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 $741 per month in Hoi An vs $451 in Zanzibar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,066 per month in Hoi An vs $702 in Zanzibar, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,390 per month in Hoi An vs $954 in Zanzibar, rent included.

Hoi An costs about 64% more than Zanzibar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Hoi An and Zanzibar are more affordable than the global median – Hoi An 45% lower, Zanzibar 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.55 ₫40.8K

$4.87 TZS 12.6K

-68.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.28 ₫454.1K

$22.38 TZS 57.7K

-22.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.77 ₫99.1K

$5.83 TZS 15.0K

-35.33%

Cappuccino

$1.54 ₫40.4K

$2.18 TZS 5,635

-29.36%

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

$0.53 ₫14.0K

$0.60 TZS 1,539

-11.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ₫7,492

$0.31 TZS 792

-6.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.94 ₫24.7K

$1.94 TZS 5,011

-51.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 ₫36.1K

$2.77 TZS 7,141

-50.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 ₫37.2K

$1.77 TZS 4,574

-19.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 ₫24.9K

$0.74 TZS 1,897

28.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 ₫28.5K

$0.87 TZS 2,236

25.29%

Eggs

$1.42 ₫37.3K

$2.87 TZS 7,396

-50.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.53 ₫329.3K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.74 ₫98.3K

$2.28 TZS 5,872

64.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.68 ₫254.2K

$4.75 TZS 12.2K

103.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 ₫70.7K

$2.92 TZS 7,541

-7.88%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 ₫22.9K

$1.13 TZS 2,908

-23.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.91 ₫24.0K

$0.75 TZS 1,943

21.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 ₫27.4K

$0.59 TZS 1,530

76.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 ₫29.9K

$0.93 TZS 2,386

22.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.82 ₫21.5K

$1.58 TZS 4,062

-48.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 ₫10.3K

$0.74 TZS 1,916

-47.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₫13.6K

$0.46 TZS 1,184

13.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.13 ₫29.7K

$2.11 TZS 5,442

-46.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.70 ₫202.4K

$9.55 TZS 24.6K

-19.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₫18.3K

$1.75 TZS 4,520

-60.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ₫41.2K

$1.31 TZS 3,387

19.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₫6,314

$0.65 TZS 1,664

-63.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.85 ₫101.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 ₫23.2K

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₫17.9K

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 ₫73.9K

$2.76 TZS 7,125

1.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 ₫23.9K

$1.20 TZS 3,101

-24.17%

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

$33.0K ₫867.1M

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

$27.9K ₫733.9M

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

$60.4 ₫1.6M

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

$5.92 ₫155.5K

$10.46 TZS 27.0K

-43.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.46 ₫196.1K

$22.74 TZS 58.6K

-67.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.59 ₫409.6K

$21.24 TZS 54.8K

-26.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.87 ₫127.9K

Cinema Ticket

$2.81 ₫73.9K

$9.42 TZS 24.3K

-70.17%

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

$153 ₫4.0M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ₫383.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.55 ₫592.5K

$13.26 TZS 34.2K

70.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.56 ₫409.0K

$17.44 TZS 45.0K

-10.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.1 ₫1.4M

$15.26 TZS 39.3K

247.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.5 ₫2.0M

$13.76 TZS 35.5K

463.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 ₫10.2M

$148 TZS 382.9K

161.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$341 ₫9.0M

$99.0 TZS 255.4K

244.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$421 ₫11.1M

$202 TZS 520.2K

108.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$439 ₫11.5M

$150 TZS 386.0K

193.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,527 ₫40.1M

$38.5K TZS 99.3M

-96.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$948 ₫24.9M

$11.4K TZS 29.3M

-91.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$284 ₫7.5M

$324 TZS 834.5K

-12.20%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Zanzibar: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $388 in Hoi An versus $148 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 14% 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 $17.00 in Hoi An versus $22.00 in Zanzibar. Groceries tell a different story – $181 in Hoi An vs $138 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: $741 in Hoi An, $451 in Zanzibar – roughly 64% apart. Hoi An costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,111 per month in Hoi An and $676 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 $17.00 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 $741 in Hoi An and $451 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 $741 in Hoi An and $451 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 $451 in Zanzibar to $741 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.