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 $424 per month in Dodoma vs $700 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

A couple spends around $617 per month in Dodoma vs $1,125 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

A family of three spends $809 per month in Dodoma vs $1,550 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

Dodoma is about 39% cheaper than Dar es Salaam, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Dodoma and Dar es Salaam are more affordable than the global median – Dodoma 69% lower, Dar es Salaam 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.70 TZS 7,105

$1.84 TZS 4,847

46.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.61 TZS 48.9K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.77 TZS 20.4K

$8.75 TZS 23.0K

-11.20%

Cappuccino

$1.91 TZS 5,025

$1.90 TZS 4,985

0.53%

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

$0.31 TZS 812

$0.34 TZS 907

-8.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 TZS 2,342

$0.20 TZS 525

345.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.82 TZS 2,146

$0.93 TZS 2,440

-11.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 TZS 8,631

$1.91 TZS 5,012

71.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 TZS 2,256

$0.87 TZS 2,290

-1.15%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 TZS 2,191

$0.62 TZS 1,617

33.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 TZS 2,662

$1.05 TZS 2,749

-3.81%

Eggs

$2.15 TZS 5,646

$1.94 TZS 5,112

10.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.65 TZS 14.8K

$9.63 TZS 25.3K

-41.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.77 TZS 17.8K

$4.81 TZS 12.6K

40.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.84 TZS 10.1K

$4.04 TZS 10.6K

-4.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.47 TZS 6,496

$2.57 TZS 6,760

-3.89%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 TZS 2,314

$1.07 TZS 2,804

-17.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.73 TZS 1,917

$0.94 TZS 2,482

-22.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 TZS 4,038

$0.99 TZS 2,609

55.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 TZS 2,707

$0.87 TZS 2,276

18.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 TZS 4,529

$1.01 TZS 2,660

70.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 TZS 1,197

$0.82 TZS 2,161

-43.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 TZS 966

$0.39 TZS 1,016

-5.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.53 TZS 4,033

$2.30 TZS 6,037

-33.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.76 TZS 9,898

$6.94 TZS 18.2K

-45.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 TZS 2,332

$0.89 TZS 2,329

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 TZS 3,163

$1.58 TZS 4,157

-24.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 TZS 685

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.61 TZS 38.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.63 TZS 4,280

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 TZS 4,005

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.07 TZS 34.4K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 TZS 3,458

$1.33 TZS 3,488

-0.75%

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

$16.7K TZS 43.9M

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

$25.7K TZS 67.6M

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

$57.7 TZS 151.7K

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

$19.19 TZS 50.4K

$9.09 TZS 23.9K

111.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.17 TZS 50.4K

$35.07 TZS 92.2K

-45.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.6 TZS 146.2K

$80.4 TZS 211.5K

-30.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.60 TZS 20.0K

$7.99 TZS 21.0K

-4.88%

Cinema Ticket

$3.86 TZS 10.1K

$5.24 TZS 13.8K

-26.34%

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

$570 TZS 1.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.1K TZS 34.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$7.62 TZS 20.0K

$14.26 TZS 37.5K

-46.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 TZS 68.9K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.46 TZS 116.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.4 TZS 174.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$587 TZS 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$94.3 TZS 247.9K

$205 TZS 538.1K

-53.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,357 TZS 3.6M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$431 TZS 1.1M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,515 TZS 4.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,050 TZS 2.8M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$275 TZS 723.8K

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 Dodoma: September 12, 2026

Last update for Dar es Salaam: September 13, 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: $147 vs $154 – 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 65%, 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 $636 per month in Dodoma and $1,050 in Dar es Salaam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 5% 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 $424, than in Dar es Salaam at $700. 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.