Cost of Living Comparison Between Hoi An and Zanzibar Cost of Living Comparison Between Hoi An and Zanzibar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $891 per month in Hoi An vs $581 in Zanzibar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,275 per month in Hoi An vs $872 in Zanzibar, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,658 per month in Hoi An vs $1,163 in Zanzibar, rent included.

Hoi An costs about 53% more than Zanzibar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Hoi An and Zanzibar are more affordable than the global median – Hoi An 35% lower, Zanzibar 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.27 ₫59.1K

$4.70 TZS 12.4K

-51.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.29 ₫476.8K

$21.77 TZS 57.2K

-15.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.79 ₫98.7K

$5.50 TZS 14.5K

-31.09%

Cappuccino

$1.72 ₫44.9K

$2.13 TZS 5,598

-19.25%

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

$0.62 ₫16.1K

$0.63 TZS 1,649

-1.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ₫8,248

$0.31 TZS 805

3.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.31 ₫34.3K

$1.93 TZS 5,067

-32.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 ₫34.6K

$2.58 TZS 6,772

-48.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 ₫40.1K

$2.07 TZS 5,438

-25.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 ₫29.7K

$0.75 TZS 1,978

52.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.04 ₫27.2K

$0.86 TZS 2,251

20.93%

Eggs

$1.52 ₫39.6K

$2.68 TZS 7,052

-43.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.83 ₫334.5K

$7.66 TZS 20.1K

67.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.94 ₫102.8K

$2.26 TZS 5,939

74.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.06 ₫236.3K

$6.07 TZS 16.0K

49.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ₫69.8K

$2.92 TZS 7,665

-8.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 ₫28.8K

$1.11 TZS 2,919

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 ₫26.1K

$0.74 TZS 1,951

35.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 ₫37.8K

$0.58 TZS 1,528

150.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 ₫28.5K

$0.98 TZS 2,565

11.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 ₫27.0K

$1.55 TZS 4,079

-32.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ₫17.5K

$0.74 TZS 1,946

-9.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₫13.9K

$0.48 TZS 1,269

10.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.51 ₫39.2K

$2.17 TZS 5,697

-30.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.84 ₫204.3K

$9.59 TZS 25.2K

-18.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₫21.6K

$1.55 TZS 4,062

-46.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 ₫38.8K

$1.36 TZS 3,567

9.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₫6,264

$0.29 TZS 759

-17.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.75 ₫97.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 ₫24.3K

$3.81 TZS 10.0K

-75.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 ₫16.8K

$0.74 TZS 1,951

-13.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.90 ₫101.6K

$2.62 TZS 6,884

48.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 ₫22.4K

$1.16 TZS 3,039

-25.86%

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

$30.7K ₫801.4M

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

$27.3K ₫710.6M

$49.2K TZS 129.3M

-44.56%

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

$77.6 ₫2.0M

$73.7 TZS 193.8K

5.26%

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

$6.22 ₫162.1K

$11.50 TZS 30.2K

-45.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.21 ₫214.0K

$48.70 TZS 128.0K

-83.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.69 ₫435.0K

$29.70 TZS 78.1K

-43.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.66 ₫121.4K

Cinema Ticket

$3.05 ₫79.6K

$9.66 TZS 25.4K

-68.43%

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

$113 ₫2.9M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K ₫436.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.78 ₫1.2M

$13.13 TZS 34.5K

248.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.19 ₫708.8K

$16.74 TZS 44.0K

62.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.7 ₫1.8M

$15.38 TZS 40.4K

346.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.7 ₫2.1M

$12.98 TZS 34.1K

521.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 ₫11.5M

$150 TZS 393.4K

193.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$402 ₫10.5M

$101 TZS 264.6K

299.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$535 ₫13.9M

$203 TZS 534.6K

162.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$611 ₫15.9M

$149 TZS 392.4K

309.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,540 ₫40.1M

$37.5K TZS 98.6M

-95.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$975 ₫25.4M

$11.6K TZS 30.4M

-91.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$288 ₫7.5M

$312 TZS 820.9K

-7.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.34

3.40%

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

Last update for Hoi An: August 31, 2026

Last update for Zanzibar: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $440 in Hoi An versus $150 in Zanzibar. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 8% higher in Zanzibar, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Hoi An versus $22.00 in Zanzibar. Groceries tell a different story – $191 in Hoi An vs $166 in Zanzibar – so Zanzibar wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Hoi An vs Zanzibar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $891 in Hoi An, $581 in Zanzibar – roughly 53% apart. Hoi An costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,337 per month in Hoi An and $871 in Zanzibar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zanzibar, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Hoi An and $22.00 in Zanzibar. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $891 in Hoi An and $581 in Zanzibar. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $891 in Hoi An and $581 in Zanzibar, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Hoi An has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $581 in Zanzibar to $891 in Hoi An. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Zanzibar. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hoi An makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.