZS 15.6K

$9.46 TZS 24.7K

-37.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.07 TZS 18.5K

$5.83 TZS 15.2K

21.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.76 TZS 9,817

$4.37 TZS 11.4K

-13.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 TZS 6,422

$2.61 TZS 6,821

-5.75%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 TZS 2,339

$1.05 TZS 2,746

-14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.76 TZS 1,977

$1.05 TZS 2,752

-27.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 TZS 3,977

$1.04 TZS 2,724

46.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 TZS 2,802

$0.94 TZS 2,462

13.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 TZS 4,443

$1.53 TZS 4,002

11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.50 TZS 1,312

$0.91 TZS 2,369

-45.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 TZS 1,059

$0.44 TZS 1,147

-6.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.51 TZS 3,941

$2.04 TZS 5,333

-25.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.79 TZS 9,887

$6.44 TZS 16.8K

-41.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 TZS 2,349

$0.97 TZS 2,523

-7.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 TZS 3,334

$1.62 TZS 4,240

-20.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 TZS 679

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.10 TZS 44.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 TZS 3,884

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 TZS 3,930

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.43 TZS 35.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 TZS 2,929

$1.25 TZS 3,271

-10.40%

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

$16.8K TZS 43.8M

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

$17.2K TZS 44.9M

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

$98.3 TZS 256.6K

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

$19.02 TZS 49.6K

$10.90 TZS 28.5K

74.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.06 TZS 49.8K

$31.96 TZS 83.4K

-40.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.4 TZS 152.4K

$95.7 TZS 249.8K

-38.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.77 TZS 20.3K

$4.79 TZS 12.5K

62.21%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 TZS 10.2K

$4.75 TZS 12.4K

-17.47%

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

$253 TZS 660.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.3K TZS 50.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.75 TZS 67.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 TZS 109.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$46.25 TZS 120.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.7 TZS 223.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$592 TZS 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$97.7 TZS 255.1K

$256 TZS 668.6K

-61.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,299 TZS 3.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 TZS 1.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,522 TZS 4.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,105 TZS 2.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$263 TZS 687.7K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Dar es Salaam: April 25, 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: $150 vs $167 – 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 100%, 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 $654 per month in Dodoma and $1,307 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 $436, than in Dar es Salaam at $871. 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.