Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dodoma and Mbeya

For one person, living costs are similar in Dodoma and in Mbeya: $430 and $426 a month, rent and utilities included.

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Cost of Living Index in Mbeya
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Mbeya Living Index

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Dodoma

🇹🇿 Tanzania

$430

/mo nomad

Mbeya

🇹🇿 Tanzania

$426

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dodoma and in Mbeya

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Dodoma and in Mbeya actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $430 per month in Dodoma vs $426 in Mbeya, rent included.

Dodoma $430
Mbeya $426

A couple spends around $616 per month in Dodoma vs $656 in Mbeya, rent included.

Dodoma $616
Mbeya $656

A family of three spends $802 per month in Dodoma vs $887 in Mbeya, rent included.

Dodoma $802
Mbeya $887

Dodoma costs about 1% more than Mbeya, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Dodoma and Mbeya are more affordable than the global median – Dodoma 68% lower, Mbeya 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.72 TZS 7,115

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.07 TZS 50.0K

$22.68 TZS 59.4K

-15.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.41 TZS 19.4K

$7.77 TZS 20.4K

-4.63%

Cappuccino

$1.94 TZS 5,076

$1.52 TZS 3,989

27.63%

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

$0.34 TZS 878

$0.37 TZS 958

-8.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 TZS 2,197

$0.37 TZS 964

127.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.80 TZS 2,101

$0.72 TZS 1,882

11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 TZS 8,440

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 TZS 2,271

$0.55 TZS 1,435

58.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 TZS 2,058

$0.93 TZS 2,430

-15.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 TZS 2,655

$0.92 TZS 2,414

9.78%

Eggs

$2.25 TZS 5,906

$2.32 TZS 6,067

-3.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.79 TZS 15.2K

$3.80 TZS 9,949

52.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.71 TZS 17.6K

$3.72 TZS 9,734

80.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.85 TZS 10.1K

$3.30 TZS 8,643

16.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 TZS 6,262

$1.15 TZS 3,003

107.83%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 TZS 2,436

$0.78 TZS 2,051

19.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.72 TZS 1,897

$0.99 TZS 2,581

-27.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 TZS 4,041

$0.73 TZS 1,917

110.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 TZS 2,695

$0.97 TZS 2,538

6.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.69 TZS 4,425

$0.78 TZS 2,053

116.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 TZS 1,262

$0.56 TZS 1,465

-14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 TZS 954

$0.72 TZS 1,883

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.54 TZS 4,041

$1.14 TZS 2,998

35.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.68 TZS 9,639

$3.72 TZS 9,744

-1.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 TZS 2,169

$0.78 TZS 2,045

6.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 TZS 3,287

$1.16 TZS 3,038

7.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 TZS 1,036

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 TZS 2,891

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 TZS 4,834

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 TZS 6,831

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 TZS 3,596

$1.22 TZS 3,204

12.30%

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

$23.68 TZS 62.0K

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

$18.53 TZS 48.5K

$18.83 TZS 49.3K

-1.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 TZS 49.2K

$46.09 TZS 120.7K

-59.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 TZS 149.0K

$37.78 TZS 98.9K

50.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.66 TZS 20.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.86 TZS 10.1K

$9.50 TZS 24.9K

-59.37%

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

$191 TZS 500.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,129 TZS 3.0M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$7.40 TZS 19.4K

$11.42 TZS 29.9K

-35.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.23 TZS 24.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$19.08 TZS 50.0K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.12 TZS 68.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$114 TZS 297.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$95.7 TZS 250.7K

$76.4 TZS 200.0K

25.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$187 TZS 491.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 TZS 292.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$191 TZS 501.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Dodoma: October 18, 2026

Last update for Mbeya: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Dodoma

–

Mbeya

$115 26.9%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dodoma

–

Mbeya

$89 20.8%

Accommodation & Living

Dodoma

–

Mbeya

$76 17.9%

Sport & Entertainment

Dodoma

–

Mbeya

$57 13.3%

Eating Out

Dodoma

–

Mbeya

$48 * 11.3%

Clothing & Footwear

Dodoma

–

Mbeya

$30 7%

Getting Around

Dodoma

–

Mbeya

$12 * 2.8%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Dodoma versus $23.00 in Mbeya. Groceries tell a different story – $147 in Dodoma vs $115 in Mbeya – so Mbeya wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇿 Dodoma

🇹🇿 Mbeya

🕒 Local time

13:48 1:48 PM

Same time as Dodoma

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

765,179 Capital

541,603

💱 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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Dodoma Mbeya 390 km

From you

Dodoma
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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

Dodoma vs Mbeya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dodoma costs about 1% more than Mbeya, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $646 per month in Dodoma and $639 in Mbeya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $430 in Dodoma and $426 in Mbeya. That's a gap of about 1%.

Groceries cost about 28% more in Dodoma, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $430 in Dodoma and $426 in Mbeya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Mbeya. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Dodoma makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.