Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dodoma and Zanzibar

For one person, living is cheaper in Dodoma: $430 a month against $579 in Zanzibar, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Zanzibar
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Zanzibar Living Index

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Dodoma

🇹🇿 Tanzania

$430

/mo nomad

Zanzibar

🇹🇿 Tanzania

$579

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dodoma and in Zanzibar

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 Zanzibar actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $430 per month in Dodoma vs $579 in Zanzibar, rent included.

Dodoma $430
Zanzibar $579

A couple spends around $616 per month in Dodoma vs $864 in Zanzibar, rent included.

Dodoma $616
Zanzibar $864

A family of three spends $802 per month in Dodoma vs $1,148 in Zanzibar, rent included.

Dodoma $802
Zanzibar $1,148

Dodoma is about 26% cheaper than Zanzibar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Dodoma and Zanzibar are more affordable than the global median – Dodoma 68% lower, Zanzibar 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.72 TZS 7,115

$4.70 TZS 12.3K

-42.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.07 TZS 50.0K

$22.08 TZS 57.8K

-13.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.41 TZS 19.4K

$5.59 TZS 14.6K

32.56%

Cappuccino

$1.94 TZS 5,076

$2.20 TZS 5,769

-11.82%

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

$0.34 TZS 878

$0.58 TZS 1,520

-41.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 TZS 2,197

$0.30 TZS 776

180.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.80 TZS 2,101

$1.86 TZS 4,879

-56.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 TZS 8,440

$2.58 TZS 6,764

24.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 TZS 2,271

$2.11 TZS 5,521

-58.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 TZS 2,058

$0.71 TZS 1,859

11.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 TZS 2,655

$0.79 TZS 2,058

27.85%

Eggs

$2.25 TZS 5,906

$2.71 TZS 7,092

-16.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.79 TZS 15.2K

$7.58 TZS 19.9K

-23.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.71 TZS 17.6K

$2.21 TZS 5,776

203.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.85 TZS 10.1K

$5.87 TZS 15.4K

-34.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 TZS 6,262

$2.78 TZS 7,271

-14.03%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 TZS 2,436

$1.15 TZS 3,001

-19.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.72 TZS 1,897

$0.78 TZS 2,050

-7.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 TZS 4,041

$0.55 TZS 1,428

180.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 TZS 2,695

$0.90 TZS 2,351

14.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.69 TZS 4,425

$1.55 TZS 4,063

9.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 TZS 1,262

$0.76 TZS 2,003

-36.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 TZS 954

$0.49 TZS 1,274

-26.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.54 TZS 4,041

$2.08 TZS 5,445

-25.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.68 TZS 9,639

$9.55 TZS 25.0K

-61.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 TZS 2,169

$1.50 TZS 3,921

-44.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 TZS 3,287

$1.35 TZS 3,536

-7.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 TZS 825

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 TZS 9,672

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 TZS 1,920

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 TZS 6,964

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 TZS 3,596

$1.21 TZS 3,180

13.22%

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

$48.9K TZS 128.1M

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

$74.3 TZS 194.6K

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

$18.53 TZS 48.5K

$11.29 TZS 29.6K

64.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 TZS 49.2K

$48.43 TZS 126.8K

-61.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 TZS 149.0K

$28.77 TZS 75.3K

97.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.66 TZS 20.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.86 TZS 10.1K

$9.26 TZS 24.3K

-58.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$7.40 TZS 19.4K

$13.12 TZS 34.3K

-43.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.88 TZS 44.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.05 TZS 39.4K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$13.05 TZS 34.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$147 TZS 385.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$95.7 TZS 250.7K

$100 TZS 262.1K

-4.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 TZS 518.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$148 TZS 388.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$37.8K TZS 99.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.5K TZS 30.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$312 TZS 816.7K

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 Zanzibar: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Dodoma

–

Zanzibar

$164 28.3%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dodoma

–

Zanzibar

$134 23.2%

Accommodation & Living

Dodoma

–

Zanzibar

$100 17.3%

Eating Out

Dodoma

–

Zanzibar

$99 17.1%

Sport & Entertainment

Dodoma

–

Zanzibar

$47 8.2%

Clothing & Footwear

Dodoma

–

Zanzibar

$26 4.5%

Getting Around

Dodoma

–

Zanzibar

$8.6 * 1.5%

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 $22.00 in Zanzibar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $147 vs $164 – making Dodoma the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇿 Dodoma

🇹🇿 Zanzibar

🕒 Local time

13:49 1:49 PM

Same time as Dodoma

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

765,179 Capital

709,809

💱 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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Between locations

Dodoma Zanzibar 380 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 Zanzibar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zanzibar costs about 35% more than Dodoma, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. 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 $869 in Zanzibar. 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 $579 in Zanzibar. That's a gap of about 35%.

Groceries cost about 12% more in Zanzibar, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $430 in Dodoma and $579 in Zanzibar, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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, Zanzibar makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.